Family diversity

Question 1

What is family diversity?

Answer 1

The difference between families, in terms of the organisations, structure and roles within the family.

Question 2

What did Murdock say about family diversity?

Answer 2

He doesn’t believe it’s real and rather believes the nuclear family is natural and universal.

Question 3

What did Wilmott say?

Answer 3

Family diversity has been exaggerated but family structure has changed to a dispersed extended family.

Question 4

What does Brannon say?

Answer 4

Family structures have changed and the new family type is the beanpole family.

Question 5

What does Anderson say?

Answer 5

Family diversity has always been present, not just in structure but in terms of power, roles and relationships.

Question 6

What are the Rapoports 5 types of diversity?

Answer 6

Cultural diversity
Life Course analysis
Organisational diversity
Generational diversity
Social class diversity
(CLOGS)

Question 7

What is cultural diversity?

Answer 7

Cultural differences in family structures and organisation. For example, asian families tend to be extended and afro-caribbean tend to be matrifocal in nature.

Question 8

What is life course analysis?

Answer 8

Hareven- Family structures and organisation change as we go through our lives to match our needs at the time.

Question 9

what is organisational diversity?

Answer 9

How the family is structured in terms of its members and power hierarchies.

Question 10

What is generational diversity?

Answer 10

Shared historical experiences of a group that shapes their family’s structure and organisation. For example, world war 2.

Question 11

What is social class diversity?

Answer 11

Wealth and income have an obvious impact in terms of the type of housing, rooms financial problems, holidays etc.

Question 12

How do changes in law impact family diversity?

Answer 12

Divorce Reform Act 1971- Single parent families, reconstituted families
Legalisation of contraception- More cohabitation and less children
Civil partnership Act and same-sex marriage act- more same-sex families

Question 13

How have changes in social attitudes impacted family diversity?

Answer 13

Society is more accepting of previously stigmatised family types/structures, like lone parents, same-sex and stay at home fathers.

Question 14

How has the changing role of women in society increased family diversity?

Answer 14

Women now have more freedom and independence, leading to an increase in what Young and Wilmott called the symmetrical family.

Question 15

How has secularisation caused family diversity?

Answer 15

Lessened the impact of religious teachings on families, like contraception and same-sex families.

Question 16

How have globalisation and immigration impacted family diversity?

Answer 16

Because of technological advancements, we have seen a rise in the dispersed extended family- a family who is emotionally close but geographically distant. Immigration has also caused an increase in family diversity.

Question 17

How do material factors impact family diversity?

Answer 17

There is greater affluence, geographical and social mobility. The greater economic independence of women has increased lifespan.

Question 18

What is parsons view of family diversity?

Answer 18

Functional fit theory- it is not diversity but a change of structure to fit the needs of modern society.

Question 19

What is Murray’s view of family diversity?

Answer 19

Diversity is the cause of social breakdown. There is only one correct type of family, which is the patriarchal nuclear family.

Question 20

What do postmodernists say regarding family diversity?

Answer 20

Diversity is increasing because of rise in choice and globalisation in the modern world. Relationships are now based on fluent love or pure relationships due to individualisation.

Question 21

What did Feminist Stacey say?

Answer 21

Growing diversity benefits women. Diversity has allowed women to create families that meet their needs.

Question 22

What is Chester’s idea of the neo-conventional family?

Answer 22

Statistics are misleading regarding the extent of family diversity. The neo-conventional family is becoming more common, which is a nuclear family but with more equality and symmetry in the division of labour.