Understanding Families and Aging: Types, Changes, and Sociological Perspectives, Slides of Sociology

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CHAPTER 13: FAMILIES AND AGING docsity.com WHAT IS A FAMILY? • A family is an intimate environment in which two or more people – live together in a committed relationship – see their identity as importantly attached to the group – share close emotional ties and functions 1 docsity.com Application • Is it endogamy or exogamy? – In the United States, 24 states prohibit marriage between first cousins. – Orthodox Jews require that individuals marry within the faith. – Some states require that individuals marry someone of the opposite sex. – In India people were required to marry within their caste. docsity.com Family Types • Nuclear family—family made up of married parents and their biological or adopted children • Extended family—two or more generations live together or in adjacent dwellings 1 docsity.com Residence • Patrilocal—a newly married couple lives with the husband's family • Matrilocal—a newly married couple lives with the wife's family • Neolocal—the newly married couple sets up its own residence 1 docsity.com Mate Selection • Monogamy—one person is married exclusively to another person – Serial monogamy—individuals marry several people but only one at a time • Polygamy—a man or woman has two or more spouses – Polygyny—one husband, two or more women – Polyandry—one wife, two or more men 1 docsity.com HOW U.S. FAMILIES ARE CHANGING • Divorce–About 41% of Americans divorce. • The U.S. divorce rate rose steadily during the 20th century and then plateaued. • In recent years, divorce rates have dropped. 2 docsity.com • Macro-level reasons for high divorce rate – No-fault divorce – Technological advances – Changing gender roles 2 How U.S. Families Are Changing docsity.com Discussion Americans are increasingly tolerant of divorce. Why is it becoming more acceptable? 2 docsity.com Singlehood and Postponing Marriage • Singles are increasing in the U.S. • 45% of residents age 15 and over • Include divorced, widowed, and never married • Major factor is postponement of marriage. 2 docsity.com • Reasons for postponement of marriage – Singles enjoy independence and autonomy. – Worry about divorce – Smaller pools of eligibles at older ages – Birth control and fertility treatments make family planning more controllable. 2 Singlehood and Postponing Marriage docsity.com Discussion • What are the benefits of cohabitation? • What are the costs of cohabitation? 2 docsity.com » Couples have the emotional security of an intimate relationship but can also maintain their indepen- dence by spending time with their friends sepa- rately and visiting family members alone (McRae 1999). + Couples can save money by sharing living expenses, dissolve the relationship without legal problems, and leave the relationship more easily if it becomes abusive (DeMaris 2001; Silverman 2003). * Couples find out how much they really care about each other when they have to cope with unpleas- ant realities, such as a partner who doesn't pay bills or has low hygiene standards. * Children in cohabiting households can reap some economic advantages from living with two adult earners instead of a single mother (Kalil 2002). Unlike married couples, cohabitants enjoy few legal rights. For example, there’s no automatic inheri- tance if a partner dies without a will, and it’s more difficult to collect child support from a cohabiting partner than a spouse (Silverman 2003). Women in cohabiting relationships do more of the cooking and other household tasks than do wives (Coley 2002). People who cohabit before marriage tend to have fewer problem-solving skills (such as patience) than those who don't cohabit. In addition, cohabi- tors are more likely than biological parents to abuse their children sexually, physically, and emo- tionally (Cohan and Kleinbaum 2002; Popenoe and Whitehead 2002). Children who grow up in cohabiting households often lack role models for marital success because cohabiting adults don't always respect each other or communicate effectively (Martin et al. 2001). docsity.com Unmarried Parents • Thirty-nine percent of all U.S. births are to unmarried mothers. • Nonmarital birthrates are highest for black women and lowest for Asian American women. 2 docsity.com Two-Income Families • Dual-earner couples—both partners are employed outside the home • Employed married couples with children under 18 make up 65% of all married couples in the U.S. 2 docsity.com • Second shift—household work and childcare employed parents must do • Traditionally the mother worked the second shift. 2 Two-Income Families docsity.com DIVERSITY IN AMERICAN FAMILIES • Family diversity—the variety of ways that families are structured and function to meet the needs of those defined as family members 3 docsity.com American Indian Families • About 62% of American Indian children live with 2 parents. • Supportive, extended family networks are important. • Child rearing often emphasizes cooperation, generosity, and spirituality over competition. 3 docsity.com Asian American Families • Asian American households are likely to be extended. • Most children grow up in two-parent homes. • Many parents emphasize discipline, responsibility, and educational success. 3 docsity.com Middle East Families • Most Middle East children (84%) live with both parents. • U.S. Middle East families tend to be small with important extended family ties. • Families value respect and education. 3 docsity.com Discussion Should same-sex parent families be granted the same rights as other families? 3 docsity.com FAMILY CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE • Intimate partner violence (IPV) may be physical, sexual, or emotional. • In the U.S., 20% of women and 3% of men say that a current or former partner has physically assaulted them. • Women are more likely to sustain serious physical injuries. 4 docsity.com Family Conflict and Violence • IPV is more likely among: – Lower socioeconomic levels – Families with strong orientation to community and family, especially obedience – Drug-abusers – Those who were raised in violent households 4 docsity.com • Experience with violence as a child has results in adulthood: – Depression – Delinquency – Suicide – Low academic achievement – Unemployment – Medical problems 4 Child Maltreatment docsity.com Elder Abuse and Neglect • Elder abuse includes physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, isolation, and deprivation of necessities. • Abuse most often comes from family members. 4 docsity.com • Whites are more likely to engage in physical abuse while minority family members are more likely to be guilty of neglect, emotional abuse, and financial exploitation. • Women and the very old are more likely to be victims. 4 Elder Abuse and Neglect docsity.com Aging in the World • Spain does not have enough room in nursing homes. • The Chinese pension system is in debt. • France is increasing the number of years one must work before getting a pension. 5 docsity.com Discussion • How does the aging of the population affect young people? 5 docsity.com SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF FAMILY AND AGING • Functionalists focus on the tasks carried out by families. – Families perform essential functions: procreation, socialization, economic security. – Activity theory proposes that older people who remain engaged in roles and activities are better adjusted and satisfied. 6 docsity.com • Symbolic interactionists look at how people create meanings of family and its members' roles. – Exchange theory suggests that people seek to minimize costs and maximize rewards in their relationships. – Continuity theory posits that older adults can substitute new roles for those they have lost. 6 Sociological Explanations of Family and Aging docsity.com Discussion How can family rituals be used to create family meanings? 6 docsity.com