Chapter 11:Chapter 11:FamiliesFamilies

Melanie Hatfield Melanie Hatfield

Soc 100Soc 100

The nuclear familyThe nuclear family: Consists of a : Consists of a cohabitating man and woman who cohabitating man and woman who maintain a socially approved sexual maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and have at least one child.relationship and have at least one child.

The The traditional nuclear familytraditional nuclear family: A : A nuclear family in which the wife works nuclear family in which the wife works in the home without pay, while the in the home without pay, while the husband works outside the home for husband works outside the home for money.money.

Functional TheoryFunctional Theory

Since the 1940s, functionalists have Since the 1940s, functionalists have argued that the nuclear family is ideally argued that the nuclear family is ideally suited to meet society’s challenges.suited to meet society’s challenges.

In their view the nuclear family performs In their view the nuclear family performs 5 main functions:5 main functions: sexual activitysexual activity economic cooperationeconomic cooperation reproduction reproduction socializationsocialization emotional support.emotional support.

Conflict TheoryConflict Theory Sociologists influenced by conflict and Sociologists influenced by conflict and

feminists traditions, see the creation of non-feminists traditions, see the creation of non-nuclear families as a response to changes in nuclear families as a response to changes in power relations between women and men.power relations between women and men.

Engels argued that the traditional nuclear Engels argued that the traditional nuclear family emerged along with inequalities of family emerged along with inequalities of wealth.wealth.

Once a man had wealth, he wanted to Once a man had wealth, he wanted to ensure it was transmitted to his sons.ensure it was transmitted to his sons.

Men could do this by controlling his wife Men could do this by controlling his wife sexually and economically.sexually and economically.

Conflict Theory Conflict Theory Engels concluded that only the Engels concluded that only the

elimination of private property and the elimination of private property and the creation of economic equality – in a creation of economic equality – in a word, communism – could bring an end word, communism – could bring an end to gender inequality and the traditional to gender inequality and the traditional nuclear family.nuclear family.

Engels was wrong to think communism Engels was wrong to think communism would eliminate gender inequality.would eliminate gender inequality.

Inequality in the family has been as Inequality in the family has been as common in communist societies as in common in communist societies as in capitalist societies.capitalist societies.

Feminist Theory Feminist Theory Because gender inequality exists in non-Because gender inequality exists in non-

capitalist societies, most feminists believe capitalist societies, most feminists believe something other than, or in addition to, something other than, or in addition to, capitalism accounts for gender inequality and capitalism accounts for gender inequality and the persistence of the traditional nuclear the persistence of the traditional nuclear family.family.

In their view, patriarchy – male dominance and In their view, patriarchy – male dominance and norms justifying that dominance – is more norms justifying that dominance – is more deeply rooted in the economic, military, and deeply rooted in the economic, military, and cultural history of human kind than the cultural history of human kind than the classical Marxist account allows.classical Marxist account allows.

For them, only a “genuine gender revolution” For them, only a “genuine gender revolution” can alter this state of affairs.can alter this state of affairs.

Love and Mate SelectionLove and Mate Selection Most Americans take for granted that Most Americans take for granted that

marriage ought to be based on love.marriage ought to be based on love. The idea that love should be important in the The idea that love should be important in the

choice of a marriage partner first gained choice of a marriage partner first gained currency in 18th-century England with the rise currency in 18th-century England with the rise if liberalism and individualism.if liberalism and individualism.

The linkage between love and marriage that The linkage between love and marriage that we know today emerged only in the early 20th we know today emerged only in the early 20th century, when Hollywood and the advertising century, when Hollywood and the advertising industry began to promote self-gratification on industry began to promote self-gratification on a grand scale.a grand scale.

Today wherever individualism is highly prized, Today wherever individualism is highly prized, love has come to be defined as the essential love has come to be defined as the essential basis for marriage.basis for marriage.

Marrying for Qualities Instead Marrying for Qualities Instead of Loveof Love

Social Influences on Mate Social Influences on Mate SelectionSelection

Three sets of social forces influence Three sets of social forces influence whom you are likely to fall in love whom you are likely to fall in love with and marry.with and marry. Marriage resourcesMarriage resources Third partiesThird parties Demographic and compositional factorsDemographic and compositional factors

Marital SatisfactionMarital Satisfaction

Marital stability also came to depend more on Marital stability also came to depend more on having a happy rather than merely a useful having a happy rather than merely a useful marriage. marriage.

This change occurred because wm in the US This change occurred because wm in the US and many other societies have become more and many other societies have become more independent, especially since the 1960s.independent, especially since the 1960s.

Many factors have contributed to their Many factors have contributed to their autonomyautonomy the introduction of the birth control pill in the 1960s.the introduction of the birth control pill in the 1960s. the entry of millions of women into the system of the entry of millions of women into the system of

higher education and the paid labor force.higher education and the paid labor force.

Family Satisfaction and the Family Satisfaction and the Family Life Cycle, USFamily Life Cycle, US

Reproductive ChoiceReproductive Choice We have seen that the power gained We have seen that the power gained

from working in the paid labor force put from working in the paid labor force put women in a position to leave a marriage women in a position to leave a marriage if it made them deeply unhappy.if it made them deeply unhappy.

Another aspect of the gender revolution Another aspect of the gender revolution women are experiencing is that they are women are experiencing is that they are increasingly able to decide what increasingly able to decide what happens in the marriage if they stay.happens in the marriage if they stay. Reproductive choiceReproductive choice

Housework and Housework and ChildcareChildcare

Despite many changes and progress, Despite many changes and progress, housework, child care, and senior care are housework, child care, and senior care are areas that has remained resistant to change.areas that has remained resistant to change.

Arlie Hochschild sates women work a Arlie Hochschild sates women work a “second shift”.“second shift”.

Two main factors shrink the gender gap in Two main factors shrink the gender gap in housework, childcare, and senior care.housework, childcare, and senior care. The smaller the difference between the husband’s The smaller the difference between the husband’s

and wife’s earningsand wife’s earnings AttitudeAttitude

Family Diversity Family Diversity

Heterosexual CohabitationHeterosexual Cohabitation Same-Sex Unions and Partnerships Same-Sex Unions and Partnerships Single-Mother FamiliesSingle-Mother Families Zero-Child FamiliesZero-Child Families

Families with Own Children Families with Own Children under 18 by Raceunder 18 by Race

Family PolicyFamily Policy

Do two-parent families provide the kind Do two-parent families provide the kind of discipline, role models, help, and of discipline, role models, help, and middle-class lifestyle that children need middle-class lifestyle that children need to stay out of trouble with the law and to stay out of trouble with the law and grow up to become well-adjusted, grow up to become well-adjusted, productive members of society?productive members of society?

The decline of the traditional nuclear The decline of the traditional nuclear family can be a source of many social family can be a source of many social problems, but it does not have to that problems, but it does not have to that way.way.

Family Policy in SwedenFamily Policy in Sweden In Sweden, the proportion of births outside of marriage In Sweden, the proportion of births outside of marriage

in Sweden is twice as high as in the US.in Sweden is twice as high as in the US. In Sweden:In Sweden:

Children enjoy higher average reading scores than in the US.Children enjoy higher average reading scores than in the US. The poverty rate in 2 parent families is only one tenth the US The poverty rate in 2 parent families is only one tenth the US

rate, whereas the poverty rate in single parent families in only rate, whereas the poverty rate in single parent families in only 1/12 as high.1/12 as high.

The rate of infant abuse is 1/11 the US rate.The rate of infant abuse is 1/11 the US rate. The rate of juvenile drug offenses is less than half as high in The rate of juvenile drug offenses is less than half as high in

Sweden as in the US.Sweden as in the US. The decline of the traditional nuclear family has gone The decline of the traditional nuclear family has gone

further in Sweden than in the US, but children in further in Sweden than in the US, but children in Sweden are much better off because Sweden has Sweden are much better off because Sweden has something the US lacks: a substantial family support something the US lacks: a substantial family support policy.policy.