Marriage and Family

Family

What does family mean to you?What does family mean to you?

How many “types” of families can think of?How many “types” of families can think of?

Family

Broad definitionBroad definition: : a group of 2 or more people a group of 2 or more people who consider themselves related by blood, who consider themselves related by blood, marriage, or adoption and live together (or have marriage, or adoption and live together (or have lived together) lived together)

A household is different- consists of all people A household is different- consists of all people who occupy the same housing unitwho occupy the same housing unit

Types of Families

Nuclear family Nuclear family – spouses and children– spouses and children

Extended familyExtended family- a nuclear family plus other relatives who live - a nuclear family plus other relatives who live togethertogether

Family of orientationFamily of orientation- family in which you grow up- family in which you grow up

Family of procreationFamily of procreation- family that is formed when a couple- family that is formed when a couple’’s first s first child is born or adoptedchild is born or adopted

Marriage Marriage - a group- a group’’s approved mating arrangement, usually marked s approved mating arrangement, usually marked by a ritual by a ritual

Common Themes Among Marriage and Families

Each society establishes Each society establishes norms to govern who may norms to govern who may and may not marryand may not marry

EndogamyEndogamy- marrying within - marrying within your groupyour group

ExogamyExogamy- marrying outside - marrying outside your groupyour group

Division of Power Division of Power

PatriarchyPatriarchy- male dominated - male dominated societysociety

MatriarchyMatriarchy- female - female dominated societydominated society

EgalitarianEgalitarian- authority equally - authority equally divideddivided

Theoretical Perspectives

FunctionalistsFunctionalists- families contribute to the well-- families contribute to the well-being of a societybeing of a society

Economic production, socialization of children, care of Economic production, socialization of children, care of the sick and aged, recreation, reproductionthe sick and aged, recreation, reproduction

Incest taboo helps family avoid role confusion and Incest taboo helps family avoid role confusion and forces people to look outside the family for marriage forces people to look outside the family for marriage partnerspartners

Theoretical Perspectives

ConflictConflict- within a family the conflict over - within a family the conflict over housework is really about control over scarce housework is really about control over scarce resources- time, energy, leisureresources- time, energy, leisure

Most men resist doing housework, women end up Most men resist doing housework, women end up doing almost all, even though men believe it is equaldoing almost all, even though men believe it is equal

Arlie Hochschild found that after an 8 hour work day, Arlie Hochschild found that after an 8 hour work day, women come home to a women come home to a ““second shiftsecond shift””

Wives work an extra month of 24 hour days each yearWives work an extra month of 24 hour days each year

Theoretical Perspectives

Symbolic Interactionist Symbolic Interactionist - interested in how husbands - interested in how husbands view houseworkview housework

Research indicates that the less difference between a Research indicates that the less difference between a husband and wifehusband and wife’’s income, the more likely they are to s income, the more likely they are to share responsibilitiesshare responsibilitiesWhen husbands are laid off from work, their contributions When husbands are laid off from work, their contributions decreasedecreaseHusbands who earn less that their wives do the least Husbands who earn less that their wives do the least houseworkhousework

Contributed to gender roles and the Contributed to gender roles and the ““threat to their masculinitythreat to their masculinity””

Mr. Mom

What examples of the Functionalist, What examples of the Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interactionist Conflict, and Symbolic Interactionist

theories do we see in the clips from Mr. theories do we see in the clips from Mr. Mom?Mom?

Mr. Mom

Housework Part 1

Housework

My Brain is Like Oatmeal

Mr. Mom

What examples of the Functionalist, What examples of the Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interactionist Conflict, and Symbolic Interactionist

theories do we see in the clips from Mr. theories do we see in the clips from Mr. Mom?Mom?

Romantic Love

Provides the context in which the United States seek mates Provides the context in which the United States seek mates and form familiesand form families

2 components:2 components:

EmotionalEmotional- feeling of attraction- feeling of attractionCognitiveCognitive- the feeling we describe as being - the feeling we describe as being ““in lovein love””

Social channels of love and marriage include age, education, Social channels of love and marriage include age, education, social class, race and religionsocial class, race and religion

People tend to marry others with similar characteristicsPeople tend to marry others with similar characteristicsInterracial marriage is exceptionInterracial marriage is exception

Marriage

Marital satisfaction usually decreases with the birth of a Marital satisfaction usually decreases with the birth of a childchild

Social class influences how couples adjust to childrenSocial class influences how couples adjust to children

Working class are more likely to have kids 9 months after Working class are more likely to have kids 9 months after marriage and have major interpersonal and financial problemsmarriage and have major interpersonal and financial problems

Middle class are more prepared because of more resources, Middle class are more prepared because of more resources, postponement of children and more time to adjust to one postponement of children and more time to adjust to one anotheranother

Diversity Among Families

Families today are small with fewer births that are more Families today are small with fewer births that are more closely spacedclosely spaced

Childbearing and child rearing now occupy a smaller Childbearing and child rearing now occupy a smaller fraction of the adult life of parentsfraction of the adult life of parents

Death has been replaced by divorce as the major cause of Death has been replaced by divorce as the major cause of early family disruptionearly family disruption

Diversity Among Families

Married couples make up a smaller proportion of Married couples make up a smaller proportion of householdhousehold

Single parent households, post-childbearing couples, gay Single parent households, post-childbearing couples, gay and lesbian couples, and those without children are and lesbian couples, and those without children are increasingly commonincreasingly common

Raising Children

Traditionally fell on the mother, but this pattern is changingTraditionally fell on the mother, but this pattern is changing

For married couples, almost 1 in 4 children is cared for by For married couples, almost 1 in 4 children is cared for by the fatherthe father

Single mothers compensate for child care gap with help from Single mothers compensate for child care gap with help from grandparentsgrandparents

1 in 6 kids are in day care1 in 6 kids are in day care

Birth order is significantBirth order is significant

First borns tend to be more disciplined and often competes to First borns tend to be more disciplined and often competes to maintain attentionmaintain attention

Single Parent Households

½ of all children can expect to live with only one parent at ½ of all children can expect to live with only one parent at some point in their livessome point in their lives

Numbers are growing due to:Numbers are growing due to:

– Pregnancy among unmarried teensPregnancy among unmarried teens– High divorce rateHigh divorce rate

Single Parent Households

• Teen mothers are less likely to marry than in the pastTeen mothers are less likely to marry than in the past

• Social problems are caused by economic stress rather Social problems are caused by economic stress rather than the absence of a husbandthan the absence of a husband

• Single fathers tend to get more help than single mothersSingle fathers tend to get more help than single mothers

Singles/Cohabitation

• As of 2013, 103 million people (over age 18) are single As of 2013, 103 million people (over age 18) are single this is 44% of the population (over 18)this is 44% of the population (over 18)

• Men and women are marrying at a later ageMen and women are marrying at a later age

• Being single does not hold the same stigma that it used Being single does not hold the same stigma that it used to, especially for femalesto, especially for females

Singles/Cohabitation

• Cohabitation had become common among single peopleCohabitation had become common among single people

• More than 3x as many couples live together without More than 3x as many couples live together without being married now than in the 1970’sbeing married now than in the 1970’s

• Estimates: ¼ of all children will at some time during their Estimates: ¼ of all children will at some time during their childhood live in a family headed by a cohabitating couplechildhood live in a family headed by a cohabitating couple

Divorce

• U.S. leads the world in the number of people who divorceU.S. leads the world in the number of people who divorce

– 40-50% of married couples are divorced in the U.S.40-50% of married couples are divorced in the U.S.– The divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even higherThe divorce rate for subsequent marriages is even higher

• Divorce rates hit an all-time high during the 90’s Divorce rates hit an all-time high during the 90’s

Stepfamilies

• Blended families demand both parents and children learn Blended families demand both parents and children learn new rolesnew roles

• The lack of support systems cause stress resulting in high The lack of support systems cause stress resulting in high probability of divorceprobability of divorce

Gay and Lesbian Couples

• Less gender-stereotyped in household roles than Less gender-stereotyped in household roles than heterosexual couplesheterosexual couples

• 37 states in the U.S. now allow for gay marriage37 states in the U.S. now allow for gay marriage

• This has increased from 19 in the past yearThis has increased from 19 in the past year

Empty Nest

• Can be a difficult adjustmentCan be a difficult adjustment

• Lillian Rubin argues that most women feel relieved at being able to Lillian Rubin argues that most women feel relieved at being able to spend more time on themselvesspend more time on themselves

• Couples report a renewed sense of companionship Couples report a renewed sense of companionship

– Freedom from responsibilitiesFreedom from responsibilities– Increased leisureIncreased leisure– Higher incomeHigher income– Fewer financial obligationsFewer financial obligations

• But we know that nowadays kids are leaving home later….or become But we know that nowadays kids are leaving home later….or become boomerang kidsboomerang kids

Widowhood

• Women are more likely than men to face the problem of Women are more likely than men to face the problem of adjusting to widowhoodadjusting to widowhood

• Women tend to live longer than men, but also tend to Women tend to live longer than men, but also tend to marry men who are oldermarry men who are older

– Average age of death in the U.S for men Average age of death in the U.S for men 77.4 77.4– Average age of death in the U.S. for women Average age of death in the U.S. for women 82.2 82.2