the future of the family

Question 1

key social changes

Answer 1

• inequality between rich and poor is widening
• fertility rates declining
• interracial marriage more acceptable and common
• gay rights have advanced
• gender inequality in families has decreased

Question 2

social diversity

Answer 2

the condition of difference in experiences or characteristics of people in a population

Question 3

diversity index

Answer 3

US = .607
the probability that two people chosen at random are in different categories
1 = total diversity; 0 = total conformity

Question 4

what percentage of households were heterosexual married couples? how about now?

Answer 4

1960 - 2/3s
now - less than 45%

Question 5

age at first marriage then and now

Answer 5

1960 - more than half married ages 20-24, 90% before 30
now - age is older, more diversity

Question 6

family inequality: between families

Answer 6

• inequality is rising
• more families with two high earners or one low earner
• less education, less likely to get married

Question 7

between families: health (three advantages)

Answer 7

1. healthier people more likely to get married
2. marriage leads people to alter behavior to make them healthier
3. married people take care of each other

Question 8

inequality: within families

Answer 8

• inequality has decreased
• income increased for women
• share more housework and childcare responsibilities
• preferential treatment of sons has decreased

Question 9

inequality: from generation to generation

Answer 9

• family background impacts child’s social class destination
• US children more likely to end up in the same status as parents

Question 10

inequality: who gets a family

Answer 10

• orphans, adoptive, and foster children complicate assumptions of everyone being in a family
• older people may not have children who can care for them
• challenges of care

Question 11

demographic transition

Answer 11

the historical change from a society with low life expectancy and high birth rates to one with high life expectancy and low birth rates

Question 12

age structure

Answer 12

the relative number of people of each age in a population

Question 13

oldest old

Answer 13

people ages 85 and older

Question 14

family change: conservative

Answer 14

• sees heterosexual married couples as the ideal type
• religious reasoning
• functional perspective
• policies and laws should encourage this arrangement

Question 15

family change: liberal

Answer 15

• tolerance of diversity
• not against traditional american families
• prefer a hands-off approach
• tolerance is not an endorsement, but rather a live and let live

Question 16

family change: critical

Answer 16

• embrace of change
• promotes view that traditional family should decline
• challenge privileges for heterosexual married couples
• “Defamilialization” policies free people from family dependence and make family relationships more voluntary