Chapter 1 - The Changing Family

Question 1

Legal definition of family

Answer 1

A relationship by blood, marriage, or affection, in which members may cooperate economically, may care for any children, and may consider their identity to be intimately connected to the larger group.

Question 2

Family of orientation

Answer 2

Family you were born into

Question 3

Family of procreation

Answer 3

The family yo make through marriage, partnering, and/or parenthood.

Question 4

Fictive Kin

Answer 4

Nonrelatives whose bonds are strong and intimate and accepted as part of the family.

Question 5

Marriage

Answer 5

An institutional arrangement between persons to publicly recognize social and intimate bonds.

Question 6

What are the function of families?

Answer 6

Regulation of sexual behavior, reproducing and socializing children, property and inheritance, economic cooperation/economic security, emotional support, and social class placement.

Question 7

Social structure

Answer 7

A stable framework of social relationships that guides our interactions with others.

Question 8

Micro-level

Answer 8

Focus on the individual and his or her interactions in specific settings

Question 9

Macro-level

Answer 9

Focus on interconnectedness of marriage, families, and intimate relationships with the rest of society.

Question 10

Social institution

Answer 10

A major sphere of social life, with a set of beliefs and rules that is organize to meet basic human needs.

Question 11

Master status

Answer 11

The major defining status or statuses that a person occupies

Question 12

Monogamy

Answer 12

Marriage between one man and one woman

Question 13

Polygamy

Answer 13

A system that allows for more than one spouse at a time

Question 14

Polygyny

Answer 14

The marriage pattern in which husbands can have more than one wife.

Question 15

Polyandry

Answer 15

The marriage pattern in which wives are allowed to have more than one husband

Question 16

Patriarchy

Answer 16

A form of social organization in which the norm or expectation is that men have a natural right to be in positions of authority over women

Question 17

Matriarchy

Answer 17

A form of social organization in which the norm or expectation is that the power and authority in society would be vested in women

Question 18

Egalitarian

Answer 18

The expectation that power and authority are equally vested in both men and women

Question 19

Bilateral

Answer 19

Descent that can be traced through both male and female sides of the family

Question 20

Patrilineal

Answer 20

A descent pattern where lineage is traced exclusives (or at least primarily) through the man’s family line

Question 21

Matrilineal

Answer 21

A descent patterns where lineage is traced exclusives or primarily within women’s families

Question 22

Neolocal

Answer 22

The expectation that a newly married couple establishes a residence and lives there independently

Question 23

Patrilocal

Answer 23

The expectation that newly married couple will live with the husband’s family

Question 24

Matrilocal

Answer 24

The expectation that newly married couple will live with the family of the wife.

Question 25

Empirical approach

Answer 25

An approach that answers questions through a systematic collection and analysis of data

Question 26

What are the goals of family research?

Answer 26

Describe some phenomena, examine the factors that predict or are associated with some phenomena, explain the cause and effect relationship or provide insight into why certain events do or do not occur, and examine the meanings and interpretations of some phenomenon.

Question 27

Survey

Answer 27

A form of research that gathers information about attitudes or behaviors through the answer that people give to questions.

Question 28

Random sample

Answer 28

A sample in which every "person of interest" has an equal chance of being selected into your research study

Question 29

In-depth interview

Answer 29

A research methods that allows an interviewer to obtain detailed responses to questions

Question 30

Experiment

Answer 30

A controlled method for determining cause and effect

Question 31

Focus Group

Answer 31

A small group interview of people who are brought together to discuss a particular topic

Question 32

Observational study

Answer 32

A research method that goes into the natural setting and observes people in action

Question 33

Secondary analysis

Answer 33

A research method in which the data were collected for some other purpose but still are useful for the researcher

Question 34

Qualitative research

Answer 34

Data that can be measured numerically

Question 35

Structural functionalism

Answer 35

A theory that attempts to determine the structure, systems, functions, and equilibrium of social institutions

Question 36

Conflict theory

Answer 36

A theory that emphasizes issues surrounding social inequality, power, conflict, and social change

Question 37

Feminist theory

Answer 37

A theory in which gender is seen as the central concept for explaining family structure and family dynamics

Question 38

Social Exchange theory

Answer 38

A theory that draws upon a model of human behavior used by many economists

Question 39

Symbolic interaction theory

Answer 39

A theory that emphasizes the symbols we use in everyday interaction - words, gestures, appearances - and how these are interpreted

Question 40

Developmental theory

Answer 40

A theory that suggests families, and individual family members, go through distinct stages over time, with each stage having its own set of tasks, roles, and responsibilities.

Question 41

Systems theory

Answer 41

A theory that proposes that a family system - the family members and the roles that they play - is larger than the sun of its individual members

Question 42

Explain how traditional and contemporary definitions of family differ.

Answer 42

Traditional definitions of family generally establish individuals that relate to each other through blood, marriage, or adoption as family. These individuals live together and bear and rear children. This definition, however, excludes a large amount of groups and individuals such as childless couples, LGBT couples, grandparents raising grandchildren, foster parents and their charges, etc. A current definition of family is an intimate group of two or more people who live together in a committed relationship, care for one another and any children, and share activities and close emotional ties. This definition is more inclusive. Some may disagree with this definition because it does not explicitly include marriage, procreation, or child rearing.

Question 43

Describe the five ways families differ worldwide.

Answer 43

The five ways families differ worldwide are: (1) Family structure, (2) Nuclear and extended families, (3) Residence patterns, (4) Authority and power, and (5) Monogamy and polygamy.