1. Module 39: Global View of the Family
Sociology in Modules
Richard T. Schaefer
3rd edition

2. Social Institutions

3. Age at marriage- US (Source: UNFPA)

4. Fertility rate – US Source: UNFPA

5. Figure 55-3: Population Structure of Afghanistan, Italy, and the United States, 2014

6. Fertility Patterns in the United States
Over past six decades, U.S. and other industrial nations experienced two different patterns of population growth
First: high fertility and rapid growth
Second: declining fertility and little growth

8. Adult children staying with parents
2012 – 14% adult children (ages 25-34) lived with parents

9. How have these changes affected marriage and family?

10. Families have changed
New gender roles – more women are taking on the bread-winner role
New child rearing patterns – stay at home dads
Blended families – divorce and remarriage

11. Global View of the Family
Universal Principles
Family as social institution exists in all cultures
Family: set of people related by blood, marriage or other agreed-upon relationship, or adoption, who share primary responsibility for reproduction and caring for members of society

12. Composition: What Is the Family?
Nuclear family: nucleus or core upon which larger family groups are built
Extended family: family in which relatives live in same home as parents and children

13. 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

14. 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 the same time
Polyandry: marriage of a woman to more than one husband at the same time; extremely rare

15. Kinship Patterns: To Whom Are We Related?
Kinship: state of being related to others
Bilateral descent: both sides of a person’s family are regarded as equally important
Patrilineal descent: only the father’s relatives are important
Matrilineal descent: only the mother’s relatives are important

16. 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

17. Figure 39-1: U.S. Households by Family Type, 1970–201217

18. Functionalist Perspective
Family serves six functions for society:
Reproduction
Protection
Socialization
Regulation of sexual behavior
Affection and companionship
Provision of social status

19. Sociological Perspectives on the Family
Do we really need the family?
Engels: family the ultimate source of social inequality due to its role in transfer of power, property, privilege

20. Conflict Perspective
Family reflects inequality in wealth and power found within society
View family as economic unit that contributes to social injustice =Transfer or power and prestige

21. Conflict Perspective
In wide range of societies, husbands exercise power and authority within the family
The number of American troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq between and 2012 was 6,488. The number of American women who were murdered by current or ex male partners during that time was 11,766. That’s nearly double the amount of casualties lost during war. (Source: FBI reports )
Marxists argue that the nuclear family performs ideological functions for Capitalism – the family acts as a unit of consumption and teaches passive acceptance of hierarchy.

22. Feminist Perspective Interest in family as social institution
Looked particularly closely at how women’s work outside the home impacts their child care and housework duties – “Second shift”
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

23. Module 40: Marriage and Family
Sociology in Modules
Richard T. Schaefer
3rd edition

24. Marriage and Family
Over 95% of all men and women in U.S. marry at least once during their lifetimes
Most consistent aspect of family life in the U.S. is the high rate of marriage

25. Courtship and Mate Selection
Internet - latest courtship practice
Process of mate selection is taking longer today than in past
Aspects of Mate Selection
Endogamy: specifies groups within which spouse must be found; prohibits marriage with members of other groups
??? % white Americans marry different race?
Exogamy: requires mate selection outside certain groups, usually family or certain kin

26. 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

27. Courtship and Mate Selection
The Love Relationship
Coupling of love and marriage not universal
U.S. parents and peers expected to help child confine search for a mate to “socially acceptable” members of opposite sex
Many world cultures give priority to factors other than romantic feelings – Arranged marriages

28. Variations in Family Life and Intimate Relationships
Social Class Differences
U.S. upper class emphasizes lineage and maintenance of family position – more selective
Lower class families likely to have only one parent at home, and children typically assume adult responsibilities
Social class differences less striking today
Example – child rearing practices

29. Variations in Family Life and Intimate Relationships
Racial and Ethnic Differences
Subordinate status of racial and ethnic minorities in U.S. affects family lives
Black single mothers often rely on strong kin networks
Mexican Americans are more formalistic
Machismo: sense of virility, personal worth, and pride in one’s maleness
Familism: pride in extended family

30. Child-Rearing Patterns
Parenthood and Grandparenthood
One of most important roles of parents is socialization of children
Little anticipatory socialization
Limited learning during pregnancy
Transition to parenthood is abrupt
Lack of clear and helpful guidelines for successful parenthood
In some homes, the full nest holds grandchildren

31. Figure 40-2: Rise of Single-Parent Families in the United States, 1970–201031

32. Child-Rearing Patterns
Adoption
Transfer of legal rights, responsibilities, privileges of parenthood to new legal parent or parents
Functionalist: government has a strong interest in encouraging adoption
International adoption – 2012 – 8600 children were adopted
In the US (2013) over 101,000 children are waiting for adoption

33. Child-Rearing Patterns
Dual-Income Families
Among married people between 25 and 64, 96% of men and 69% of women in labor force
Rise due to economic need, coupled with desire to pursue careers
Rise in married couples living apart due to work

34. Child-Rearing Patterns
Single-Parent Families
Only one parent present to care for children
In 2010, single parents headed families with children under 18
24% of White families with children
37% of Hispanic families with children
62% of African American families with children

35. Child-Rearing Patterns
Stepfamilies
Approximately 45% of all people in U.S. will marry, divorce, and remarry
Nature of blended families has social significance for adults and children - resocialization
Cherlin (2010) – do children benefit form having two parents?
Children whose parents have remarried do not have higher levels of well-being than children in divorced single-parent families

36. Module 41: Alternatives to Traditional Families
Sociology in Modules
Richard T. Schaefer
3rd edition

37. A snapshot of changing family in media

38. Alternatives to Traditional Families
Divorce
U.S. family life includes competing commitments
To marriage
To self-expression and personal growth

39. Statistical Trends in Divorce
Divorce rates increased in late 1960s, then leveled off
Since late 1980s, declined by 30%
Partly due to aging baby-boomer population and decline in proportion of people of marriageable age
About 63% of all divorcees have remarried

40. Figure 41-1: Trends in Marriage and Divorce in the United States, 1920–201040

41. Factors Associated with Divorce
Greater social acceptance of divorce
More liberal divorce laws
Fewer children
Greater family income
Greater opportunities for women

42. Impact of Divorce on Children
National study that tracked 6,332 children before and after divorce found behavior did not suffer
Other studies have shown greater unhappiness among children who live amidst parental conflict
Still, too simplistic to assume children are automatically better off following breakup

43. Diverse Lifestyles -Single parents
Census data (2010)
27% children live in single parent households
23% live with mother (10% - cohabitating boyfriends)
4% live with fathers (20% cohabitating girlfriends)
Living with stepfather/ mother
4% (3 million children) live with guardians – 54% are guardians are grandparents)
Why is this relevant ?

44. Diverse Lifestyles
Marriage has lost much of its social significance as rite of passage
Decline in U.S. marriage rates since 1960
Marriage often postponed until later
Partnerships without marriage formed

45. Cohabitation

46. Diverse Lifestyles Cohabitation
Male-female couples who choose to live together without marrying
About half of currently married couples in U.S. lived together before marriage
Estimated 7.5 million people in 2011
Changing perceptions
Only 38% think cohabitation negatively affects society (2010)
Who are those cohabitating
Majority non-Hispanic with no high school diploma and grew up in a single- parent households (census 2010)

47. Staying Single 25-29 age group - never married (2010)
62% women (11% of total population of this age group)
48% men (19% of total population of this age group)
More acceptance for men than women
Labels for women – “Old maid”
Racial differences

48. Same-sex couples Since 2000, 50% increase in same sex marriages
Better reporting
Greater acceptance
1% US household are same-sex
Variation by sate

49. Variation in family life
Ideal family (Census 2010)
99.8% believe in traditional family
However
66% live in household with two parents
3% children live with cohabitating parents
27% single parent families

50. Diverse Lifestyles Marriage without Children
Modest increase in childlessness in U.S.
About 16–17% of women will complete childbearing years without bearing children
Economic considerations have contributed

51. Intersection of Race and Class
Southern states have higher marriage and divorce rate
Highest among Native Americans and Alaskan natives, followed by African Americans and Whites
Highest among lower education level and those who marry young

52. Problems within marriage and family
Domestic violence – Intimate partner violence
More women are victimized
1 in 4 women have experienced some IPV in lifetime
IPV often starts are emotional abuse and leads to other forms of abuse
Structural Functionalism cannot explain such events

53. Profile of IPV victims Who are they? IPV is grossly underreported Race
Income (unemployment)
High rates of depression
Where it happens? - mostly home
Often involves substance abuse
IPV is grossly underreported

54. 2010- 3.3 million reported cases of child abuse (5.9 million children)
Forms of Abuse
Neglect (78%)
Physical abuse (11%)
Sexual abuse (8%)
Psychological maltreatment(7%)
Medical neglect (2%)
Most neglected are infants – high dependency- shaken baby syndrome
81% perpetrators are parents

55. Causes Age of parents Financial stress Drug and alcohol use
Social isolation
Depression
Low parental education
History of child abuse

56. Effects
Effects on physical, mental and emotional wellbeing – injury, poor health and mental instability
80% will display depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation by age 21
25% will suffer from poor academic performance, teen pregnancy and other risky behaviors