Theories Public Private Families 03 12 2014 Structure function theory Macro theory Structure unit of our society that carries out a basic function o Family Function basic societal task or responsibility o Reproduction of new members o Socialization o Protection o Meet the physical economic emotional needs of its Says that families should be organized in a particular way o Optimal structure husband as the breadwinner wife as members the homemaker o Men have the instrumental function ensure family s physical survival women have the expressive function provide love nurturance Assumed to be most efficient o The organization of the family structure the roles of the parents function are goal directed Thus structure is not random it exists for a reason Many who support this theory are resistant to change It is merely the organization of the family that matters view the family as static for the quality of family life Does not consider whether family members get along or are happy or arrange things in a different way Eras Colonial Jacksonian Progressive technical intimacy The public family COLONIAL ERA Children as public goods o Produced by families o Workers citizens of the future o Children grow up work pay taxes that pay for social security checks o Free rider problem Children are costly to raise but everyone will receive the same social security check whether or not the workers were raised by them Public family 1 or 2 adults related by marriage partnership shared parenthood who take care of dependents the dependents themselves o Married couple o Cohabiting couple o Single parent with children o Single person caring for sick parent o Gay person caring for partner with AIDS View taken when considering the family s contribution to the public welfare o Raising the next generation caring for the elderly the sick The private family BEGAN IN JACKSONIAN ERA FULLY EMERGED IN PROGRESSIVE ERA Private family 2 or more individuals who maintain an intimate relationship that they expect will last indefinitely or if a parent child until the child is an adult who usually live in the same household pool their incomes household labor o Married or cohabiting couples without children o Gay or lesbian couples without children View taken when considering the love emotional satisfaction family members provide for each other Boundary ambiguity a state in which family members are uncertain about who is in or out of the family History of the Family 03 12 2014 Colonial era PUBLIC FAMILIES Little privacy family life was controlled regulated observed by o Family based o Each house responsible for producing their own goods for the the community Role of economy community Role of love Role of women o Mate selected for community standing suitability o Role of love was basically non existent o Male as authoritative head of the household o Spouses worked together as a team Jacksonian era 1800 s PRIVATE FAMILIES BEGIN Community surveillance of family behavior decreased Role of economy o Industrialization led to mass production of consumer goods o Need for staff to produce these goods caused the work world to separate from home life o People wanted home to be a safe nurturing place after working under bad conditions no laws to protect workers yet Role of love PRECURSOR TO THE PRIVATE FAMILY o Marriage was viewed as a source of stability home as a haven in a heartless world Response to changing work environment o Partners became providers of emotional needs connection intimacy o Emphasized sex as a spiritual bond for couples Valuable byproduct of marriage not only for reproducing Led to a cultural backlash saying that it undermined the importance of love which in turn would undermine the stability of the marriage Role of women o Cult of domesticity notion of a vulnerable female protector male o Separate spheres developed o Women began thinking about their rights status in society o Most families did not meet the desired standard of breadwinner homemaker Progressive era early 1900 s PRIVATE FAMILIES FULLY EMERGE Role of economy o More industrial based change Role of love o Sexual compatibility viewed as important in marriage o Liberated intimacy o Emergence of dating o Development of concept of personal identity figuring out who you are to make the right choices in your marriage Role of women o Development of women as interpersonal experts o Began to move outside of the home as social reformers Women s suffrage movement o Commercialization of personal life attractiveness Part of securing keeping a partner Makeup perfume Function of economic changes separation of the spheres Technical intimacy era 1960 s 1980 s Role of economy o More growth for women allowed more freedom personal fulfillment did not depend as much on men Role of love Role of women o Era of free love all about personal fulfillment o Emphasized importance of sexual satisfaction o Birth control pill increased sexual openness allowed women to emerge as sexual beings o Movement triggered by successes of the civil rights movement o Legal equality between men women established o Increased educational economic growth for women Cultural variation in families in the US Key terms Race lineage skin color other phenotypic features o White black etc Ethnicity common values beliefs practices based on nationality common ancestry or common immigration experiences o Considered an identity o Irish American Cherokee etc Culture values beliefs of an ethnic group or nationality o Language styles traditions art music courtesies o Can be members of more than one culture or subculture 4 major ethnic minority groups in US Asian o Often tension between their culture from their origin American culture if brought to America young or born in America by immigrants o Struggle with language acclimating to the culture in adjusting to American life o Collectivism family group focus Emphasis on interdependence each piece is important to the success of the group o Respect for older knowledgeable adults hierarchal relationships o Restraint of emotion Black o Communalism looking out for members of the extended kinship network the community in general o Family role flexibility o Emotionally expressive o Critical role of the black church o Emphasis on oral communication o Emphasis on social time need for a lot fo stimulation Latino Hispanic o Emphasis on extended kin o Family valued over the individual o Respect cooperation within the family o Often tension between their culture from their origin