HDFS 302 8/27/15Working definition of a family: “any sexually expressive, parent-child or other kin relationship in whichpeople usually related by ancestry, marriage, or adoption—form an economic or otherwise practical unit and care for any children or other dependencies, consider their identity to be significantly attached to the group, and commit to maintaining that group over time.”Defining family- Law and social science state that the family consists of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.- A primary group involves close, face-to-face relationships The postmodern family- Today only 6% of families fit in the 1950’s ideal of the nuclear family- There are now many different formso Single parento Stepfamilieso Cohabitating coupleso Gay/lesbianTwo main components- Functionalo Raising children responsiblyo Providing economic and practical supporto Emotional security- Structural o Nuclear o ExtendedFacts about families- Fewer people are currently marriedo 51-56% of adult population were married in 2010, compared to 62% in 1990- People have been postponing marriageo Median has risen for women from 21-2- Cohabitation has emerged as a new familyo Number has increased from 40% in 2000 to more than tenfold- Some cohabitants are gay/lesbian- More people choose to live alone- Many adult children live with parents - 4% of households are multigenerational - Parenthood is increasingly postponed and fertility has declined o 1 in 5 women do not have children o Most women wait until after they have established their careerso Female body declines in egg production at 35- The nonmarital birth rate had begun to increase after a period of stability- Divorce rates have stabilized, but remain relatively high- Remarriage rates have declined, but remain significant - The population is aging Race: A social construction reflecting how Americans think about different social groups- Race implies a biological group, but this idea had been rejected by a scientific studyo No common genetic markers o Intra-group differences larger than inter-group differences Ethnicity - Cultural distinction often based in language, religion, and history Results of diversity- Acculturation o The personal and societal changes that occur when members of different cultural groups interact- Biracial and multiracial families Economic inequality - Overall household income is rising, and the poverty rate is slowly dropping o 14.5% of the population is in poverty o Over 20% children living in poverty- There is a growing gap between wealthy and poorDecision making- The diversity of options today means that making choices can be more difficult- People make choices even when they are not aware of it- There are two forms of decision makingo Choosing by default o Choosing knowledgeably Choosing by default- Choices people make when they are not aware of alternatives or when they pursue the path ofleast resistance Choosing knowledgeably - Two componentso Recognizing as many options as possible o Recognizing the social pressures that may influence personal choices Familistic values- Placing family wellbeing over individual interests and preferences is termed familism - Examples are togetherness, stability, and loyalty- They emphasize needsIndividualistic values- Also permeate American society - Examples are personal happiness and goals, the development of a distinct