Family Diversity

Question 1

He does Murdoch define ‘Family’?

Answer 1

A social group characterised by common residence, economic cooperation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes who maintain a socially approved sexual relationship with one or more children, own or adopted.

Question 2

What is a household?

Answer 2

A person living alone or with a group sharing meals, bills, housework etc. They may or may not be related, and you live with them out of choice.

Question 3

Name two differences between a household and a family?

Answer 3

1. A household is out of choice

2. A household can not be blood related

Question 4

What is the cereal packet family?

Answer 4

The “ideal” family type- seen on adverts and product packaging.

Question 5

What affect does Gittins think that the nuclear family has on other family types?

Answer 5

The nuclear family appears an ideology and therefore other family types feel abnormal and less desirable.

Question 6

What family types tend to be stigmatised? (5)

Answer 6

1. Homosexual
2. Big families on benefits
3. Lone mothers
4. Young parents
5. Divorced couples with children

Question 7

What is a beanpole family?

Answer 7

A family whereby each generation only has a few members. May be due to declining birth rates

Question 8

What is a horizontally extended family?

Answer 8

Family extended in terms of aunts, uncles and cousins living together as a family unit.

Question 9

What is a vertically extended family?

Answer 9

The family is extended in terms grandparents and great grandparents living together as a family unit

Question 10

What is a modified extended family?

Answer 10

These are families who don’t live with their extended family however are in close and regular contact.

Question 11

What is a lone parent household?

Who prefer this term to lone parents families and why?

Answer 11

A lone mother or father living with their dependent child/ren (no step parent)
Crow and hardy prefer this as it’s more precise- living together in one house.

Question 12

Give five reasons for the increase in lone parent households?

Answer 12

1. Changing attitudes- less stigma attached to children being raised by one parent.
2. Increasing divorce rates
3. Increased teenage pregnancy
4. Women more economically independent
5. More cohabiting couples therefore easier to leave unhappy relationships

Question 13

How would the new right view lone parent households? (2)

Answer 13

1. Incorrect socialisation if children due to a lack of one of the parental roles.
2. No male role model to aspire to (if lone mother)

Question 14

What reason does Murray offer for why here has been an increase in lone mothers?

Answer 14

The welfare state providing generous benefits for lone mothers.

Question 15

How do Ford and Millar flaw Murrays reasoning for the increase in lone mothers?

Answer 15

People wouldn’t choose to live alone and on benefits as the quality of life is much lower .

Question 16

How would feminists view lone mothers?

What does Graham say?

Answer 16

It’s a positive thing as it shows women can choose to be independent of male domination and a family type that suits them
Graham says mothers welcome the independence and opportunity to take control of their own lives.

Question 17

How does Haskey define a reconstituted family?

Answer 17

Married or a cohabiting couple with dependent children, at least one of which is not the biological offspring of both partners.

Question 18

What are De’Ath and Slater’s four problems with reconstituted families?

Answer 18

1. Children pulled in two direction
2. Tense relationships between step parents and children
3. Stress placed on new partnership
4. Tensions between new siblings

Question 19

What did Bedell say about reconstituted families and specifically the role of the stepfather?

Answer 19

Reconstituted families offer the chance of a successful, happy partnership. However, step fathers’ roles are not clearly defined leaving them uncertain of where they stand. Don’t know whether they can be the disciplinarian or not.

Question 20

Name three policies introduced in order to make same sex couples more equally treated in society:

Answer 20

1. Same sex couples able to adopt (2002)
2. Civil partnerships act (2004)
3. Same sex marriage (2014)

Question 21

What did Jeffrey Weeks (gay rights activist) say resulted from the increase is social acceptance of same sex couples?

Answer 21

The trend in same sex cohabitation and healthy homosexual relationships resembling those found amongst heterosexuals.

Question 22

What is a one person household?

Answer 22

A person living alone.

Question 23

Give 3 reasons as to why lone person households have increased?

Answer 23

1. Increase in divorce rates and women are more likely to have custody of the children (more male one person households.
2. Decline in numbers marrying as it’s less stigmatised to not be married
3. Increasing amount of widows- longer life expectancy and men tend to die before women. Also women tend to marry older men.

Question 24

Define polygamy:

Answer 24

Having multiple partners in a marriage, meaning more than one wife or husband

Question 25

Define polygany:

Answer 25

Having multiple wives- socially acceptable in subsaharan Africa where women have fewer rights

Question 26

Define polygandry:

Answer 26

Having multiple husbands- only found in rural areas of Tibet as there are fewer women

Question 27

What is a kibbutz?

Answer 27

A group of people who live together communally with shared ownership of land. Meals eaten together in the dining hall but each family has their own apartment. Originally children were brought up by kibbutz mothers seeing their parents a few hours each day, however recently children don’t leave until they are teens.

Question 28

Where would you find a kibbutz and how common are they?

Answer 28

Israel

Uncommon, only 3% of Israel population live in a kibbutz

Question 29

What are two advantages of living in a kibbutz?

Answer 29

Socialised in the same way to agree with the same norms and values.
Are accustomed to being surrounded by others.