Chapter 10

Family:
Partner Taking,
People Making,
and Contract Breaking
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What Is a Family?

U.S. Census Bureaua group of two or more

people (one of whom is the householder) related
by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing
together; all such people (including related
subfamily members) are considered as members
of the family.

Some sociologiststhose sharing economic

property, sexual access among the adults, and a
sense of commitment among members

The most basic institution of society

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The Most Basic Institution of Society

Place where we learn many of the norms for functioning in
the larger society
Affects us for most of our lives
Major life events take place within the family (i.e.,
marriages, births, holidays, funerals)
Key to social organization; ones status and identity are
determined almost entirely by ones family (in many
societies)
Capable of fulfilling a range of social needs (i.e., economic
support, education, raising children)
Two types:
Family of orientationconsists of parents and siblings
Family of procreationwhen we find a mate and have own children
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Theoretical Perspectives on the

Family
Micro-level theories and the meso-level
connection:
Symbolic interactionculture dictates the language
we learn and how we interpret various situations; our
families help socialize us into behavioral patterns
We define what is real or normal based on what those around
us accept as ordinary
Human agency
Meso-level institutions help define our roles within the family

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Theoretical Perspectives on the

Family

Micro-level theories and the meso-level

connection:

Rational choice theoryfamily patterns are

reinforced to the extent that the exchanges are
beneficial to the members. Relationships are unlikely
to continue when the costs outweigh the rewards.
Costs and benefits often established by meso-level
organizations and institutions.

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Theoretical Perspectives on the

Family
Meso- and macro-level theories of the family:
Structural-functionalthe family serves a number of
common purposes in every society

Sexual regulation
Reproduction and replacement
Socialization
Emotional support and protection
Status assignment/attainment
Economic support
Many family functions have been outsourced

Changing family functions

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Theoretical Perspectives on the

Family

Meso- and macro-level theories of the family:

Conflict theoryconflict within families is inevitable

and natural; this conflict results from struggles for
power both from within the family and between the
family and society at large

Families help sustain class inequality

Power struggles within families can be positive because they
can lead to changes that make the family as a unit stronger

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Theoretical Perspectives on the

Family

Meso- and macro-level theories of the family:

Feminist theorywomen are placed at the center to

spotlight them as active agents and uncover the biases
in male assumptions
At the micro level, examine the way women
construct their own realities within the context of
social factors
More equality and autonomy for women can be
obtained with changes in the patriarchal family
structure, education and employment opportunities
for women, and child care availability
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Family Dynamics: Micro-Level

Processes
Global trend toward the Western model is
changing families
Mate selection
Norms governing choice of marriage partners
Exogamy
Incest taboo

Endogamy
Homogamy

Finding a mate
Arranged marriages
Free-choice marriages (based on romantic love)
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Three-Stage Courtship Process

Stimuluswe meet someone to whom we

are attracted

Value comparisonwe find a person

compatible if they affirm our own beliefs and
values

Roles and needsthe couple explores the

roles of companion, parent, housekeeper,
and lover and find common needs,
interests, and (c)favored
activities
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Who Holds the Power?

Authority Relations in Marriage

Patriarchymale authority

Matriarchyfemale authority

Egalitarian family patternspower and

authority is shared between spouses

Resource theorythe spouse with the greater

resources (education, income, occupational
prestige) has greater power
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Who Does the Housework?

The second shiftrefers to the housework
and child care that employed women do after
their first-shift job
83% of women and 66% of men spend some
time doing housework
U.S. women spend on average 12 hours a
week on child care, men spend about 6 hours

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The Family as an Institution: MesoLevel Analysis

Monogamy
Strict monogamy
Serial monogamy

Polygamy
Polygyny
Polyandry

Extended families
Nuclear families
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National and Global Family Issues:

Macro-Level Analysis
Men have a harder time dealing with divorce
emotionally, women have more difficulties
financially
Consequences of divorce for children
Children can benefit from divorce in some situations.
Divorce can have little effect on children in other situations.
Divorce can be very negative for children in still other
situations (in part because of a reduction in household
income).
Consequences can last through adulthood.
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National and Global Family Issues:

Macro-Level Analysis
Cohabitation:
The number of cohabitors in the United States doubled
in the 1990s
Why do couples live together?
Rejection of superficial dating game
Desire to enter more meaningful relationships with increased
intimacy
Emotional satisfaction and reduced loneliness
Clarify wants in a relationship and try out before permanent
commitment
Financial benefits of sharing living quarters
Sexual gratification
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National and Global Family

Issues: Macro-Level Analysis
Cohabitation rates vary by ethnicity and may mean
something different for different groups of people.
Studies show little relationship between cohabitation and
ensuing marital satisfaction, emotional closeness,
sharing of roles, or amount of conflict.
At any point in time, only about 7% of the population in
the United States is cohabiting.
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National and Global Family Issues:

Macro-Level Analysis
Same-sex relationships and civil unions
3.1 million+ couples in the United States living together in samesex relationships
1 in 3 lesbian couples and 1 in 5 gay male couples live with
children
Those who support gay marriage say that lifelong relationships
are good for individuals and society and see denial of marriage
rights as discriminatory.
Those who oppose gay marriage do so primarily for
traditional/religious reasons.
As of 2011, 41 states had passed laws to not recognize samesex marriage.
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National and Global Family Issues:

Macro-Level Analysis

DivorceContract Breaking:

Nearly half of U.S. children will spend at least some

time living with a single parent.
Is divorce a break down or adaptation to society?
No-fault divorce has led to a rise in divorce rates.

Bilateral no fault divorcerequired both parties to agree that

they wanted out of the marriage
Unilateral no-fault divorceallows one person to insist that
the marriage has irreconcilable differences. The two do not
have to agree.
Divorce culturea society in which people assume that
marriages are fragile
Marriage culturea culture that assumes marriage is for life
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National and Global Family

Issues: Macro-Level Analysis
Divorce and its social consequences
Rate of divorce highest among young
couples
Rate of divorce has leveled off and even
dropped since 1981
Emotional costs to the spouses, children,
and family and friends
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Marriage, Divorce, and Social Policies

To strengthen marriages and reduce divorce rates,
should countries make divorce more difficult to obtain?
Conservatives insist pro-family policies that promote
stability are a precursor to healthy relationships.
Others believe that limiting the divorce process would
leave many women in highly vulnerable positions in
relationships with abusive men.
While it may create more marriages that stay together, it
would not necessarily create healthy ones.
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Global Family Patterns and Policies

Major global family changes (pushed by

industrialization) include:

free choice of spouse

more equal status for women
equal rights in divorce
neolocal residency
bilateral kinship systems
pressures for individual equality
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