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Explore the sociological aspects of marriage and family, including definitions, cross-cultural analysis, theoretical perspectives, and the impact of societal factors like economy and divorce rates. Learn about different types of marriages and the characteristics of extended and nuclear families.
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Chapter 12 Family
Chapter Outline • Using the Sociological Imagination • Marriage and Family Defined • Cross-Cultural Analysis of Family and Marriage • Theoretical Perspectives and the Family • Family and Marriage in the United States • Lifestyle Variations • Looking Forward
Marriage and Family Defined • Marriage is a legal union based on mutual rights and obligations. • A family is a group of people related by marriage, blood, or adoption.
Family of Orientation • Provides children with a name, an identity, and a heritage. • Gives the child an ascribed status in the community. • “Orients” children to their neighborhood, community, and society.
Family of Procreation • Established upon marriage. • Marriage ceremony signifies that it is legal for a couple give their children a family name. • The family of procreation becomes the family of orientation for the children created from that marriage.
Economy and Family Structure • The nature of family structure varies with the type of economy. • Agricultural societies promote the extended family because of the need for labor. • The nuclear family is more compatible with hunting and gathering societies and modern societies.
Rise in Heterogamous Marriages in the U.S.: Factors • America has become more racially and ethnically integrated. • Class lines are crossed more frequently because more Americans of all social classes are attending college together. • Norms separating age-groups have weakened.
Types of Marriage • Monogamy- Marriage of one man to only one woman at a time. • Polygamy- Marriage to multiple partners of the other sex. • Polygyny - Marriage of a man to 2 or more women. • Polyandry - Marriage of a woman to 2 or more men.
Functionalist Theory of Families • Functions of the Family • Provide the initial learning experiences that make people human. • Fulfill basic social and emotional needs. • Serve as the only legitimate source of reproduction for a society.
Functionalist Theory of Families • Functions of the Family • Regulate sexual activity. • Place people in a social class at birth. • Serve an important economic function.
Factors in the Divorce Rate: Individual Level • The earlier one marries, the greater the likelihood of divorce. • The longer a couple has been married, the lower the probability that their marriage will end in divorce. • The more respect and flexibility between partners, the lower the chance of divorce.
Factors in the Divorce Rate: Societal Level • Rates increase during economic prosperity, decrease during economic recession. • Baby boomers are more forgiving of divorce than earlier generations. • Women are more economically independent and less hesitant to dissolve a bad marriage. • Stigma once associated with divorce is much weaker today.
Major SocioeconomicFactors Influencing Divorce • Increasing prosperity • Religion • Patriarchal power structure. • The more patriarchal a society,the lower its divorce rate.
Abuse Against Women • As many as 1/2 of married women in the U.S. are victims of spousal violence. • At least 4 million women are battered by their husbands annually. • 4,000 women each year are beaten to death.
Abuse Against Women • 14% of married women are sexually attacked by their husbands every year. • 3/4 of spousal violence occurs during separation or after divorce.
Husband Abuse • Husbands and wives assault each other at about the same rate. • Much of the violence on the part of women involves self-protection or retaliation. • Women are more likely to suffer greater injury because the average man is bigger, stronger, and more physically aggressive.
Factors Promoting Family Resiliency • Individual characteristics such as: • self-esteem • autonomy • sense of humor • problem-solving skills.
Factors Promoting Family Resiliency • Family characteristics such as: • emotional support • commitment • warmth • affection • cohesion.
Factors Promoting Family Resiliency • Community characteristics such as: • opportunities for participation in community life • emphasis on helping others • avenues for communication with friends and adults • availability of youth activities. • Family-friendly public policy.
Reasons for Instability in Blended Families • Financial difficulties • Stepchildren’s antagonism • Unclear roles
Single-parent Families • 24% of children in single-parent families live with their mother, 4% are in a male-headed household. • % of single parent families in 2000: • 63% of African American families • 36% of Latino families • 26% of white families
Cohabitation • The number of American adults cohabiting increased from 439,000 to nearly 5 million between 1960 and 2000. • 1/3 of American women age 15 to 44 report that they have cohabited at some time in their lives. • For women age 25 to 29, the figure is 45%.
Adult Children Returning Home • Young adults (18-34) have a much higher probability of living in their parents’ home than they did 30 years ago. • Adults aged 18 to 24 living at home increased from 43% in 1960 to 57% in 2000. • 26% of adults 18-34 years old now live with their parents.
