paper 2: families and households (patterns + trends) Flashcards
fewer people marrying facts
- 1st time marriages peaked 1940 at 426,000, 91% 1st time for both partners
- 2010 number of 1st time marriages decreased fallen 158,980 accounted for 66% all marriages
- proportion household with married couples fell from 74% 1916, 58% 1996 to 42%2016
- 2010 marriage rate was 8.7
- number unmarried adults rose 2009 produces lowest rate since being recorded in 1862
why fewer people are marring
- secularisation less religious people- decline in stigma, more socially acceptable
- women incurred financial independence- jobs, education,
- increase same sex couple- more people openly gay not in empty shell marriage
- cohabitation is rising
- cost of marriage - high expectations dream wedding
remarriages increasing facts
- 1999 108,488 marriages were remarriages one or both partners, accounting for 41% all marriages.
however 2012 number had decreased 80,890 were remarriages accounting for 34% all marriages. - pattern of serial monogamy has emerged, recent figures suggest a slight decrease number of remarriages since 1970s the trend has been one of an increase.
why remarriage is increasing
- more socially acceptable - serial monogamy
- media influences - look respectable
- increases religions taking related approach to remarriage
- increase civil ceremonies - cheaper
- secularisation- many don’t believe in till death do us apart
people marrying later facts
- average age for marriage 2010 36 for men 34 women (rounded up)
- for 1st time marriages 32 men and 30 for women, this represents an increase of 8 years between 1971-2010
why people are marrying later
- increase life expectancy - no rush
- stay in education longer - (women in particular) want to establish themselves
- more socially acceptable - modern norm
- marriage is expensive - like to save up
civil ceremonies have increased facts
- couples less likely to marry in church today. promotion of c.c. first exceeded number of religious ceremonies in 1992.
- 2010 68% marriages were cc increase from 64% 2000
why civil ceremonies have increased
- secularisation
- increase in alternatives - beach,hotels
- can be cheaper
Defining a family
- in past functionalist sociologists claimed moochers family was the basic family structure: 2 generations living together with biologically related children headed by heterosexual couple
- today definition is challenged by wide variety of alternatives e.g. a broader more inclusive deffinition of family might be a group deleted by either
kinship ties
blood
marriage
civil partnership
adoption
defining a household
- includes individuals living alone, married or committed to each other.
- e.g. living with friends at uni
Cohabitations facts
- as marriage decreases c increases
- 1996 2.9m people aged 16-59 were cohabiting, by 2012 rose to 5.9m
- makes c faster growing family trend in uk
people aged 25-29 statistically more likely to cohabit than any other age group 33% men 37% women - 2012 households no children 54%, dependent 39% and non dependent 4%
cohabitation as a permeant alternative to marriage
- some c has become marriage by another name
- drawing data from British and european aptitude survey (2000) barlow et al (2001) found marriage become more a lifestyle choice than expected part of life
- Chandler (1993) suggests c has increasingly become accepted as a long term permeant alternative to marriage this reflected on increase number of children born outside of marriage c relationships.
- although chandler sees c as increasingly popular she point out its not new as many as a 1/4 to 1/3 lived in consentioual unions in the 18th century supports gill found high marriage rates 1850-1960. so long term c not new phenomenon
cohabitation as a prelude to marriage
- most evidence suggests c is seen as process to marriage.
- is a short term pre marital relationship. reflecting Chester (1985) most case of c is transient, temporary, phase before marriage - stepping stone
- coast (2006) found 75% of c later married of c was successful.
- since late 1980s become norm to cohabit before marriage, majority practise 80% of marriages proceeded by c.
3 forms of marital breakdowns
Divorce
Separation
Empty shell marriage
Patterns and trends divorces filled facts
- 20 century sustained increase divorce all modern societies. England + Wales dr steadily increased until stabilesed in 1994
- lays eat statistics (dec2012) estimate 42% marriages England + wales end in divorce
- 1911 859 petitions filled for divorce
- 1971 111,000
- 1993 179,000
- 2001 157,000
- 2015 114,000
Divorce rate per 1000 married England and Wales facts
1960-1980s witnessed largest increase in divorce
- 1 1961
- 1 1995
However divorce peaked 1993 has been general decline
- 9 2001
- 8 2011
Reasoned for increase in divorce
Secularisation
Socially acceptable
No stigma attached
Media
Change in women’s roles
Legal changes
Increase serial monogamy
Patterns and trends divorce explained
- Divorce rate no seem high but 1996 nearly as many divorce as 1st marriages. Comparison to dr 10.8 2011 and marriage rate was 8.7. Figures often used suggest institute marriage decline no longer valid
- divorce stats treat with caution and assessed against legal financial and social circumstances so misleading conclusions about the declining importance of marriage avoided.
- increase in divorce simply reflects decline in stigma attached to divorce + easier and cheaper enabling legal termination of unhappy marriages - rather than increase of marital breakdowns. Well never know how many unhappy dysfunctional relationships as esm existed before divorce was made easy.
- so stats show increase in divorce not necessarily number of marital breakdowns
Patterns and trend in divorce explained continued
-1996 nearly as many divorces as first marriages but nearly as many remarriages as divorce
- 1961 15% all marriages rm one or both
1999 41%
2003 35%
Conclusions to state of marriage cannot be made with defence to divorce alone add remarriage
Decrease in divorce trends general
- 2011 divorce declined England + Wales 1.7% to 117,000 (rounded) to 119,000 (rounded)
- this continues general divorce science 2003 153,000
- fall in divorces consistent with decline in number of marriages 2009 this decrease is due to more couples cohabiting
However 42% marriages estimated end in divorce for a,b,c
Decrease in divorce trends
(A) year of marriage
% marriage ending in divorce generally increased those marrying 1970 early 1990s.
- 22% of marriages in 1970 had ended by the 15th wedding anniversary whereas 33% of marriages 1995 ended after same time period
- however those marrying most recent years 2000+ percentage of marriage ended in divorce falling
- Cohabitation increased recent guys research population trends show people live together before getting married act to filter out weaker relationships processing to marriage
Decrease in divorced trends
(b) age of marriage
Age people first Marry increasing and previous research also in population trends show those marrying older lower risk divorce
Decrease in divorce trends
(c) whether married before
- 2011 70% divorces couples where both parties first marriage
- 30% couples at least one of the parties divorced or widowed previously
- percentage of couples divorcing when marriage was first for both parties generally declined from early 1970 to 2011 of the same time period
- however percentage of divorce where one of both parties were previously divorced has gradually increased
Increase in divorce
changing social attitudes
Divorce no longer associated with shame and stigma increase agree accepted as a fact of life
- reflects facts norms and values associated with marriage and divorce relaxed and divorce become normalised
- long-term social trend shift away from monogamy to serial monogamy many people see monogamy unrealistic so less pressure to stay in empty shell marriage
Increase in divorce
secularisation
- changes in social attitudes may be possibly do you to secularisation
- religious beliefs and values less direct influence large sections of population therefore fewer people believe marriage has to be till death do us apart
- many religions softened views and opposition to divorce
- increase civil ceremony’s show marriage less likely seen as religious institution
Increase in divorce
rising expectations of marriage
- social expectations marriage changed more people demand higher standard from partners want emotional sexual compatibility equality and companionship.
- In the past divorce less accept able people would more likely stay empty shell marriage put up with things today less likely to tolerate unfulfilling relationship
- linked to ideology of romance love idea has become more dominant in past people unlikely to have high expectations of marriage
Increase in divorce
rising expectations about marriage views explained
- functionalists argue increase divorce indicative reflective of higher expectations attached to marriage rather than social significance
- also point to continuing popularity of marriage and remarriage later a streeting people are dissatisfied with particular partner not institution of marriage
- feminists of critical of you argue that oppression of women was in marriage main cause of marital conflict and divorce
Increase in divorce
changing role of women
- feminist note that women’s expectation marriage however radically changed this reflects improve status
- fewer women no longer stay unhappily married because they are not financially dependent upon their husbands. In past woman trapped economic we however today they have greater financial dependence most days helpful single-parent families
- 1950 75% of divorce petition filed by men 1990 75% were filed by woman
Increase in divorce
changing role of women feminist explanations
Big improvement women’s position public sphere of employment education politics feminist argue private sphere family and personal relationship change has been limited and slow
- argue marriage remains patriarchal men benefiting from wives triple shift of paid work domestic and emotional work feminist believe women are more conscious of patriarchal oppression and more confident about rejecting it
Increase in divorce
Modernity and individualism
- Beck and Giddens argue modern society traditional norms such as duty to remain same partner for life lose their hold over individuals
- as a result individuals become free to pursue own self interest known as individualisation thesis
- relationships thus become more fragile individuals become unwilling to remain positive sense of duty tradition or sake of children if fails personal fulfilment and satisfies needs.
- this results in higher divorce rate which normalises and further strengthens beliefs marriage exist to provide personal fulfilment
Increase in divorce
changes in divorce legislation
- changes in law generally made easier and cheaper to end
- this in itself not cause of increase in divorce legal changes often reflect other changes in society especially attitude changes