Family Diversity Flashcards
Nuclear families
mother father and dependent children. Statistics show only 25% of families are now this type and in the last 30 years are steadily declining.
Extended families
Sociologists have seen a decline in the number of extended families which were the most common in pre industrial society according to Parsons. They havent disappeared but have changed and become dispersed extended families according to Wilmott where they are seperated geographically but remain in frequent contact
Single parent families
Consists of mother or father parenting alone with dependent children. Since 1970s this family type has tripled with 25% of families being single parents in the UK. The majority of the increase is from divorce and seperation and are more likely to be headed by women.
Reasons for growth in single parent families
- increase in divorce
- less stigma attached to being a single parent
- new right thinkers would say welfare state has made it too easy to become a single parent and is apart of dependency culture
- social policies and laws
Reconstituted family
Made up of an adult couple with children in previous married relationships that are together. Little research on this family type because they can appear as a nuclear family. Increase in this family tyoe from 6% to 10%
Reasons for growth in reconstituted families
- increase in divorce
- less stigma around being remarried
- secularisation - more comfortable remarrying
Lone person household
People may choose to live without a partner as a singleton and this now makes up 3/10 households, 44% of which are aged over 65. Also an increase in living apart together.
Reasons for growth in lone person household
- changes in womens roles
- increased divorce
- less social stigma
- individulas are more affluent
- individulas marry later
- choosing to be single due to individualisation
Same sex families
Increased in recent years. Not legally recognised till 2004 civil partnerships act
Reasons for increase in same sex families
- adoption and surrogacy
advances in reproductive technology - reduced stigma
- secularisation
Post modernity perspective on family diversity
Society is no longer predictable and stable and is characterised by diversity and fragmentation as everything is fluid and uncertain. People are free on how to choose how to live their life. Stacey suggests family diversity is a reflection of postmodern society and there is no one family type everyone aspires to . She sees this as a positive.
Late modernity and Individualisation Thesis
Giddens suggests we live in a period of late modernity characterised by choice and individualisation which has caused relationships to change. Sex is no longer about reproduction but is about intimiacy (plastic sexuality). This has led to idea of confluent love and pure relationships that are less stable and easily breakdown
Personal life perspective
Smart is highly critical of the idea of limited less choice of disconnected individuals. She suggests we are social beings whose choices are made within a web of connections caused by exisiting relationships and also takes into account how gender and class limit our choices
Class and Cultural diversity
Class - Rapoport and Rapoport suggest major differences exist in families due to class as middle class have higher incomes, more likely to make use of nannies cleaners etc, educate children privately. It is argued that middle class families are more child centred but it may be working class just dont have the time or money to focus on children
Culture - large evidence that afro carribean families have a different family structure. Berthoud et al suggests that in 2001 nearly 48% of Afro Carribean families were single parents and they have the lowest rates of marriage and divorce. Charactersied by modern individualism.
Chester neo conventional family (BELIEVE FAMILY HAS NOT BECOME DIVERSE)
He belives the only real change in family structure is women now go out to work and roles have become more symmetrical. Weeks agrees and says although diversity is accepted most children are brought up by a heterosexual couple
