Families Topic 2 - Changing Family Patterns Flashcards
(47 cards)
What is a major cause of changing family patterns and greater family diversity?
Divorce
Divorce creates lone-parent and one-person households
What percentage of all marriages end in divorce?
40%
This statistic reflects the trend observed up to 2012
By how much did the number of divorces in the UK increase between 1961 and 1969?
Doubled
The trend of rising divorces continued until it peaked in 1993
What was the most common reason for divorce according to the statistics?
‘Unreasonable behaviour’
This accounted for 48% of women’s petitions and 35% of men’s
What percentage of divorce petitions come from women as of the latest statistics?
63%
This is a significant increase from 37% in 1946
What factors contribute to a higher likelihood of divorce?
- Marrying young
- Having a child before marriage
- Cohabiting before marriage
- One or both partners having been married before
True or False: Divorce rates are highest among newer generations.
False
Divorce rates rise over time for every generation but have decreased for those married after 2005
List three key changes in the law that have made divorce more obtainable.
- 1923: Equalising the grounds of divorce
- 1949: Making divorce cheaper
- 1971: Widening the grounds for divorce
What is ‘stigma’ in the context of divorce?
The negative label, social disapproval, or shame attached to a person, action, or relationship
How has secularisation affected divorce rates?
Reduced the influence of religious teachings, making divorce more accepted
What do Functionalists argue about rising expectations of marriage?
High expectations lead couples to be less willing to tolerate unhappiness
This is linked to the ideology of romantic love
What has improved women’s economic position contributed to regarding divorce?
Women are freer to choose to divorce if their marriage is unsatisfactory
What do Feminists argue is a source of conflict that leads to higher divorce rates?
The dual burden of paid work and domestic labor on women
What do Beck and Giddens argue about modern relationships?
Traditional norms lose influence, leading to fragile relationships focused on personal fulfillment
What is ‘serial monogamy’?
A pattern of marriage, divorce, and remarriage
This is indicated by the rise in re-marriages
What are the main reasons for the increase in cohabitation?
- Decline in stigma attached to sex before marriage
- Young people’s acceptance of cohabitation
- Increased career opportunities for women
- Secularisation
What is the trend regarding births outside of marriage as of 2021?
More babies were born outside of marriage than within for the first time (51%)
What percentage of families in the UK are lone parent families as of 2022?
15%
84% of these are headed by lone mothers
What does the term ‘creative singlehood’ refer to?
The deliberate choice to live alone
What has been a significant change in the demographic of one-person households?
The rise of pensioner one-person households, more than doubling since 1961
What is the average age for women having children as of 2021?
31
This age has risen by 5 years since 1974
What is the impact of divorce on children’s living arrangements?
Children are more likely to live with their mother after a divorce (88%)
True or False: Many lone parent families are formed by choice.
True
Some women prefer to raise children without a partner
What percentage of families with dependent children in Britain are often called ‘reconstituted families’?
10%
Reconstituted families may include children from both partners’ previous relationships.
