1. SOCIOLOGY 110 Break-out Session
Chapter 12 – Marriage and Family

2. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
How do you envision marriage?
What do you see or think of when you think of marriage?
How do you envision family?

3. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
There is no such thing as a typical African-American Family, Caucasian Family, or Latino Family, etc.
Most of the characteristics are class based rather than racially-ethnically based.

4. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Group Both Mothers Fathers Neither
Asian-Americans 85% % % %
White 78% % % %
Latino % % % %
Native Americans % % % %
African Americans 38% % % %

5. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
There are some dynamics that are notable:
In lower-class African American families, there is a higher number of families headed by women as well as high rates of births to single women.
WHY?

6. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Divorce and desertion are more common than among other classes.
There is a sharing of resources as a primary survival mechanism or a “stretching of kinship”

7. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
The extension of helping each other gives a sense of implied family and implied responsibility.
Sociologists call this fictive kin.
According to statistics in 2000 and 2008, African American women go further in school than African American men and the women tend to marry men less educated than they are.

8. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Upper class African American families follow the norms of privilege
which the children marry later in life, are approved by the family, and divorce rate is low.

9. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
In Latino families, there is a variance by country of origin.
Ex: Those from Mexico are more likely to be headed by a married couple than from Puerto Rico (women headed).

10. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Researchers disagree –
Some have found that husband- fathers play a stronger role in the family compared to other ethnic groups
Other researchers point this toward the Roman Catholic tradition and the disapproval of divorce.

11. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Researchers disagree –
Other researchers state that this is because of the importance of the extended family.

12. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Asian American families have the highest rate of married couple heads of household.
They also reflect the patterns of the country of origin.
1985 – Suzuki pointed out some characteristics:
BEFORE THAT…WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS SO?

13. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
They tend to retain Confucian values: humanism, collectivity, self-discipline, hierarchy, respect for the elderly, moderation, and obligation.
Obligation is to not bring shame on the family.

14. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Asian-American Families are more likely to use shame and physical punishment for discipline.

15. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Native American families have the single largest issue to contend with:
WHAT IS IT?

16. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Native American families have the single largest issue to contend with:
To follow traditional values
To assimilate into the dominant culture.

17. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
In traditional Native American families:
Elders play a significant role in upbringing of children
Parents are more permissive and punish less

18. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Other Dynamics:
Decline of two parent families:
1970 – 85% were two parent
2010 – 70% and in 2010 – 68% is predicted
As increases in women headed families, the families are lower in terms of income.

19. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
QUESTION:
WHICH IS MORE CHALLENGING:
Parents divorcing when children are young?
Parents divorcing when children are older? (as in adults)

20. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
QUESTION:
WHAT IS THE FIRST QUESTION A MARRIED COUPLE USUALLY HEARS?

21. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Other Dynamics:
Couples without Children:
One out of five married women do not give birth.
Double what it was 20 years ago
WHY?

22. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Other Dynamics:
Couples without Children:
Infertility
Waiting too long – infertility
Choosing to live child-free
Go through the process toward adoption

23. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Boomerang Children – what do you think this is?
Children who strike out on their own but then find that it is difficult and choose to return home:
Why would this occur?
Cost
Responsibility…etc.
How many people between the ages of 25 to 29 are living with their parents?
- Approximately 42%

24. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Other Dynamics:
Due to increased divorce rate – increase in blended families
22% of gay and lesbian couples were previously married heterosexually
5% of the couples have children from previous marriages

25. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Diversity in American Families
Other Dynamics:
Postponing Marriage:
In 1890 – first time bride was 22 years old on average
In 1950 – it was around 19
Today – it is closer to 24
WHY?

26. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Dark side of Family Life:
Spouse battering – Straus states in that husbands and wives are equally likely to attack one another, but 85% of the injured are women.
Child abuse – each year there are about 2 million reports of child abuse and about 800,000 are substantiated.
Incest – most common in socially isolated families.

27. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
The Bright Side:
3 out of 5 married Americans report that they are “very happy”
How many of you have grandparents married 50+ years?
What have they told you about marriage?

28. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
The Bright Side:
Lauer in 1992 did a survey of 351 couples married 15 years or longer:
51 were unhappy but stayed together because of religious reasons, family traditions, or for “the sake of the children”
HERE’S WHAT THE OTHER 300 SAID:

29. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
ALL 300 COUPLES:
Think of their spouse as their best friend
Like their spouse as a person
Think of marriage as a long term commitment
Believe that marriage is sacred
Agree with their spouse on aims and goals
Believe their spouse has grown more interesting over the years
Strongly want the relationship to succeed.
Laugh together!

30. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY GAME
Stinnet in 1992 interviewed 600 families and found that happy families:
Spend a lot of time together
Are quick to express appreciation
Are committed to promoting one another’s welfare
Do a lot of talking and listening to one another
Are religious
Deal with crises in a positive manner.

31. THANK YOU ALL & HAVE A GREAT END TO YOUR SEMESTER & HAVE A GREAT BREAK
THANK YOU ALL & HAVE A GREAT END TO YOUR SEMESTER & HAVE A GREAT BREAK! BEST WISHES IN ALL YOU DO!