chapter 1: a sociology of the family
census
a periodic count of people in a population and their characteristics, usually performed as an official government function
consensus perspective
a perspective that projects an image of society as the collective expression of shared norms and values
sample survey
a research method in which identical questions are asked of many different people and their answers gathered into one large data file
longitudinal surveys
a research method in which the same people are interviewed repeatedly over a period of time
institutional arena
a social space in which relations between people in common positions are governed by accepted rules of interaction
symbolic interactionism
a theory concerned with the ability of humans to see themselves through the eyes of others and to enact social roles based on others' expectations
modernity theory
a theory of the historical emergence of the individual as an actor in society and how individuality changed personal and institutional relations
feminist theory
a theory that seeks to understand and ultimately reduce inequality between men and women
breadwinner-homemaker family
an employed father, a nonemployed mother, and their children
families
groups of related people, bound by connections that are biological, legal, or emotional
why is exchange theory part of the consensus tradition of perspectives?
it assumes that patterns of social behavior are mutually agreed on
conflict perspective
the view that opposition and conflict define a given society and are necessary for social evolution
what strategies do sociologists use to avoid bias in their research?
using publicly funded studies, making their data freely available and repeatable, and a peer review system
household
a group of people that lives and eats separately from other groups
cohort
a group of people who experience an event together at the same point in time
market arena
the institutional arena where labor for pay, economic exchange, and wealth accumulation take place
family arena
the institutional arena where people practice intimacy, childbearing, and socialization, and caring work
state arena
the institutional arena where, through political means, behavior is legally regulated, violence is controlled, and resources are redistributed
personal family
the people to whom we feel related and who we expect to define us as members of their family as well
socialization
the process by which individuals internalize elements of the social structure in their own personalities
genealogy
the study of ancestry and family history
demographic perspective
the study of how family behavior and household structures contribute to larger population processes
life course perspective
the study of the family trajectories of individuals and groups as they progress through their lives, in social and historical context
bias
the tendency to impose previously held views on the collection and interpretation of facts
exchange theory
the theory that individuals or groups with different resources, strengths, and weaknesses enter into mutual relationships to maximize their own gains
legal family
a group of individuals related by birth, marriage, or adoption
advantages of surveys
can be used to predict behaviors, provide much of the basic knowledge we need to understand trends and patterns
advantages of time use studies
can develop a more detailed accounting of what goes on within families
advantages of in-depth interviews
can uncover deeper insights about underlying motives than focus groups
big data
data collections large enough to require special computing resources, and complex enough to require customized computer applications
how has the census' definition of a family change over time?
started with the head of household and anonymous count of other people present -> a group a people that share a common dining table -> living together in one household
how are structural functionalist and conflict theoretical perspectives different?
structural functionalism starts from the premise that consensus and harmony form the basis of society, whereas the conflict perspective believes conflict and opposition define a given society and are necessary for social evolution
time use studies
surveys that collect data on how people spend their time during a sample period, such as a single day or week
family wage
the amount necessary for a male earner to provide subsistence for his wife and children without them having to work for pay
what distinguishes first modernity from second modernity?
the concept of a normal family remained intact as a social standard vs. diversity and individuality being the new norm