Marriage, Family, and Cross-Cultural Analysis
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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.
Marriage, Family, and Cross-Cultural Analysis
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Presentation Transcript
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.
