Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Family-Related Problems Chapter 3...

Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 3Family-Related Family-Related

ProblemsProblems

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Myth or Fact? Divorce is a modern

phenomenon and was relatively unheard of in premodern societies.

The U.S has more teenage pregnancies than any other industrial nation.

Myth Fact


Families Family

the social institution based on kinship that functions to replace members of society and to nurture them

In the U.S. today cultural norms call for people To practice monogamy To have an egalitarian family

Families in the U.S. have transitioned from an extended family to a nuclear family; yet many families form a modified extended family.


The Functionalist Perspective Some form of the family exists in all societies

because families perform certain basic functions essential to human survival and the maintenance of society including regulation of sexual behavior and reproduction socialization and education status conferral economic activity protection affection and companionship


The Conflict Perspective The family serves the interests of the dominant

groups in society. There is no reason to assume that a single family

form will benefit everyone. The dominant form can perpetuate social and

economic inequality. The most common type of authority structure in

families is patriarchy, which refers to a family in which males

dominate the regulation of political and economic decision making, whereas women and children are subordinate.


The Interactionist Perspective Family form is a matter of social definition.

People are socialized to accept their society’s family form as “natural.”

Today there is much less widespread consensus regarding family and family-related behavior.


Attitudes Toward Marriage and Family

In the U.S. today more people marry than ever before, well over 90% this may reflect the long transition from “arranged

marriages” to “participant-run” romances where the selection of a marital partner is based primarily on the individual desires of the prospective mates

marriage is viewed quite positively by many people, but alternatives are also becoming more popular


The Divorce Rate The refined divorce rate is determined by

dividing the number of divorces each year by the total number of existing marriages in that year. The divorce rate has doubled since 1940, going from

8.8 to about 18 divorces for every 1,000 marriages The divorce rate has gone up over the last sixty

years, but has declined a little since its high point around 1980.


Societal Conditions Related to the Rising Divorce Rate

The family performs fewer functions today. The increasing equality between men and

women has created opportunities and tensions. There is less stigma attached to divorce today. Pressures have surfaced to simplify the legal

process for obtaining a divorce.


Who Gets Divorced? Couples with an increased likelihood of

divorcing have the following characteristics: social differences between the couple low socioeconomic standing young age at marriage whirlwind romances


Divorce and Children When parents divorce what are the consequences for

the children? The impact on children depends on their age. Children in divorced homes seem to be more prone to

delinquency. A decline in school performance and a higher school dropout

rate is a common consequence. It is not the divorce itself that produces the negative

consequences; the social and emotional conditions that often surround divorce are also a part of the problem.

Research suggests that the impact on children persists into adulthood.


Diverse Family Lifestyles

Single Parenthood

Cohabitation

Singlehood

Dual Earner

Families

DiverseFamily

Lifestyles


Violence in the Family Intimate Partner Violence

Includes violence between spouses, cohabitating partners, boyfriends/girlfriends, and dates

Reasons for intimate partner violence Use of violence to settle disputes, especially by males Marital poverty Sexual inequality An inconsistency between a man’s and woman’s

achievements Social isolation


Violence in the Family Child Abuse

Irrespective of social class considerations, it appears that child abuse is a behavior pattern that is passed on from generation to generation in some families.

Abuse of the Elderly Abuse is more likely to occur when the caregiver

is dependent on the elderly person under his or her care.


Future Prospects The family performs important functions in society, and

some type of family will undoubtedly continue to perform those functions in the future.

Despite the rapid rise in divorce in recent decades, the divorce rate will not necessarily continue to rise substantially in the future.

One of the most positive steps toward reducing family violence has been bringing the issue into the open.

Social policies related to children and the family can be highly controversial and cover such topics as teen pregnancy and child-care.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Family-Related Problems Chapter 3...

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