Sociology 1301: Introduction to Sociology Family Sociology 1301: Introduction to Sociology Week Six

Overview of Family Family: A social institution found in all societies that unites people in cooperative groups to care for one another, including any children. Nuclear Family Extended Family Family of Orientation: The family in which a person grows up. Family of Procreation: The family formed when a couple's first child is born.

“Other” Forms of Family Household: People who occupy the same housing unit. Cohabitation Kinship: A social bond based on common ancestry, marriage, or adoption. Kinship Networks: Families of Affinity: People who think of themselves as a family and wish others to see them that way.

Relationships w/ Extended Families Locality: Residential pattern in relation to family. Patrilocality Matrilocality Neolocality Descent: The system by which members of a society trace kinship over generations. Patrilineal Descent Matrilineal Descent Bilateral Descent

Overview of Marriage Marriage: A legal relationship, usually involving economic cooperation, sexual activity, and childbearing. Arranged Marriages: Alliances between extended families of similar social standing and usually involve an exchange not just of children but also of wealth and favors. Romantic Love: Affection and sexual passion for another person. Other Legal Relationships: Civil Unions Domestic Partnerships

Marriage & Social Status Endogamy: marriage from within one's social group Exogamy: marriage from outside one's social group Homogamy: Marriage between people with the same social characteristics. Miscegenation: The technical term for multiracial marriage.

Number of People Involved Monogamy: A person can partner with only one other. Polygamy: People have more than one spouse at a time. Polyandry: A woman having several husbands. Polygyny: A man taking several wives.

Divorce Rise in divorce rate has many causes Individualism is on the rise Romantic love fades Women are less dependent on men Many of today’s marriages are stressful Divorce has become socially acceptable Legally, a divorce is easier to get

Gender & Power Differences in Marriages Egalitarian: Authority more or less equally divided between people husband and wife. Patriarchy: Men dominate women. Matriarchy: Women dominate men. Gender & Marriage - Bernard (1982) Married women actually have poorer mental health, less happiness, and more passive attitudes towards life than single women. Married men generally live longer, are mentally better off, and report being happier overall than single men. Second Shift: Women's responsibility for housework and child care despite working full time.

History of “Traditional Family” Traditional Family: A heterosexual couple in a patriarchal relationship that live with their dependent children in a self- contained, economically independent household. Developed in 1950s Spurred by Industrial Revolution Allowed by Economic Prosperity Separation of Work & Home Family no longer minieconomies but sites for consumption Three main effects: A gendered division of labor Families more mobile “Cult of domesticity"

Family & Structural-Functionalism Functions of the Family: Socialization Regulation of Sexuality Activity Social Placement Material and Emotional Security

Family & Conflict Theory What type of inequalities exist within the institution of family?

Family & Symbolic Interactionism What type of symbols exist within the institution of family? Roles Tasks

References Conley, D. (2008). You may ask yourself: An introduction to thinking like a sociologist. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. Henslin, J. M. (2008). Sociology: A down-to-earth approach (9th Ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Macionis, J. J. (2010). SOC100: Sociology: 2011 custom edition (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Custom Publishing. Massey, G. (Ed.) (2006). Readings for sociology (5th Ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company.