Week 1 Readings Flashcards
(Chapter 9): What does the chapter encourage students to reflect on regarding “family”?
The chapter encourages students to consider the meaning of “family” and the various living arrangements that can be seen as familial.
(Chapter 9): What key findings were revealed about Americans’ views on family types from interviews conducted in 2003, 2006, and 2010?
While there is consensus on traditional family types (husband, wife, children), less than 10% of Americans view housemates as family.
(Chapter 9): How do Americans categorize their beliefs about family definitions?
Americans generally fall into three categories: exclusionists, moderates, and inclusionists.
(Chapter 9): What are the characteristics of exclusionists regarding family definitions?
Exclusionists view family traditionally, emphasizing heterosexual marriage and children, often with religious justifications.
(Chapter 9): How do inclusionists define family?
Inclusionists prioritize emotional connections over formal structures and embrace a broader definition of family.
(Chapter 9): What perspective do moderates hold on family definitions?
Moderates seek indications of commitment, such as marriage or children, to define what constitutes a family.
(Chapter 9): What significant change was observed in public perception of family by 2010?
By 2010, there was a more balanced distribution among exclusionists, moderates, and inclusionists, with increased support for same-sex marriage.
(Chapter 9): What impact does the definition of family have on individuals’ rights and privileges?
The definition of family directly affects rights such as hospital visitation, inheritance, and influences how laws and policies reflect social realities.
(Chapter 9): What findings did the research show regarding support for traditional family structures in 2010?
The 2010 findings showed overwhelming support for traditional family structures, while opinions on unmarried couples and same-sex families varied widely.
(Chapter 9): How have attitudes toward same-sex couples changed over time?
Attitudes have evolved, showing increasing acceptance reflecting broader societal changes and generational shifts.
(Chapter 11): What traditional image does the concept of family often evoke?
The concept of family often evokes images of parents and children.
(Chapter 11): What is the main focus of the chapter regarding families without children?
The chapter examines how adults without children construct and experience family, viewing it as an actively created entity.
(Chapter 11): What crucial roles do families serve in society?
Families provide emotional support, companionship, economic stability, and nurturing environments for social reproduction.
(Chapter 11): How can childfree families fulfill roles similar to those with children?
Childfree families can provide emotional support and companionship, similar to families with children, despite not having kids.
(Chapter 11): What does “childfree” refer to?
“Childfree” refers to individuals who consciously choose not to have or raise children.
(Chapter 11): What emotional benefits do childfree families provide?
Childfree families offer emotional support and sexual intimacy, often resulting in greater emotional rewards than families with children.
(Chapter 11): How do childfree individuals typically feel about their relationships compared to parents?
Many childfree adults in long-term relationships feel closer to their partners than parents with children do.
(Chapter 11): What nurturing roles do childfree individuals often adopt?
Childfree individuals often engage in nurturing roles for pets, fulfilling emotional needs similar to those found in parent-child relationships.
(Chapter 11): How do childfree families approach social reproduction?
Childfree families support others in ways that teach them important skills and roles, making them productive members of the community, even though they don’t have children themselves.
(Chapter 11): What misconception about childfree individuals is addressed in the chapter?
The misconception that childfree individuals dislike children is addressed; many maintain positive relationships with children and take on nurturing roles.
(Chapter 11): How can childfree individuals form meaningful relationships with children?
Childfree individuals can form meaningful relationships with children precisely because they do not have their own, enjoying unique dynamics with younger generations.
(Cohen: Family Diversity): How has the narrative about American children’s family lives changed since the 1950s?
The narrative has shifted from traditional, married male-breadwinner households to a wider variety of family structures, highlighting increasing diversity.
(Cohen: Family Diversity): What percentage of American children lived in married male-breadwinner households in the late 1950s?
In the late 1950s, 65 out of 100 children lived in families with married parents where the father worked.
(Cohen: Family Diversity): What are the current statistics for children’s living arrangements (out of 100)?
Today, only 22 children live in traditional married male-breadwinner households, while 23 live with a single mother, and 34 live with dual-earner married parents.
(Cohen: Family Diversity): What significant change has occurred in the definition of a “typical” family structure since the 1960s?
In the early 1960s, two-thirds of children lived in traditional households; today, no single family type represents the majority.
(Cohen: Family Diversity): What percentage of randomly selected children shared the same family situation in 1960 compared to 2012?
In 1960, there was an 80% chance that two randomly selected children shared the same family situation, which dropped to slightly over 50% by 2012.
(Cohen: Family Diversity): What do policymakers need to recognize in light of diverse family experiences?
Policymakers need to recognize diverse experiences and needs rather than designing programs that cater to a narrow definition of family.
