F&H- Family Patterns Changes Flashcards
(28 cards)
Name the 6 reasons for an increase in divorce?
Changes in law
Declining stigma/changing attitudes
Secularisation
Rising expectations of marriage
Financial independence
Feminist explanations
Modernity and individualism
What percentage of marriages end in divorce?
40%
What is the decline in stigma and changing attitudes and the sociologist ?
Mitchell and goody- since 60’s stigma has decreased
Divorce now normalised and not shamed
Compared to in the past where church’s for example refused to allow
Name some changes in the Law that mean divorce rate increases
1923- Equalising of grounds of divorce
1949- divorce made cheaper
1971- widening grounds for divorce
How has the changing position of women affected divorce? And the percentages (if any)
More women are in paid work
73% in 2021
Anti discrimination act helped narrow pay gap
Girls achieving greater educational success
How does the feminist explanation contribute to increase in divorce
Hochschild says home life is unfavourable for women as of stress off housework resulting in conflict,
How does modernity and individualism contribute to divorce increasing
Beck and Giddens: traditional norms are now interested in pursuing own self interests, leading to fragile relationships, so this normalisation strengths notion marriage only exists to fulfil personal fulfilment
Which theories agree with divorce
Feminists, postmodernists and individualisation theorists, functionalist
Which sociologists disagree with divorce
New right, interactionists, personal life perspective
How have marriage patterns changed including statistics
Fewer people marrying
More remarriages: in 2019 14.9% of all marriages were remarriages leading to serial monotony
People are marrying later, average age is 32/34 - risen since 1971
Couples today less likely to marry in church
What are the reasons for marriage pattern changes
Changing attitudes
Secularisation
Decline in stigma
Changing position of women
Fear of divorce
Remarriages
Age of marrying
Explain cohabiting couples and use statistics
-Unmarried couple in a sexual relationship living together
-These are increasing
-Fastest growing family type in 2013
-3.6 million Cohab heterosexual as of 2021
-69.000 same sex couples cohabiting
Explain same sex couples and use statistics
-Stonewall- only 71% of Gen Z identify as straight compared to 91% of baby boomers
-More social acceptance of these relationships such as:
-1967 Male homosexuality decriminalised for over 21’s
-2002 right to adopt
-2004 Civil Right Partnership Act
-2014 same sex marriage
Who are the sociologists associated with same sex relationships on the topic of “Chosen families”
Weeks: resemble heterosexual
Weston: “quasi marriage”
Allan and crow: more flexible and less stable than heterosexual relationships
Einasdottir: limit of flexibility and negotiability, identity built around difference
Explain one person households and use statists for the reason for the changes
-2022 =13% of all households
-51% are over 65
-Since 1961 one person households have more than doubled
-women over 75 more likely to live alone
-Changes because: 88% of all children live with mother, so males move out
-marrying later= single for longer
-Creative singlehood
Explain living apart together households and use statistics for evidence of change
Duncan and Phillips: 1/10 adults LAT
-Reflects more recent trend of “families by choice”
-People can’t afford to live together- Duncan and Phillips
-20% see LATs as ideal
-D and P conclude LAT no longer seen as abnormal
Explain childbearing using statistics to support the evidence for changes
2021 - more babies born outside marriage for first time ever and 51% are jointly registered
-Women having children later (31)
-Recent fall in birth rate
-Due to decline in stigma and increase in cohab , decreasing family size ultimately and all an example of women’s changing positions and opt for a career over motherhood
Explain lone parent families and statistics to prove the changes
15% of families in the UK are lone parent families
84% are headed by lone mothers
A child living with a lone parent is twice as likely to experience poverty
-This type has risen due to divorce increase and decline in stigma
Single by choice= theorist Renvoiz
What does Charles Murray say about lone families
New right thinker Charles Murray sees lone parent families as problematic for society as they rely on the welfare state
And because they produce delinquent boys as they are female headed and lack a male role model
This ultimately creates a dependency culture in which people take the state for granted
What is the criticism for Charles Murray (A03)
Critics argue the welfare state benefits are far from generous and lone parent families are more inclined to live in poverty because:
Lack affordable childcare meaning 31% are unemployed
Most lone parents are women who generally earn less than men
Explain stepfamilies and include statistics to support the evidence for changes in these patterns
Often are called reconstituted families and account for 10% of UK families
Ferri and smith: greater risk of poverty
Allan and crow: divided loyalty problems
-Reasons for change: increase in divorce
-Greater risk of poverty because the stepfather may be supporting other children
-Tensions faced may be due to lack of social norms about how individuals should behave
