Family&Households: Topic 5- Changing family patterns Flashcards
Divorce
What are the patterns of divorce?
Divorce has increased
* From 1961 and 1969 the number of divorces doubled
* 40% of marriages end in divorce
* 65% of applications for divorce is from women
Divorce
What are the reasons for the increase in divorce?
- Changes in law
- Declining stigma and changing attitudes
- Secularisation
- Rising expectations of marriage
- Womens increased financial independece
- Feminist explanations
- Modernity and individualisation
Divorce
How does changes in law increase divorce?
3 changes in law:
* Equalising grounds between sexes- 1923
* Widening the grounds for divorce- 1969
* Making divorce cheaper- 1949
Divorce
What did Mitchell and Goody argue about how declining stigma and changing attidues increases divorce?
The changes since the 1960s has been the decline in the stigma attached to divorce, its more socially acceptable
Divorce
How does secularisation increase divorce?
- Society is becoming more secular, church attendence is decreasing
- Churches has softened their view on divorce
Divorce
What does Fletcher argue about how rising expectations of marriage increases divorce?
- They argue that higher expectationgs increases divorce
- In the past, people couldnt divorce if they fell out of love
- Now marriage is seen as a way to seek personal fulfillment
Divorce
How does womens increased financial independence increase divorce?
- Women are less economically dependent on men
- More women working
- 1971- 53%, 2020- 73%
Divorce
What does Sigle-Rushton argue how the feminist explanations for increase in divorce?
- Married women bear a dual burden
- Marriage remains patriachal with men benefiting from their wives ‘triple shift’
- She argues mothers with dual burdens are likely to divorce
Divorce
What do Beck and Gidden argue how modernity and individualisation increases divorce?
- They argue that in modern society, traditional norms lose their hold over individuals
- Relationships are fragile- people wont stay if it fails
- Modern society encourages individualism
Partnership
What are the reasons for changing patterns of marriage?
- Changing attitudes to marriage: Theres less pressure to marry and mroe choice to pick what they want
- Secularisation: People feel freer to choose what they want as churches influence has declines
- Declining stigma attached to alternatives to marriage: Cohabitation, staying single and having kids outside of marriages is more normalised.
- Changes in position of women: Focus more on careers so are less economically dependent on men
- Fear of divorce: may not marry due to fear
Partnership
What are other reason for changing patterns of marriage?
- Remarriages: due to rise in divorce
- Age on marrying: Young people are postponing marriages
- Religious weddings-: Having less due to secularisation
Partnership
What are the key factors of partnerships?
- Cohabitation
- Cohabitation vs marriage
- Same-sex relationships
- Chosen families
- One person households
- ‘Living apart together’
Partnership
Explain cohabitation. What do the perspectives argue about cohabitation?
Cohabitation is lovers living together. It has increased due to less stigma. There are 3.5 million cohabiting straight couples
* New right: negatively impacts the child
* Feminism: Does opress women
Partnership
Explain cohabitation vs marriage.
Cohabitation can be seen as a trial marriage, most couples decide if it goes well or have children. Cohabitation attempts to create a more equal relationship
Partnership
Explain same-sex relationships.
- 5-6% of the adult population are in same sex relations
- Its impossible to judge whether this increased due because in the past they were kept hidden
- Since 2014, same sex couples have been able to marry
Partnership
What does Weeks argue about chosen families?
That acceptance may explain the trend of same-sex cohabitations. They offer chosen families the same security and stability as hetero families
Partnership
Explain one-person households.
- By 2033, over 30% of adults will be single
- Increase in seperation and divorce has created 1 person households
- Decline in marriage or marrying later increase one-person households
Partnership
Explain ‘living apart together’. What does Duncan and Phillips argue?
Some people live apart together because:
* its too early to move in together
* They dont think it would strengthen their relationship
- They argue that according to British social attitudes survey 1 in 10 adults are Living apart together
Parents and children: Childbearing
What are some changes in childbearing and the reason for the change?
- 47% Of all children are now born outside of marriages- due to decrease in marriage, increase in cohabitation
- Women have children later- Focused on education
- Women have fewer children- Children are an economic liability
- Some women are remaining childless- Infertiles, passed fertility rate
Parents and children: Lone-parent families
What are the reasons for an increase in lone-parent families
- The belief that women by nature are suited to an ‘expressive’ nurturing role.
- The fact that divorce courts usually give custody to mothers
- The fact that men may be less willing to give up work to care for children
- Some are single by choice
Parents and children
What are the key statistics of lone parent families?
- 24% of families are lone parents
- 90% are headed by lone mothers
Parents and children
What does Murray argue about lone parenthood and the welfare state?
- Argues the welfare state has created a ‘perserve incentive’. Welfare state creates a dependency culture, assuming the state will support them and their children. It rewards irresponsible behaviour. The solution is to abolish welfare
Parents and children
What are some criticisms of the new rights (Murray) arguement?
- Lone parents are likely to be in poverty
- Women earn less than men
- Men dont pay maintenance
- Inadequate welfare benefits
- Lack of affordable children
Parents and children
Explain step families? What do Fem and Smith argue about step families?
- They account for over 10% of families
- In 85% of step families at least 1 child is from womens previous relationship
- Fem and Smith found step families are positive but has risks of poverty- more kids to care for
Parents and children
What are the reasons for the patterns of step families?
- When lone parents remarry
- Step families at greater risk
- Tension faced in step families
- More children stay with women after a failed marriage
Ethinic differences in family patterns
What are the family patterns in black families?
- High proportion of lone parents
- 43% are lone parent families
- Femal headed are seen as disorganised
- Traced to black slavery due to male and female slaves being seperated
- High employement + less able to provide=Desertion or martial breakdown
Ethinic differences in family patterns
What are the family patterns in asian families?
- Majority are extended
- Reflects the value placed on the family
- Respect for elders
- Needs assistance when migrating
Extended family today
What does Charles argue about extended family?
Study of Swansea and found the classic 3 generation family all living under one roof is now ‘extinct’, only exception she found were among the citys Balngladeshi community.
The extended family
What does Bell and Brannen argue about beanpole families?
Bell found the beanpole family is a type of extended family. Brannen describes them as ‘long and thin’, they’re are more generations of granparents and parents with few aunts, uncles. Beanpole families are a result of:
* Increased life expectancy: more granparents surviving
* Smaller family sizes: Fewer siblings
Extended family today
What does Finch and Mason argue about obligations to relatives?
- Found over 40% of poeple had given or recieved financial help and half cared for a sick relative
- Personal care is given by daughters while men provide for the family
