1 / 19

The Social Institution of Family

The Social Institution of Family. Institutions. Social institutions: the sum of roles and statuses, values, and norms; relatively stable cluster of statuses and roles that develop over time to often insure that some basic need in society will be taken care of. Definition of the Family.

beverleye
Download Presentation

The Social Institution of Family

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Social Institution of Family

  2. Institutions • Social institutions: the sum of roles and statuses, values, and norms; relatively stable cluster of statuses and roles that develop over time to often insure that some basic need in society will be taken care of.

  3. Definition of the Family U.S. Census Definition: Two or more persons, including the house-holder, who are related by birth, marriage, or adoption, and who live together as one household.

  4. The Traditional Family

  5. Characteristics of a Traditional/Modern Family • Heterosexual relationship between two parents • Sexual division of labor • Father=breadwinner • Mother=homemaker • Parents are married

  6. Other Family Models

  7. Characteristics of a Postmodern Family • No one form of family is singled out as best. •  No pattern of gender division of labor (though division of labor may still be present). •  No one person is left to parent the children—parenting is diversified and collectivized among caring others. •  New ideas about career and family are freely explored.

  8. An Evolution or Destruction of the Family as an Institution? Recent trends in family life

  9. Summary of Trends • Percentage of single-parent U.S. families has doubled in the past generation (now 28%) • Cohabitation numbers have increased from 500,000 couples in 1970 to 5.5 million (10% of all couples) • Increased acceptance and openness of same-sex couples • Increased use of reproductive technology

  10. Summary of Trends • Divorce rates remain very high (4 in 10 marriages end in divorce) • People are waiting longer to marry and have children • Average age at first marriage • 1950 M=22.8; W=20.3 • 2001 M=26.8; W=25.1 • Increase in dual-earner families (as high as 75%) • Increased reliance on non-parental child care.

  11. Traditionalists Reaction to Trends • The family as an institution is falling apart. • Policies and trends need to change to insure that the family survives: • Laws against same-sex marriage • Stricter divorce laws • More parents in the home and fewer children in daycare • Abstinence education

  12. Postmodernists Reaction to Trends • The family as an institution is simply evolving. • Policies and trends need to change to respect individuals choices and preferences: • Laws allowing same-sex marriage • More and better childcare facilities • More options for parents to choose from regarding work/life balance • Teach responsible sex education

More Related