Family diversity- other types Flashcards
What is The Rapoport’s study?
5 way in which the family can be diverse
Extent of family diversity in the UK
1- Organisational diversity
2- Class diversity
3- Cultural diversity
4- Life-cycle diversity
5- Cohort
What is organisational diversity?
Variations in family structure, household type, patterns of kinship network, differences within the home
- dual-worker, conventional family, on-parent family
What is class diversity?
Differences between MC and WC families in terms of relationships between adults, the way in which children are socialised
MC- less involved in childcare
WC- relatives care/traditional
What is cultural diversity?
Differences in lifestyle of different ethnic origins and religious belief
SA- patriarchal, extended
C- matrifocal, lone parent, marriage less value
What is life-cycle diversity?
Differences that result from the stage in the life cycle
- newly married without children different family life from those with dependent children/children who have achieved adult status
(Kippers/clipped wing generation)
What is cohort diversity?
Period at which the family has passed through different stages of the lifecycle
Cohort affects the life experiences of the family
- 1980s labour market, high unemployment, children dependent on adults for longer
- cost of living crisis, children stay at home for longer
Locality and Families
Eversley and Bonnerjea
Identified 6 kinds of areas associated with characteristic types of families and households
1- The ‘sun belt’
2- The ‘geriatric wards’
3- Older declining industrial areas
4- Newly declining industrial areas
5- Truly rural areas
6- Inner city areas
What are the sun belt areas?
There is an overrepresentation of higher social classes, owner-occupiers and to parent households
What are geriatric ward areas?
Many coastal areas of England and Wales
Elderly 1 to 2 person households often living quite far away from relatives
What are older declining industrial areas?
Found in former iron, coal, steel, shipbuilding etc areas
- Stable family households, strong neighbourhood/family loyalties
- very patriarchal
What are newly declining industrial areas?
Once prosperous areas that now face high levels of unemployment amongst older workers
- lots of young migrants, with little extended family connections
Mainly Midlands
What are truly rural areas?
Not many have survived, most have been invaded by commuters
- farms and family businesses remain important
- create strong kinship networks
- few women in paid employment
What are inner city areas?
High social deprivation, high immigrant population
- lone-parent households are common
- isolated from family networks
- young people (students), homeless people and ethnic minorities
What is an example of a geriatric ward areas in the UK?
Christchurch- 7 in 10 people are over 60 meaning there are huge strains in medical care e.g. Southport
Singlehood
The biggest groups of people living alone today in the UK are elderly (mainly women)
and people in the 25-44 age group (mainly males)
Why are elderly women more likely to experience singlehood?
- have a higher life expectancy
- decline in extended kin, live on their own
- ageing population
Why are young males 25-44 more likely to experience singlehood?
- less women interested in marriage and career focused
- make families much later
- geographical mobility/flexibility
- rise in LATs
- divorce/separation
- growing individualisation
- less social stigma ‘left on the shelf’
- decline in marriage
What is a beanpole family?
Multiple generation families with few children being born in each generation
Why is it called a beanpole family?
A long, thin chain family as generations live longer and more alive at the same time
What are the reasons for a rise in the beanpole family?
- longer life expectancy
- people only have 1 child or none
- people are more like to be in their 80s or 90s
- lower birth/fertility rate
What is a neo conventional nuclear family?
Recreate traditional nuclear family with 2 parents and children, may not be ‘traditional’
What does a neo-conventional family mean?
- man stays at home, looks after children
- same-sex couple with child
- reconstituted
What is a cereal packet family/privatised nuclear family/monogamous nuclear family?
A family seen as ideal by NR and functionalists
Involves 2 parents of opposite genders married with children
What are trends showing about the cereal packet family/privatised nuclear family/monogamous nuclear family?
Fewer people live in this type of household than in the recent past, still most common
- most people live in this at least once during their lifecycle
- privatised families are usually more isolated from extended realtives
What is an extended family?
A family with relatives beyond the nuclear unit e.g. grandparents, aunties etc
What are the trends of extended familie?
Found in some traditional WC communities and ethnic minority cultures
What is the modified extended family?
More common family type today
- nuclear family that maintains strong kinship ties with extended relatives however they do not live with them and may stay in touch via technology
What are trends of the modified extended family?
Increasing as people rely on the support of their extended relative for childcare or financial help
- technological age means it is easier to communicate without pol in the same area
- travel is also easier
What is the reconstituted/step/blended family?
A family which contains a couple where at least one of them has children from a previous relationship
What are trends of the reconstituted/step/blended family?
Increasing as a result of more separation and divorce
What is a single/lone-parent family?
A person living alone with no partner in a household with their children
What is the trend of single/lone-parent families?
Increasing as a result of divorce as well as women choosing to have children alone without starting or continuing a relationship with the father (not as common)
- possible due to greater financial independence of women
What is a one person household ‘singlehood’?
More likely to be people 25-44 young males or elderly people (more females) living alone
What are the trends of one person household ‘singlehood’?
More common as a result of higher life expectancy and women valuing marriage and family les
- represents greater individualism
- young adults delaying settling down, work commitments
What are families of choice/chosen families?
Non-biological kinship/bond close enough to consider as family even though they aren’t related
What are the trends of choice/chosen families?
- increase in choosing a living arrangement that suits them as they no longer feel the need to conform to society’s expectations of family life
What are communes?
People living in groups where resources and accommodation are shared
- may not have conventional relationship
- may have more than one ‘partner’
Childcare and other responsibilites are shared
What are the trends in communes?
Not as common due to the stigma surrounding them
Kibbutz is a well known popular commune in Palestine
What is serial monogamy?
A series of monogamous relationships involving divorce and re-marriage
What are the trends in serial monogamy?
Much more common
- people value marriage and have higher expectations of relationships than in the past
- would not stay together for the sake of the children or society’s expectations
- some argue it shoes they value marriage less
What is a cohabiting couple?
A couple living together in a relationship but not legally married, could go on to have children which is much more common today
What are the trends in cohabiting couples?
Increasing, people choose to test before marriage
What is an arranged marriage?
A marriage planned/agreed by families/guardians of the couples rather than the couples themselves
What are the trends in arranged marriages?
Still common in South Asian cultures, although younger generations are more likely to have a say in this decision than in the past
What is a same-sex marriage?
A same sex couple/legal partnership who can now legally marry
- may choose to have children through surrogacy or adoption or may have childWren from previous relationships
What are the trends in same sex marriage?
Increasing as it is more widely accepted and have laws such as Civil Partnership Act to legally recognise as a couple
What are LATs?
Couples who are in a committed, intimate relationship with each other without cohabitating
What are the trends in LATs?
Increasing as people want to leave settling down until later in life
- this family type is also caused by separation and divorce as a divorced person may not want to rush into living with a new partner straight away, or may enjoy their independence
What are Kipper, clipped wing generation, adult kids?
Kipper- Kids in parents pockets
- describe young adults who have finished their education and are in work but may not be financially independent enough to live alone, therefore return to their parents
What are the trend in Kipper, clipped wing generation, adult kids?
Increase due to cost of living crisis as young adults cannot afford to move out at an earlier age
What is social class diversity?
Refers to the way families may vary in structure and lifestyle depending on their social class
What are the trends in social class diversity?
Traditional WC extended families are decreasing while the modified extended and privatised nuclear families are increasing as people experience more social mobility
What is cultural/ethnic diversity?
Refers to the way that families may vary in structure and lifestyle depending on their religion and beliefs
What are the trends in cultural/ethnic diversity?
As immigration increases we are seeing increasingly diverse family types
- increasing SA community has meant a return to traditional extended families which have declined amongst the white population
What is cohort diversity?
Refers to time periods at which the family has passed through different stages of their life cycle
What are the trends in cohort diversity?
Affects the life experiences of the family
- children live with their parents for longer due to financial struggle
What is organisational diversity?
There are variations in family structure, household type, patterns of kinship network, and differences within the home
What are the trends in organisational diversity?
There are differences between conventional families, one parent families, and dual worker families in which husband and wife both work
What is regional diversity?
Refers to the way families vary due to location
e.g. geriatric wards in coastal resorts in the UK
What are the trends in regional diversity?
Inner cities become increasingly lone parent, ethnic minorities, singletons and students, whilst the suburbs continues to be more commonly nuclear families
What is the beanpole family?
Describes the way that family trees are now more long and thin as a result of higher life expectancy and people having less children in each generation
What are the trends in beanpole families?
Increasing as people have less children or none at all meaning the family tree becomes lone and thin
What is the neo-conventional nuclear family?
Describes a nuclear family unit (parents and children) although they are not traditional
e.g. same sex couples, female breadwinner household, reconstituted family
What are the trends in neo conventional nuclear family?
Increasing because there are less social stigmas around the ideal family type
What is empty nest?
Household where there is a couple who had children but they have now left home
What are the trends in empty nest households?
Less common as their wings are clipped due to financial issues, more likely to stay at home for longer
What is an empty shell household?
Couples still living together for the sake of the children etc but live completely separate lives
What are trends in an empty shell household?
Less common as people are less likely to stay with their partners for the sake of society, extended relatives or children
- people may move on to find a better relationship
What is life cycle diversity?
Describes the way that family type is not static
- a person can expects to live in a variety of living arrangements throughout their life cycle
What are the trends in life cycle diversity?
People no longer follow traditional paths/routes so there is more life cycle diversity
