Family patterns

Question 1

Name 3 different factors affecting marriage

Answer 1

• social- secularisation
• economic- marrying later in life
• legal- changes in law
• feminism- equality within marriage
• individualism- rise of singleton

Question 2

What is cohabitation

Answer 2

Unmarried couple living together in a sexual relationship

Question 3

Why has cohabitation increased

Answer 3

• Less stigma attached to sex outside of marriage
• young people support it
• increased career opportunities for women
• secularisation

Question 4

What is the new right view on the decline of marriage

Answer 4

The decline of marriage is due to a moral decline in society as we have grown to accepting of diversity&raquo_space; led us to failing to commit to one another

Question 5

What is the postmodernism view on the decline of marriage

Answer 5

Marriage is declining due to society focusing on increased choice and freedom&raquo_space; marriage is now individual choice&raquo_space; links to secularisation and increased choices of religion e.g., getting married in church

Question 6

What is the late modernism view on the decline of marriage (Giddens & Beck)

Answer 6

Decline in marriage is related to ‘risk- awareness’&raquo_space; people are seeing marriage end in divorce, so they don’t want to take the risk themselves&raquo_space; individualisation- individual desires are more important than social commitments

Question 7

Why are individuals who are married not living together as a married couple

Answer 7

• living apart for work
• trial separation
• care home

Question 8

Reasons for divorce (all)

Answer 8

• changes in law
• declining stigma and changing attitudes
• secularisation- church attendance continues to decline; churches have started to change their attitudes of divorce to fit with society’s views
• changing expectations of marriage- ‘romantic love’ and ‘soulmates’- modern era
• feminist explanation- dual burden created conflict between spouses and leads to divorce (Bernard) women are growing dissatisfied with patriarchal marriage
• modernity and individualisation (Giddens) traditional norms relating to marriage no longer seen as important as they were

Question 9

Childbearing

Answer 9

• women are having children later in life
• women are having fewer children
• more women are having no children

Question 10

More single parent families: the welfare state: new right

Answer 10

(Murray) a generous welfare system gives benefits to unmarried single parents and their children

Question 11

What is a criticism of Murray’s theory

Answer 11

Benefits are not enough to live on, and that the family is most likely going to be living in poverty