Family Diversity

Question 1

7 examples for the changes in divorce

Answer 1

• changes in law
• declining stigma
• secularisation
• rising expectations of marriage
• CPOW
• feminist arguments
• modernity and individualisation

Question 2

Changes in Law ( Divorce)

Answer 2

• divorce was difficult to obtain in 19th century Britain
• changes in law made divorce easier
• e.g. Divorce Reform Act 1969 - two years separation if both partners agree - five year separation if partners do not agree

Question 3

evaluation for changes in law (Divorce)

Answer 3

• does not explain why more people should choose to take advantage of this freedom

Question 4

Declining stigma (Divorce)

Answer 4

• Mitchell and Goody (1997) since the 1960s there’s been a rapid decline in the stigma attached to divorce
• more socially acceptable, more couples willing to resort to divorce
• ‘normalised’ rather than seen as shameful

Question 5

Evaluation of decking stigma (Divorce)

Answer 5

• family patterns still tend to be traditional

Question 6

Secularisation (Divorce)

Answer 6

• decline in the influence of religion
• church views on divorce carry less weight in society
• church soften views on divorce and divorcees

Question 7

Evaluation of Secularisation (Divorce)

Answer 7

• still demand for religious weddings even amongst those who have been divorced before

Question 8

Rising expectations of marriage (Divorce)

Answer 8

• Fletcher (1966) higher expectations placed on marriage are a major cause of rising divorce rates
• less willing to tolerate an unhappy marriage
• influenced by the ideology of romantic love, marriage should be based on mutual love and satisfaction
• feel dissatisfied by the absence of romance and intimacy
• individuals seek personal fulfilment

Question 9

Evaluation of Rising expectations of marriage (Divorce)

Answer 9

• fletcher takes an optimistic view. Most adults marry, and re-marry after divorce
• functionalists fail to explain why women are more likely to seek divorce than men
• feminists argue the oppression of women in marriage is the source of high divorce rates

Question 10

CPOW (Divorce)

Answer 10

• improvements in women’s economic position, less financially dependent on their husband
• proportion of women working rose from 53% in 1971 to 67% in 2013
• narrowed the pay gap
• girls who achieve better in education helps then get better paid jobs
• availability of welfare benefits

Question 11

Evaluation of CPOW (Divorce)

Answer 11

• women being wage earners as well as homemakers creates a new source of conflict
• marriage remains patriarchal, men benefit from wives ‘triple-shifts’

Question 12

Feminist arguments (Divorce)

Answer 12

• women now have dual burden, paid work and housework
• women perform the triple shift
• marriage remains patriarchal
• Hochschild (1997) women felt more valued at work than at home. Men remained resistant to housework and this was a source of frustration
• Sigle-Rushton (2007) found divorce was less likely when mothers stayed at home and had a more traditional division of labour
• Bernard argued that women are becoming more dissatisfied with patriarchal marriage. Women are more likely to petition for divorce