Key Terms Family And Households

Question 1

The census

Answer 1

The census is an official survey, conducted every 10 years, which is supposed to cover every household in the UK.

Question 2

Zombie family

Answer 2

Zombie family. The family appears to be alive, but is dead. People want it to be a haven of security in an insecure world, but today’s family cannot provide this because of its own instability.

Question 3

Culture of dependency

Answer 3

Dependency culture is a term associated with New Right theorists such as Charles Murray who argue that the welfare state undermines individual responsibility and effectively traps claimants within the benefits system with little or no incentive to escape.

Question 4

Serial monogamy

Answer 4

a person who moves from one romantic relationship to another very quickly, spending as little time single as possible

Question 5

Neo conventional family

Answer 5

Neo-conventional family refers to families that do not have the traditional structure of mother, father, and children Chester defines the neo-conventional family as a dual-earner family in which both parents go out to work not just the father.

Question 6

Dual burden

Answer 6

Feminists argue that women entering paid work have led to them carrying a ‘dual burden’, that is, having to carry out both paid work and unpaid domestic labour.

Question 7

Dependency ratio

Answer 7

The dependency ratio refers to the proportion of the population that is dependent on the welfare state in comparison with the proportion of the population in employment

Question 8

Expressive role

Answer 8

The expressive role is a functionalist understanding of the female’s function in the family. According to this perspective, the role of the female is to provide personality stabilisation, emotional support, and child rearing.

Question 9

LATs

Answer 9

Living apart together (LAT) relationships are those where couples are in a long-term relationship but choose to live in separate households.

Question 10

Functional fit

Answer 10

structure of the family adapts to the needs of the society in which it is found

Question 11

Household

Answer 11

A person or group of people occupying a single dwelling.

Question 12

Net migration

Answer 12

net migration refers to the difference between the number of immigrants (people coming into an area) and the number of emigrants (people leaving an area)

Question 13

Toxic childhood

Answer 13

period of childhood with unfavorable and everlasting experiences that can instill harmful traits in children, affecting their life later on.

Question 14

Assimilation

Answer 14

the process through which individuals or groups adopt the cultural norms, values, and practices of a dominant or host society, leading to a sense of belonging and identification with the larger community.

Question 15

Matrifocal
family

Answer 15

a family structure where the mother is the central figure and primary authority, often including her children and sometimes other relatives, but generally excluding a father figure

Question 16

Triple Shift

Answer 16

where women juggle caregiving, spousal duties, and professional obligations simultaneously.

Question 17

Infant mortality Rate

Answer 17

the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a given population.

Question 18

Symmetrical family

Answer 18

a nuclear family where spouses share all responsibilities, including household duties, paid work, and decision-making, equally

Question 19

Negotiated family

Answer 19

Negotiated families do not conform to the traditional family norm, but vary according to the wishes and expectations of their members.They enter the relationship on an equal basis.

Question 20

Giddens

Answer 20

Postmodern
Family and marriage has been transformed by greater choice and a more equal relatinship between men and women.
more contraception and gaining of womens indpendence. pure relationship and confluecnt love relationships are based on fulfillement of needs

Question 21

Dunne

Answer 21

Dunne argues that family roles can be more equal, but traditional gender norms prevent this in most heterosexual relationships Inequality in heterosexual relationships is due to social expectations, not biology.Lesbian couples are more likely to share housework and childcare equally.

Question 22

Wilmott and Young

Answer 22

March of progress approach argue family is becoming more symetrical and men are becoming more involved in housework.
changes in women’s roles
geographical mobility
new technology
high standards of lviing

Question 23

Mitchell and Goody

Answer 23

Declining Stigma: Divorce has become more socially acceptable, leading to higher rates.

Question 24

Dobash
&
Dobash

Answer 24

Domestic violence is a way for men to exert power over women. Often set off by what a husband saw as a challenge to his authority. also claimed that marriage legitamises violence against women by conferring power and authority on husbands and depenceny on wives

Question 25

Harper

Answer 25

Women’s increased education and career opportunities lead to smaller families. Lifestyle Changes: Women now prioritize careers and personal goals over early childbearing. Improved Healthcare: Lower infant mortality rate (IMR) reduces the need for large families. Declining Death Rate: Better public health, medical advances, and healthier lifestyles increase life expectancy.

Question 26

Rapoports

Answer 26

Identified 5 types of family diversity: Organisational – Differences in family structure (e.g., nuclear, single-parent, reconstituted). Cultural – Ethnic and religious variations in family life. Social Class – Economic differences impact family roles and child-rearing. Life Stage – Families change over the life course (e.g., newlyweds vs. retired couples). Generational – Different age groups have different views on family roles.

Question 27

Murray

Answer 27

New right idealised nucleur family, considered welfare benefits as creating an underclass and culture of dependency

Question 28

Beck

Answer 28

Risk Society: In late modernity, traditional structures (e.g., family, class, gender roles) weaken, leading to uncertainty. Individualisation Thesis: People have more choice in relationships, no longer bound by traditions (e.g., arranged marriage, nuclear family). Negotiated Families: Instead of fixed roles, families adapt to individual needs but are less stable. Gender Equality: Women have more independence, leading to diverse family structures (e.g., cohabitation, LATs).

Question 29

Aries

Answer 29

Studied medieval images and concluded that society today is more child centered and chikdhood did not exisst previsoly

Question 30

Smart

Answer 30

Carol smart personal life perspective looked at different types of relationships considered fmaily e.g relationships between pets did a study on donor concieved famillies

Question 31

Edgell

Answer 31

Edgell studied power and decision-making in heterosexual couples.found that men usually have the final say in important financial or career decisions, while women have more control over minor decisions (e.g., household items).

Question 32

Stacey

Answer 32

Stacey argued that families are increasingly diverse and fluid in postmodern society. sylicon valley study divorce extended famillies

Question 33

Engels

Answer 33

Engels viewed the family as a tool for capitalism, serving the needs of the capitalist economy.He argued that the nuclear family developed to ensure the inheritance of private property and wealth from father to son.

Question 34

Parsons

Answer 34

Instrumental and expressive roles also warm bath theory

Question 35

Oakley

Answer 35

Oakley highlighted the dual burden of women, where they are expected to manage both paid work and domestic duties.