Family Diversity Flashcards
Statistics on divorce
40% marriages end on divorce
6x more than 50 years ago
Reasons for rise in divorce
Legal changes Less stigma Secularisation Higher expectations of marriage Womens financial independence Feminist explanation Modernity and Individualisation
Outline legal changes cause for increased divorce
19th century divorce almost impossible
20th century legal changes made: easier (equalising the grounds between sexes 1923), widening the grounds (irretrievable breakdown 1969), cheaper (legal aid 1949)
Evaluation of legal changes causing increase divorce
Whilst laws give more freedom does not explain why people may choose to exercise freedom
Social factors may be more important
Outline less stigma cause for increased divorce
Negative label
Past divorce stigmatised - most churches condemned it
Since 1960s stigma declined rapidly
More acceptable, more willing to divorce solve problems
Divorce more common, normalises it,
Reducing stigma
Outline secularisation cause for increased divorce
Decline in influence religion society
Wilson: religious institutions losing influence e.g. Church attendance, weddings etc declining steadily
Churches opposition to divorce carries less weight, some even tolerant
Outline higher expectations of marriage cause for increased divorce
Functionalist Fletcher
Linked ideology of romantic love: marriage now based pure love, not economic factors. Love does no reason to stay together
Past little choice, family unit production, marriage economic function. Thus lower expectations, not dissatisfied absence love, divorce less common.
Optimistic high rate remarriages means marriage not rejected
Evaluation of Higher expectations of marriage
Feminists - Functionalists fail to explain why mainly women seek divorce i.e. Patriarchal oppression
What can stigma link to in rise in divorce
Legal changes
What can higher expectations of marriage link to increased divorce
Womens financial independence
Outline womens financial independence cause for increased divorce
More women paid work, LPF welfare benefits
Less economically dependent on the husband, more able to afford divorce
What can womens financial independence link to increased divorce
Feminist explanation
Outline feminist explanation cause for increased divorce
Women becoming wage earners
New source marital conflict
Work women treated as equals
Home they expect same treatment but get triple shift
Results awareness patriarchal oppression
Explains why 70% divorce petitions from women
What other area of sociology can feminist explanation for increased divorce link to
Feminist view of domestic division of labour
E.G. Duncombe and Marsden
Outline modernity and individualisation cause for increased divorce
Beck and Giddens
Late modernity, traditional norms e.g. Duty remain same partner for life loses its hold
Individuals free to pursue own self interests
More divorce = unwilling to stay marriage if fails to deliver personal fulfilment
Encourages both pursue career ambitions and adopt free market, consumerist identity, based self interest, causes conflict on interests
Why are there fewer first marriages
Changing attitudes - less pressure
Alternatives - cohabitation less stigmatised
Womens economic independence - gives freedom not to marry
Impact feminism - some see marriage as patriarchal
Rising divorce rates - puts people off marrying
Other trends in partnerships
More remarriages: more divorce, more divorcees available to remarry, rise serial monogamy
Later marriages: spend longer in education and cohabit first
Fewer church weddings: secularisation and some churches not marrying divorcees
Outline cohabitation - partnerships
1.5million couples in England and Wales cohabit
Less stigma attached to sex outside marriage
Womens economic position improved - dont need financial Security of marriage
Trial marriage - cohabitation before marriage the ‘norm’
Alternative - couples who see marriage as patriarchal may opt cohabitation more equal
Outline Gay Marriage and Same Sex relationships - Partnerships
Weeks: greater acceptance, more towards equality, policies some countries treating them equally e.g. Marriage and adoption rights
Acceptance leading to more stable relationship amongst gays
Evaluation of diversity in partnerships
Whilst these are forms of diversity they are all increasingly similar to marriage
Statistics on parenting
1/2 all children born outside of marriage
5x more than in 1971
Why are more births outside of marriage - Parenting
Increased cohabitation bit births registered jointly
Women having children later, remaining childless, having fewer as have more options e.g. A career
Outline statistics on LPF
1/4 of all families
Tripled since 1970s
Reasons for increase in LPF - Parenting
Increased divorce
Decline in stigma births outside marriage
New Right
What is the New Right view for the increase in LPF
Blame over generous welfare state benefits for encouraging and increasing dependency culture - over 90% female headed due to belief women suit the expressive role and courts giving mothers custody
Evaluation of the New Right view for why LPF increasing
Benefits low, families usually poor, lack affordable childcare prevents mother from working, fathers dont pay maintenance
Outline reconstituted/step families - parenting
Increased due to divorce and remarriage
Account for 8% families with children
Mostly children from womens previous relationships
Higher risk poverty have more children, may have to support children from previous relationships
Ethnic differences Black families - LPF/Step Families
More black LPF - 49% Black, 23% White, 11% Asian
May be legacy of slavery, male unemployment, black women valuing independence
Ethnic differences Asian families - LPF/Step Families
Larger Asian households due to cultural importance of extended family and need for support when migrating
(However, most Asian households are nuclear)
Functionalist view of the extended family today
Modern society nuclear replaces extended
Willmott: still exists but as a dispersed extended family where relatives maintain frequent contact
Beanpole family extended vertically through 3 generations
Result increased life expectancy and smaller family sizes
Obligations to relatives - extended family
Finch and Mason: 1/2 their sample cared for a sick relative
Reciprocity - people felt their help received should be returned
More expected of daughters but not all daughters play an equal part depends on other responsibilities
Extended family continues perform important functions e.g. Financial, domestic help
This is different Parsons extended family whose members live together and bound by strong mutual obligations
Functionalist view on family diversity
Conventional nuclear family
With biological division labour expressive female and instrumental male suited to needs modern industrial society and of family members
New Right view on family diversity
More political, influence social policies, takes a conservative view and opposes diversity
Conventional only ‘natural’ one
Diversity produces social problems e.g. Dependency culture, males lack role models and turn to crime, encourages delinquency
Evaluation of the New Right view of family diversity
Feminists argue nuclear family not ‘natural’ but a social construct
Sees opposition to diversity as an ideology justifying patriarchal oppression
Outline Chesters Neo Conventional Family
Increased diversity nuclear family still dominant, important change both spouses working (symmetrical)
Remains norm to aspire to, most still marry, raise children and dont divorce
Cohabitation increased but temporary, most divorcees remarry
Many not currently in nuclear have been or will be
Statistics just a snapshot, dont show changes in individuals life cycle
Who disagrees with Chesters Neo Conventional family
Rapoports 5 types of diversity
Outline The Rapoports 5 types of family diversity
Diversity central to family today meeting peoples needs
Organisational - joint or segregated roles
Cultural - ethnic groups different family structures
Class - differences in child rearing practices
Life cycles - pensioner couples, parents with young children
Generational - attitudes to cohabitation
Outline the post modernity view of family diversity
High levels due to greater individualism and choice
Led to individualisation thesis
Outline the Post Modern individualisation thesis
Giddens and Beck: self-interest governs our actions
Past: lives determined by tradition, family structure, fixed roles, conventional, prevented choosing life course but offered stability
Today undermined by individualism, ‘disembedded’ from tradition, free to choose
Giddens due to greater gender equality
How does Giddens suggested gender equality lead to diversity
Brought the pure relationship - rather than defined by law or tradition, or producing children exists satisfy each partners needs, only lasts as long as these needs met
Example of Giddens pure relationship individualisation thesis
Same sex couples
Traditional roles did not exist so they created ‘families of choice’ that serve their personal needs
What is Becks negotiated family Individualisation thesis
Not fixed but caries according to members wishes, more equal but less stable, more emphasis on needs of individual, rather than those of family and individuals free to leave if these not met
How does the Individualisation thesis lead to greater diversity
Instability and variability they produce leads to more divorce, cohabitation, LPF etc
What theory disagrees with the individualisation thesis
Connectedness thesis - Personal Life Perspective
Outline the Connectedness Thesis
Personal Life Perspective - Smart
Traditional norms and structural inequalities still limit choices e.g. Womens powerlessness compared with men means many remain trapped abusive relationships
Not disembedded make decisions within social context ‘web of connectedness’
Challenges pure relationship e.g. Parents who divorce remain linked by children often against their wishes
