Family Diversity Flashcards
(33 cards)
What does family diversity refer to?
Refers to the variety of family structures in society today
In particular looks at family structures that differ to the traditional nuclear family
What is the traditional nuclear family?
A two generation family consisting of parents (male and female) and their children
Heterosexual marriage, where men perform the instrumental role and women perform the expressive
What is the traditional nuclear family sometimes referred to as?
Sometimes referred to as the cereal packet family
What are three features of the cereal packet family?
Consists of first time married parents with their own natural children
Man and wife perform the traditional roles
What is an ideology?
An ideology is a misleading view based on value judgements that hide reality
How does the cereal packet family reinforce the ideology of the traditional nuclear family?
The traditional nuclear family is the typical and best family structure, a view which is very strong today particularly with the new right
However, nuclear family isn’t always a positive experience and may not be the best family structure for its members
Why would the new right support the ideology of the traditional nuclear family?
The new right are a conservative political perspective that argue the traditional nuclear family is both desirable and positive for individuals and wider society
Traditional nuclear family also have traditional values in family life which the new right favour as apart of the conservative values
How would the ideology of the traditional nuclear family be criticised by postmodernists?
Argue society has changed and we now live in a postmodern society where people are increasingly rejecting traditional ideas about the family which postmodernists would support because they argue individuals should be able to choose their lifestyle according to their own personal needs
How would the ideology of the traditional nuclear family be criticised by radical feminists?
They argue society is patriarchal and men are the enemy and therefore would argue that women are unhappy in heterosexual marriages as they suffer from ‘sexual terrorism’
What are three reasons why lone parent families have increased?
Divorce rates increased
Impact of feminism
Changing attitudes
What are two reasons why most lone-parent families are headed by the mother?
More likely to get full custody
Women more financially independent - don’t need to marry
How would the increase in lone parent families be viewed by postmodernists?
View in a positive way because they would argue that as we live in a postmodern society, individuals should be able to choose how they live their lives and they would also argue that lone parent families have become more socially acceptable
How would the increase in lone parent families be viewed by radical feminists?
View in a positive way because they would argue in order for women to have equality to men they should live separately and by doing so women would also be more protected from ‘sexual terrorism’ they may experience in a heterosexual marriage
How would the increase in lone parent families be viewed by the new right?
View in a negative way because they would argue lone parent families aren’t beneficial to individuals or wider society
Would argue lone parent families headed by females are particularly not beneficial to children because this leaves boys without a father figure for discipline which could lead to unsocialised young boys
What is a reconstituted family?
A family consisting of couples where either one or both partners bring children from previous relationships creating a new family
What is one reason that there has been an increase in reconstituted families?
Increase in re-marriages as although divorce rates are increasing marriage still remains popular and individuals are still searching for ‘the one’ they want to spend their life with
Why might the new right have a positive view towards reconstituted families?
May argue that by bringing two families together to make one this provides the children with a father figure as well as a mother
May therefore argue that reconstituted families perform some of the same functions as the nuclear family
Why may the increase in reconstituted families have led to the decline of the traditional nuclear family?
More individuals are choosing to have children without being married and becoming lone parents which means there’s a decline in traditional nuclear families
However, this means there’s an increase in reconstituted families because more lone parents may be getting married
What are three reasons why there’s been an increase in families headed by same-sex couples?
Changes in laws - Civil Partnership 2004, same-sex marriage 2013
Changing attitudes
Secularisation - religion less influential
How would families headed by same sex couples be viewed by radical feminists?
Positive view because radical feminists such as Greer claims that men and women should live separately and she promotes ‘political lesbianism’ as all heterosexual relationships are patriarchal
Would support same sex couples, in particular female same sex couples
How would families headed by same sex couples be viewed by postmodernists?
Positive view because they argue we now live in a postmodern society where individuals can make their own choices about how they live there lives
Would support same sex couples because they argue the traditional nuclear family has declined and there is much more family diversity
How would families headed by same sex couples be viewed by the new right?
Negative view because they see the traditional nuclear family as superior to all other family types and argue the traditional nuclear family is beneficial for individuals and wider society unlike other family types
New right critical of same-sex couples, believe they are unnatural and don’t provide children with a male or a female role model to socialise them effectively
What is a modified extended family?
Where the extended family members live apart, but are in regular contact and provide support to each other
What is a beanpole family?
A multi-generational extended family that consists of great grandparents, grandparents, parents and children
