MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
• What is family?
– Family is universal, all
groups organize members
into families, different
definitions around the world
– Western world family is
husband, wife, children
– Other cultures more than
one wife (polygamy), more
than one husband
(polyandry)
• Broad definition is people that
consider themselves related by
blood, marriage or adoption
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN A GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE
Family classifications
• Nuclear- husband wife children
• Extended- includes aunts, uncles, grandparents
• Family of orientation- family that person grows up in
• Family of procreation- formed when couple has their first
child
• Marriage- groups approved mating arrangements, usually
marked by ritual (wedding), that indicates new status
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY IN A GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE
Common Cultural Themes
• Each group establishes norms of who
marries whom
• Endogamy- members must marry
within groups, sometimes written into
law
• Exogamy- must marry outside of group
– Incest taboo example of exogamy
• All societies have system of descent
(how you are related to others)
• Bilateral Family used in our culture
(trace through mother and father)
• Other types patrilineal (trace through
father), matrilineal (trace through
mother)
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY FROM A THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE
• Incest taboo- helps families avoid role confusion
– Forces people to look outside of family for
marriage partners
– Isolation and overload are dysfunctions
• Isolation of nuclear family, extended family
becomes less important
– Not as many people to rely on for material and
emotional support, stresses spread among
fewer people (causes emotional overload,
makes family vulnerable to more dysfunction)
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY FROM A THEORETICAL
PERSPECTIVE
• Conflict Theory- power
of wives increasing
– Women contribute
more to income and
decision making
– Seen in power
struggle over
housework (called
second shift, creates
discontent among
wives)
• Symbolic
Interactionist
perspective deals with
gender roles
FAMILY LIFE CYCLE
• Childbirth and
Childrearing
– Parents spend more
time with kids today than
30 years ago (mothers
and fathers)
– Single mothers rely on
daycare and
grandparents more to
raise children
– Marital satisfaction
drops after birth of child,
adding third person
means interaction must
be shared
FAMILY LIFE CYCLE
• Childbirth and Childrearing
• Social class makes difference how
children are raised
– Working class children develop
naturally, place limits on children
and let them choose their activities
– Children expected to follow rules,
concern with outward conformity,
more likely to use physical
punishment
– Middle class- children need
nurturing, pick activities they think
will develop child’s thinking and
social skills
– Concern that children develop
curiosity and self expression,
withdraw privileges or affection for
punishment
FAMILY LIFE CYCLE
Family Transitions in Later Life
• Empty nest- when children
leave home new domestic
situation that arises
• Boomerang kids- Children
leaving home later, more return
home after college (causes
problems in home between
children and parents)
• Widowhood- women more
likely to become widows (live
longer on average), living
spouse needs to reassess life
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
• Culture, socioeconomic status
major factors in determining
family but there is an element
of racial diversity
• African American familieslikely to marry later, more
likely to be headed by women
• Fictive kin- people who help
out seen as relatives,
stretching of kinship, owe
obligations to those that help
• African American women tend
to marry men with less
education (women on
average more educated in
this racial group
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
Latino Families
• Longer they are in US the more
families resemble American
family
• Strong family orientation,
disapproval of divorce
• Loyalty to extended family
• Machismo used to be big part
of family culture (strength of
male important), declining in
recent years
• Husband-father plays bigger
role than other ethnic groups
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
Asian American Families
• Family life reflects cultures
where they are from, changes
the more time they are in
America
• More permissive in child
rearing
• Punishment centers on shame
and guilt
• Tend to be have more respect
for the elderly, family obligation
• Success of child brings respect
to family
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
One Parent Families
• Increase in number recently
• More likely to live in poverty,
primary source of strain
• Women usually head of one
parent families
• Children more likely to do
poorly in school, have
emotional problems and
economic hardships
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
Families without children
• Childlessness has grown over past
20 years
• Common reason is sense of
freedom
• More education for women,
acceptance of contraception, high
cost of raising children cited as
reasons
Blended Families
• Significantly increasing because of
divorce
• Creates complicated family
relationships
DIVERSITY IN U.S. FAMILIES
Gay and lesbian families
• More common in European countries
• 2004 Mass. First state to legalize gay marriage
• Most couples with children located in larger
cities
• 1/5 previously married, have children from
heterosexual marriage
• Same sex couples more likely to breakup