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The Family: Defining Relationships and Structures

This text explores the concept of family, different types of families, patterns of family structure, and the roles and functions of families in society. It also discusses marriage, divorce, and changing dynamics in modern families.

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The Family: Defining Relationships and Structures

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  1. FAMILY

  2. DEFINING THE FAMILY • Describes many relationships • In sociology: a group of people related by marriage, blood, or adoption • No other social institution has a greater impact on the individual

  3. FAMILY OF ORIENTATION • Def: the family into which you are born • Gives identity, heritage, and ascribed status • It “orients” children to the society in which they live

  4. FAMILY OF PROCREATION • Def: family created when people marry • Marriage: a legal union btwn people based on mutual rights and obligations • Becomes a family of orientation for any children born or adopted into it

  5. 2 BASIC TYPES OF FAMILIES • Nuclear family: a parent or parents and any children • Extended family: 2 or more adult generations of the same family whose members share economic resources and live in the same household

  6. HOW FAMILY STRUCTURE DEVELOPED • Development of agriculture and industry shaped family structure • Agriculture leads to larger extended families • Industry favors smaller, nuclear families

  7. PATTERNS OF FAMILY STRUCTURE INHERITANCE, AUTHORITY, AND PLACE OF RESIDENCE

  8. INHERITANCE • Patrilineal arrangement: passed from father to male descendants • Matrilineal arrangement: passed from mother to female descendants • Bilineal arrangement: passed equally through both parents

  9. AUTHORITY IN FAMILIES • Patriarchy: oldest man in household has authority • Matriarchy: oldest woman in household has authority • Egalitarian: authority split evenly

  10. WHERE COUPLES LIVE • Patrilocal: couple lives with or near the husband’s parents • Matrilocal: live with or near the woman’s parents • Neolocal: establish new residence of their own

  11. WHAT FORMS MARRIAGES TAKE • Monogamy: marriage btwn one person and another • Polygamy: multiple partners at the same time • 2 forms of polygamy: • 1) Polygyny: marriage of one man to more than one woman • 2) Polyandry: marriage of one woman to more than one man

  12. CHOOSING A SPOUSE • Exogamy: mate-selection norms that require a person to marry outside their kind or group • Incest taboos: most important exogamy norms; forbid marriage btwn certain kinds and degrees of relatives

  13. CHOOSING CONTINUED • Endogamy: norms that require individuals to marry persons of a similar background • Homogamy: preference to marry someone w/similar social characteristics • Heterogamy: preference to marry someone w/dissimilar social characteristics

  14. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES AND THE FAMILY

  15. FUNCTIONALISM • Family fills key social roles • Socializes the young • Provides social and emotional support • Manages reproduction • Transmits social status • Serves as an economic center

  16. SOCIALIZING CHILDREN • Families teach children norms of behavior and values • Parents serve as role models

  17. SOCIO-EMOTIONAL FUNCTION • Family provides acceptance and support for members • Without, children may have low self-esteem or feel of little worth

  18. TRANSMITTING SOCIAL STATUS • Families provide economic resources that open and close doors • Pass on values that affect social status

  19. CONFLICT THEORY • Focuses on the way family members compete and cooperate w/one another

  20. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM AND FAMILY • Focuses on interactions among family members • Focus on socialization

  21. FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN THE UNITED STATES

  22. NATURE OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY • Nuclear • Bilineal • Egalitarian • Neolocal • Monogamous

  23. MOTIVATIONS TO MARRY • Majority of Americans say love is the most important reason for getting married • Could also be to enter a powerful family or to advance a career • There is a social expectation to get married • Marriage rate: # of marriages per year per 1000 people • 90% will marry

  24. DIVORCE • Divorce rate: # of divorces per year for every 1000 people • In the middle of a slow decline • Currently around 50% in the U.S.

  25. CAUSES OF DIVORCE (INDIVIDUAL LEVEL) • Age when married: older you are, the less likely you will divorce • How many years you’re married: longer you’re married, the less likely you will divorce • Nature and quality of marriage: the more respect and flexibility btwn partners, the less likely you will divorce

  26. CAUSES OF DIVORCE (SOCIAL LEVEL) • Divorce increases during economic prosperity • Rate has risen as divorce stigma reduced • Women’s financial independence

  27. CHANGES IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILIES

  28. BLENDED FAMILIES • Def: at least one of the partners has a child or children from a previous marriage • 3 major challenges: • 1) money difficulties • 2) stepchild unhappiness • 3) unclear roles

  29. SINGLE-PARENT FAMILIES • About 9% of all households (US) • 80% of those are headed by a woman—why do you think that is?

  30. CHILDLESS MARRIAGE • This trend is rising sharply • Why do you think that is?

  31. TWO-INCOME MARRIAGES • Married women who are employed tend to have more outlets for self-expression • Men may feel freedom from responsibility of being the sole provider • 2 incomes means more money for the household

  32. COHABITATION • A marriage-like arrangement w/o the legal obligations and responsibilities of formal marriage • Trend has risen • Generally do not last as long as marriages • Relationship quality tends to be lower

  33. SINGLE • More people are choosing not to get married at all • Or postponing marriage

  34. SAME-SEX DOMESTIC PARTNERS • Several states do not recognize same-sex marriage • Some states have amended their constitutions to make it illegal • Obergefell vs. Hodges: SCOTUS ruled that the 14th amendment requires that all state provide same-sex marriages and recognize same-sex marriages from other states (2015)

  35. BOOMERANG KID • A young adult who stays at home or returns home to live with parents • Possible reasons: • Young are marrying later • Cost-effective while finishing school • Increased cost of living • Divorce or break up of cohabitation

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