Changing Family patterns Flashcards
(36 cards)
How can changes in the Law explain increase in divorce?
DRA makes divorce easier, cheaper and faster(1969)
-Equal and wider grounds for divorce
-e.g ‘irretrievable breakdown’ grounds for divorce 1971
What are the patterns in divorce?
40% of marriages end in divorce
-65% of divorce petitions are made by women
How can declining stigma and changing attitudes explain increase in divorce?
Churches used to condemn divorce but recently
Divorce becomes more socially acceptable and is thus normalised so more indivduals likely to do it
How can secularisation explain increase in divorce?
-The influence that the church has to reduce divorce is decreased so opposition to divorce no longer matters
-The church has also softened their views on divorce
-Church attendance declining
How can rising expectations of marriage explain increase in divorce?
Fletcher- individuals want romantic love (Mr and Mrs Right) and expect that. If this is not there, they will divorce
-In past, marriage was based on duty/ economic means not love, so individuals withstood unhappiness as they had no choice
-Now if romantic love dies, there is no reason to stay
How can womens increased financial independence explain increase in divorce?
Women more likely to be in paid work/ availability of welfare benefits so more able to support yourself in the event of a divorce
-Not relying on husband financially so are less tolerable of conflict
How can feminist explanations explain increase in divorce?
-Women more aware of patriarchal nature of marriage and so are less likely to tolerate it
-Women carry dual burden ,triple shift
Paid work has more rewards (Hoschild) as women are more valued.
-mens resistance to housework produces more conflict
- less time to deal with these conflicts as they have paid work
How do feminists criticise fletchers view of the rising expectations of marriage?
Thay argue that marital conflict is the main cause of divorce, not pursuit of romantic love
-They also argue it ignores why more women who seek divorce
How can modernity and individualisation explain increase in divorce?
Giddens and Beck- in modern society, the influence of tradition e.g to death do us part holds less value.
-We now pursue relationships out of self interest so leave if not fulfilled (not a pure relationship) = more fragile relationships=more divorce
What do different sociological perspectives believe about the meanings of a high divorce rates?
New right-undesireable as undermines trad nuclear family
Feminists-desireable=women not oppressed
Postmodernists-shows choice relationships, explains greater family diversity
func-result of higher expectations,but remarriage rates show commitment to marriage
interactionalists- divorce has different meanings to different ppls
What are the pattern in marriage in recent years?
-low marriage rate
-1/3 of all marriages are remarriages
-People marrying later
-Decline in religious weddings
What are the reasons for the decline in first marriages?
-Changing attitudes, less pressure to marry
-Secularisation
-Declining stigma attatched to alternatives e.g cohab
-Changes in womens position
-Fear of divorces
How can the increase in remarriages, age on marrying and decline in religious weddings be explained
Remarriages- increase in divorce
Age of marrying-More focus on career/education as well as cohabitation first
Religious weddings- secularisation, churches refuse to marry divorcees
What are the trends in cohabitation?
-Increase
-2.9 million cohabiting heterosexual couples in britain
What are the reasons for an increase in cohabitation?
-decline in stigma around sex before marriage
-secularisation
-women have more oppurtunities so dont need financial support of a marriage
What are the two ways couples see cohabitation?
-A temporary phase before marriage (trial marriage)
-Permanent alternative to marriage as marriage is seen as patriarchal whereas cohab encourages equality
What did Shelton and John find about cohabiting couples that supports the idea they are more equal than marriages?
Women who cohabit do less housework than their married counterparts
What are the trends in same sex relationships?
5-7% of the population are in same sex relationships ( Stonewall 2012)
Why are the reasons behind an increase in same-sex relationships?
-increased social acceptance
-Changes in law e.g decriminalisation of gay marriage in 1967, 2014 legalisation of gay marriage
Weeks- increased social acceptance is leading to more stable gay relationships such as chosen families that provide same security as heterosexual families
What are the trends in one person households?
-3/10 households are one person households
-40% of one person households are over 65
-men under 65 largest group living alone
What are the reasons behind the trends in one person households?
-Increase in seperation and divorce
-‘Creative singlehood’; choosing to live alone
-Too few partners for them (older widows)
-Women get custody of kids and so men live in OPH
What are the trends in LAT couples?
1/10 couples are LAT
-Increase
What are the trends in childbearing?
-Nearly half of all children are born out of marriage due to rise in cohab
-Women having children later (30.7 years old)
-Women having fewer children (1.58)
-More women remaining childless
What are the reason for the changes in childbearing
-births out of marriage= declining stigma, rise in cohab
-later age of having children, smaller family sizes, more childlessness= women have more options, not just motherhood; may chose a career
