Chapter 12 Marriage and Family

Composition: What is the Family? Module 39 Composition: What is the Family? Family: Set of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption (agreed-upon relations) who share primary responsibility for reproduction and caring for members of society 2

Composition: What is the Family? Module 39 Composition: What is the Family? Nuclear family: A family composed of one or two parents and their children Common to industrial societies Extended family: Family in which other blood relatives live in same household as parents and children Common to agrarian societies. 3

Composition: What is the Family? Module 39 Composition: What is the Family? Monogamy: Form of marriage in which one woman and one man are married only to each other Serial monogamy: When a person has several spouses in his or her lifetime, but only one spouse at a time 4

Composition: What is the Family? Module 39 Composition: What is the Family? Polygamy: When an individual has several husbands or wives simultaneously Polygyny: Marriage of a man to more than one woman at a time Polyandry: Marriage of a woman to more than one husband at the same time 5

Diversity in U.S. Families One-Parent Families Couples Without Children While most married women give birth, about one of five do not Blended Families Gay and Lesbian Families Adoption by Gay and Lesbian Couples © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Authority Patterns: Who Rules? Module 39 Authority Patterns: Who Rules? Patriarchy: Males are expected to dominate in all family decision making Matriarchy: Women have greater authority than men Egalitarian family: Family in which spouses are regarded as equals 7

Figure 39-1: U.S. Households by Family Type, 1940-2010 Module 39 Figure 39-1: U.S. Households by Family Type, 1940-2010 8

Trends in U.S. Families The Changing Timetable of Family Life: Marriage and Childbirth Postponing Marriage and Childbirth Cohabitation Does Cohabitation Make Marriage Stronger? Children of Cohabiting Parents: A Surprising Finding © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in Households The number of married couples has decreased Module 39 Changes in Households The number of married couples has decreased The number of married couples with-out children has increased Single parent households have increased 10

Module 39 Changes in Households The number of non-family household have increased Opposite sex cohabitation Same sex cohabitation 11

Functionalist View Family serves six functions for society: Module 39 Functionalist View Family serves six functions for society: Reproduction Protection Socialization Regulation of sexual behavior Affection and companionship Provision of social status 12

View family as economic unit that contributes to social injustice Module 39 Conflict View Family reflects inequality in wealth and power found within society In wide range of societies, husbands exercised power and authority within the family View family as economic unit that contributes to social injustice 13

Marriage and Family: Conflict Perspective Struggles between Wives and Husbands Housework Child Care Money Attention Respect Sex © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Module 39 Interactionist View Focuses on microlevel of family and other intimate relationships Interested in how individuals interact with each other, whether they are cohabiting partners or longtime married couples 15

Feminist View Interest in family as social institution Module 39 Feminist View Interest in family as social institution Urge social scientists and agencies to rethink notion that families in which no adult male is present are automatically cause for concern Feminists stress need to investigate neglected topics in family studies 16

Module 39 Marriage and Family Over 95% of all men and women in U.S. marry at least once during their lifetimes Internet is second to friends as a source of romantic partners Process of mate selection is taking longer today than in past 17

Courtship and Mate Selection Module 39 Courtship and Mate Selection Aspects of Mate Selection Endogamy: Specifies groups within which spouse must be found; prohibits marriage with members of other groups Exogamy: Requires mate selection outside certain groups, usually family or certain kin 18

Courtship and Mate Selection Module 39 Courtship and Mate Selection Aspects of Mate Selection (continued) Incest taboo: Social norm common to all societies prohibiting sexual relationships between certain culturally specified relationships Homogamy: Conscious or unconscious tendency to select mate with personal characteristics similar to one’s own 19

What is Marriage? Until Recently…Taken for Granted Acceptance of Same-Sex Marriages Even sexual relationships don’t universally characterize marriage Must be Alive? © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Common Cultural Themes Families Establish Patterns of… Mate Selection Descent Inheritance Authority Patriarchy; Matriarchy; Egalitarian © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Who Makes the Decisions at Home © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

In Two-Paycheck Marriages, How Do Husbands and Wives Divide Their Responsibilities? © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Family Life Cycle Love and Courtship in Global Perspective Marriage Social Channels of Love and Marriage Homogamy Childbirth Marital Satisfaction Decreases Ideal Family Size © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Family Life Cycle Family Transitions “Adultolescents” and the Not-So-Empty Nest Adolescents, especially the young men, used to leave home after finishing high school Widowhood Women are more likely than men to become widowed © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Family Satisfaction Stage One: Young couples without children exhibits a high degree of satisfaction for both husband and wife with the wife initially more satisfied than the husband. 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wife Husband

Family Satisfaction Stage Two: Young couples preschool-age children exhibits a high degree of satisfaction for the husband but the wife has a significant decrease in satisfaction. 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Family Satisfaction Couple who become parents reported lower marital happiness, more tension, and more frequent conflicts after the transition to parenthood than before. Parents were found to report higher levels of psychological distress and anger than do couples without children. Children increase anger level more for mothers than fathers, and each additional child in the household increased the level of anger. Why?

Family Satisfaction For Women: The majority of women have jobs prior to pregnancy, but most leave the job as the pregnancy progresses. On 1 in 5 women remain employed in the month that their child was born. Many of these mothers return to work, but by two years after the birth, their rate of employment is only 60 percent. Wages are significantly affected by the presence of children.

Family Satisfaction For Men: Fathers are more likely to be employed and work more hours than their male counterparts. On the other hand, a working wife/mother requires the father to sacrifice work time in order to contribute more time to the family. One model suggest that fathers work more while the other suggest they work less. Wages are significantly affected by the presence of children.

Family Satisfaction Stage Three: Young couples with school-age exhibits a declining degree of satisfaction for both husband and wife with the wife still exhibiting lower level of satisfaction than the husband. 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wife Husband

Family Satisfaction The egalitarian ethic A wife's dominance in decision making, which is relatively rare, is associated with the lowest level of satisfaction for both partners. A husband's dominance in decision making may be more frequently associated with satisfaction for the husbands than for the wives.  Equal sharing is associated with the highest level of satisfaction for the wives.  When measures other than marital satisfaction are considered relative equality is the most beneficial for the relationship

Family Satisfaction Household Task Women Men 79% 27% 78% 26% 72% 26% 79% 27% 78% 26% 72% 26% 69% 22% 68% 31% 72% 12% 42% 28% 21% 63% 16% 74% Doing Laundry Preparing Meals Grocery Shopping Cleaning House Washing Dishes Caring for Children Disciplining Children Yard Work Minor Home Repairs

Family Satisfaction Stage Four: Couples with adolescent children both exhibit a declining degree of satisfaction. 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wife Husband

Family Satisfaction Stage Five: Couples with children who are young adults who are getting ready to leave the household. This period is called the launching period 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wife Husband

Family Satisfaction Stage Six: Couples with adult children no longer living at home. This is the empty nest period and both husband and wife exhibit an increasing degree of satisfaction. 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wife Husband

Family Satisfaction Stage Seven: Couples in the retirement stage of life, without children at home, both exhibit a high degree of satisfaction. 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wife Husband

The Decline of the Two-Parent Families © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Why Do Americans Marry? The Changing Age at First Marriage © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Americans Ages 20-24 Who Are Married © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cohabitation in the United States © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Divorce and Remarriage Ways of Measuring Divorce Children of Divorce Grandchildren of Divorce Fathers’ Contact with Children after Divorce The Ex-Spouses Remarriage © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The “Where” of U.S. Divorce © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

© 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Two Sides of Family Life The Dark Side Spouse Battering Child Abuse Marital or Intimacy Rape Incest © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Two Sides of Family Life The Bright Side - Successful Marriages Spouse is Best Friend Like Spouse as Person Think Marriage is Long-Term Commitment Believe Marriage is Sacred © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Two Sides of Family Life Agree with Spouse Aims and Goals Believe Spouse Grown More Interesting Want Relationship to Succeed Laugh Together © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Happy Families Spend a Lot of Time Together Are Quick to Express Appreciation Committed to Promoting Mutual Welfare Talk and Listen a Lot Are Religious Deal with Crises Positively © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Symbolic Interactionism and Misuse of Statistics Divorce Statistics Explained Many students concerned divorce statistics mean they won’t have a successful marriage People are Individuals We Create our Own World © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Future of Marriage and Family No Danger of Becoming a Relic Cohabitation, Single Mothers, Age at Marriage, Grandparent as Parent Increase Continued Distorted Images of Marriage and Family © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.