SOCY Mini exam 3 1 Families Chapter 7 economic a Family A construct meaning relationships both emotional and i A social unit based on kinship relations not only relations based on blood but also those created by choice marriage partnership or adoption b Household as an economic and residential unit c Nuclear Family a father a mother and biological or adopted children living together is exalted as the ideal family d Several changes in family composition occurred between 1970 and 2007 i Percentage of families composed of married couples with ii children declined from 40 3 to 22 5 Only increase in family groups came in category of other family households families whose householder has no spouse present and may include other relatives as well as children iii There has been an increase in the percentage of non family households individuals living alone or with nonrelatives e In 2007 U S Census data revealed that for the first time more American women were living without a husband than with one i Reasons for the larger number of single women include ii iii women living longer as widows or after a divorce iv women being more likely than men to delay remarriage late marriage for women f Myths about families i We tend to believe that families of the past were better and happier than today ii We believe that families should be safe havens protecting their members from harm and danger iii We assume that the family and its failings lead to many of our social problems iv There is a persistent belief that nontraditional families such as divorced fatherless or working mother families threaten and erode the integrity of the family as an institution g What does this mean to me i Even though the nuclear family is not the statistical majority in our society its image as the perfect family persists Prospectives 2 Functionalist a The family is the most vital social institution b Family confers social status and class c Family helps define who we are and how we find our place in society d Family provides for the essential needs of the child affection socialization and protection e Social problems emerge as the family adapts to a modern social society which has taken over many of the family s original functions religion education work f Family functions in concert with the other institutions so changes in the economy politics or law contribute to changes and problems in the family g Because of the family s social and emotional functions problems in the family e g divorce or domestic violence can also lead to problems in the society such as crime poverty or delinquency a Conflict theorists the family is a system of inequality where conflict b Feminist perspective inequality emerges from the patriarchal family system where men control decision making in the family c Men maintain their position of power in the family through violence or the threat of violence against women d Families are also subject to powerful economic and political interest groups who control social programs and policies e Conflict arises when the needs of particular family forms are 3 Conflict vs Feminist is normal promoted while others are ignored 4 Internationalist a Social interaction helps create and maintain our definition of a family b Within families interactions through words symbols and meanings define our expectation of what the family should be like c Problems arise when there is conflict about how the family is defined d Problems may also occur when partners expectations of family or marriage do not match their real life 1 Divorce a Was rare until the 70s b Rising divorce rates are attributed to c no fault divorce laws d economic independence of women e f g As societal and cultural norms surrounding divorce have changed the transition from extended to nuclear families increasing geographic and occupational mobility stigma has decreased h Those who marry when younger than 20 years of age i Those living at 200 percent of the poverty level j Those with a high school degree or some college k Among those working full time l Children with divorced parents have moderately poorer life and educational outcomes emotional well being academic achievement labor force participation divorce and teenage childbearing 2 Intimate Partner Violence m Research also suggests that under some circumstances divorce can be beneficial to the well being of children n Research consistently indicates that although men experience minimal economic declines after divorce most women experience a substantial decline in household income and increased dependence on social welfare a In the U S nearly 25 of surveyed women and 8 of surveyed men reported that they were raped or physically assaulted by a current or former intimate partner b Research has linked the following to family violence low socioeconomic status social and structural stress and social isolation c Feminist researchers argue domestic violence is rooted in gender and represents men s attempts to maintain dominance and control over women d Cultural differences of domestic violence have not been fully recognized Research has largely focused on White and poor women 3 Teen pregnancy morals a U S has the highest teen birthrate in the developed world b Has been attributed to inadequate sexuality education to declining c Teen mothers likely to be poorer and less educated less likely to be married and more likely come from families with lower income d Children often lag behind in early development are less likely to receive proper nutrition health care and cognitive stimulation and are at greater risk of social behavioral problems and lower academic achievement e Abandoned babies found in trash bins restrooms parks and public buildings have become more frequent since the late 1990s a In a survey 79 reported that a work schedule that enabled them to spend time with their family was a top priority and nearly everyone reported feeling pressed for more time in their lives b Mothers spend an average of 13 hours per week with their children compared with 7 hours per week for fathers c Mothers do most of the routine care of children whereas fathers spend their time with children doing interactive activities enrichment activities such as talking or reading to them d Economic realities make it difficult for working class parents to balance work and family 4 Problems with Time and Money e Lower income families deal with the most basic problems on a daily basis managing the safety health and education of their