Family Sociology

Question 1

Domestic Violence (4)

Answer 1

Incident of threatening behaviour
Aged 16+
Family or lover of family member
Types of abuse:
- Psychological
- Emotional 
- Physical 
- Financial 
- Sexual

Question 2

Statistics (DV) (4)

Answer 2

1 million women each year
750,000 children witness, a year
2 women are killed each year by partner/ex
76% are repeat incidents

Question 3

Problems with reporting (DV) (3)

Answer 3

Definition isn’t clear
Under reported by victims:
- Fear, Stockholm syndrome
Repeated nature of abuse

Question 4

Compulsory Heterosexuality (5)

Answer 4

1. Male dominated society:
   - Normal sexual relationship is between a man and woman
2. Society enforces heterosexuality
3. Compulsory Heterosexuality emerges from subjection of women to men
4. Feminism will not achieve its goals under a system of Compulsory Heterosexuality

Question 5

Plastic Sexuality, Giddens (1992)

Answer 5

1. Sexuality is freed from the needs of reproduction:

- Moulded by the individual

Question 6

Reflexive Convention, Heaphy (2017) (4)

Answer 6

1. Analyses ways same-sex partners engage with marriage and family life
2. Progressivist view:
   - Same sex couples didn’t want to relate to heterosexual couples and their norms
   - Different ways of living, i.e. Polygamy = sidelined

Question 7

Becoming a ‘proper man’ - McCarry (2010)

Answer 7

1. Study took place in Glaswegian secondary schools

2. Acceptable for men to be violent within interpersonal relationships

Question 8

Benkert (1869)

Answer 8

Introduced the term ‘homosexuality’

Question 9

Freud (1935) (2)

Answer 9

1. “homosexuality is nothing to be ashamed of”

2. “variation of the sexual function”

Question 10

Institutionalised Heterosexuality (3)

Answer 10

1. Heterosexuality is an institution:
   - Institutionalised society
   - Power inequality, also between men and women

Question 11

Domestic Work (5)

Answer 11

1. 1 in 10 married men do same amount
2. Dual earners without children have highest degree of equality
3. Oakley (1974) The Sociology of Housework
4. Young and Willmott (1973) Symmetrical Family
5. Unpaid work is an essential form of social reproduction

Question 12

Hegemonic Masculinity (3)

Answer 12

1. Cultural representations of males:
   - Promotes stereotypical masculine values
2. Legitimises men’s dominated position in society
3. Homophobia is misogynist (Epstein)

Question 13

Grandparents (2011) (3)

Answer 13

1. Over 14 million in UK:
   - 50% under 65 years old
   - 10% under 50
2. 80% of 20 year olds have one living grandparent
3. 22% of working class women become grandparents before aged 50:
   - 5% of middle class women

Question 14

Childcare (Grandparents) (2)

Answer 14

1. 1/3 mothers in work rely on grandparents

2. Estimated value of grandparental childcare = £3.9 billion

Question 15

Impact of divorce (Grandparents)

Answer 15

Non-resident parent loses touch with children, so do their parents

Question 16

Reasons for grandparental care (5)

Answer 16

1. 24% parental inability to care
2. 23% parental desertion
3. 16% family breakdown
4. 13% parental illness
5. 10% parental death

Question 17

Mason et al (Article) (5)

Answer 17

1. 46 interviews with grandparents
2. Two cultural norms: (can be contradictory)
   - ‘being there’
   - ‘not interfering’
3. Keen sense of what it takes to be a ‘good parent’
4. Analysis is limited:
   - Culturally specific, no ethnic minorities
   - No analysis of different experiences (social class, age, gender etc.)

Question 18

Socialisation (grandparents) (4)

Answer 18

1. Who adults become is largely determined by social inputs:
   - Parenting, education etc.
   - Not entirely responsible for their own ‘selves’
   - Blame grandparents for social defects?