MARRIAGE AND FAMILY Journal: Why are families important?

KEY DEFINITIONS: A family is: Any group related by marriage, blood or adoption Marriage—legal union with mutual rights & obligations Civil union-recognition of association by state DNR Medical care Insurance benefits taxes

2 TYPES OF FAMILIES ORIENTATION BORN INTO THIS FAMILY GIVES NAME, IDENTITY & HERITAGE PROCREATION ESTABLISHED BY MARRIAGE ESTABLISHED BY CIVIL UNION???

2 TYPES OF FAMILIES Nuclear 1 or both parents + kids Close knit? Extended 2 or more adult generations Share economic resources & common household

FAMILIES THRU TIME HUNTING & GATHERING Small families Follow herd Little food stability---low life expectancy FARMING Larger families More food----more kids, higher life expectancy Extended family need to help farm INDUSTRIAL & POST INDUSTRIAL Smaller families Kids not needed on farm Kids are $$$

PATTERNS OF FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS-- INHERITANCE PATRILINEAL MATRILINEAL BILATERAL AUTHORITY MATRIARCHY PATRIARCHY EGALITARIAN WHERE YOU LIVE? PATRILOCAL MATRILOCAL NEOLOCAL

M ARRIAGE ARRANGEMENTS Monogamy Polygamy Polyandry polygyny

WHOM DO YOU MARRY? EXOGAMYORENDOGAMY MARRY OUTSIDE KIND OR GROUP—INCEST OR MARRY WITHIN YOUR OWN KIND RACE, SOCIAL CLASS HOMOGAMYORHETEROGAMY MARRY SOMEONE LIKE YOU—EDUCATION, RELIGION, AGE, POSSIBLY RACE MARRY SOMONE DIFFERENT THAN YOU- ARTIST MARRIES CEO MORE SO FOR INTERESTS & EDUCATION

W HO DO YOU MARRY ? Journal: What are the characteristics of your perfect spouse?

ARRANGED MARRIAGES VS. MARRYING FOR LOVE 25% OF MARRIAGES IN JAPAN ARE ARRANGED CONSIDER INCOME, EDUCATION, WEALTH MORE OF A BOND BETWEEN FAMILIES ARRANGED MARRIAGES INCREASING TREND FOR US COUPLES TO MARRY SOMEONE DIFFERENT 50% DIVORCE RATE BONDING OF PEOPLE NOT FAMILIES MARRYING FOR LOVE

THEORIES ON FAMILY-CONFLICT Tradition of male dominance -creates social inequalities Feminism -emphasis on control of private proerty -women have education/careers

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM WHAT DO FAMILIES DO? 1-DEVELOP SELF CONCEPT 2-VIOLENCE-SECRETIVE ¼ OF ALL ADULTS WERE ABUSED 1 OUT OF EVERY 4 GIRLS; 1 OUT OF 10 BOYS— SEXUALLY ABUSED 4 MIL WOMEN BEATEN BY HUSBAND EACH YR. ALL SOCIAL CLASS LEVELS—MORE PUBLIC 1/3 OF ALL HUSBANDS & 1/3 OF ALL WIVES VIOLENT OTHERS-EMOTIONAL & VERBAL ELDERLY 3-ADJUSTMENTS TO CHANGES SOCIETY CHANGES-----FAMILIES CHANGE

2 ND THEORY—FUNCTIONALISM KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY 1-SOCIALIZE KIDS 2-SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT 3-REPRODUCTIVE 4-REGULATE SEXUAL ACTIVITY 5-TRANSMIT SOCIAL STATUS 6-ECONOMIC UNIT

PATTERN FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES NUCLEAR BILATERAL DEMOCRATIC NEOLOCAL MONOGAMOUS 83% OF PEOPLE RATE BEING IN LOVE AS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON TO MARRY WHAT ABOUT CONFORMITY?

WHY DO PEOPLE MARRY? 83% OF PEOPLE RATE BEING IN LOVE AS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON TO MARRY OTHER REASONS: 1-CONFORMITY 2-ECONOMICS

WHY IS THE MARRIAGE RATE AND DIVORCE RATE DECLINING? 1-AGE 2-YEARS OF MARRIAGE 3-NATURE & QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIP 4-EDUCATION OTHERS: 5-ECONOMY BOOM- RECESSION- FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE OF WOMEN OTHERS: VIEWS ON DIVORCE