The family-exam 1
Differentiate and define first, second, and third-generation immigrants.
1st Generation: An individual is foreign born. 2nd Generation: One or both parents are foreign born, but an indivdual (child) is native born. 3rd Generation: Both parents and the individual (child) are native born.
Define and differentiate the consensus and conflict perspective on the family.
Consensus perspective - a perspective that projects an image of society as the collective expression of shared norms and values. Conflict perspective - the view that opposition and conflict define a given society and are necessary for social evolution. Conflict theory tends to focus on the idea that people will always conflict with each other, while consensus theory is the idea that people can reach a mutual agreement about things.
Define feminist theory as it applies to the study of the family. What are the contributions of feminists to the study of family?
Contributions of feminism-Gender inequality is central to family life-Socially constructed... extended families and women centered families-Race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status family dynamics and gender dynamics in particular ways.
In the "Emerging modern" period (1820-1900), love marriage becomes an ideal. Describe courtship during this time and the goals of a marriage during this period.
Courtship emerges as a process in which couples begin in a relationship with supervise contact/dates in the woman's home and if the parents approve, then marriage. It often occurred in upper middle-class families. The goal of marriage during this period was to find true love.
What are some current common characteristics of:Latino families? Define familism.
Familism is a personal outlook that puts family obligations first, before individual well-being. Latinx families tend to have more children and are part of extended households. The Lantix families tend to be more religious with the majority being Catholic. These families may also speak Spanish at home.
After the 1960s, we see increasing family diversity with state and market forces increasingly shaping family life. Describe how market forces changed family life. Describe how state forces changed family life.
Market forces changed family life by creating economic opportunities which made the companionship family possible, increasing possibilities for an employed man to support a homemaking wife in their own home, and more companies started paying workers enough to support a whole family (i.e., a family wage)
What are some common characteristics of the four social classes we discussed in class (Middle)?
Middle A much larger group than the wealthy class. Historically, middle-class occupations have been relatively stable, however, this is beginning to change. Jobs are based on higher education, technical skills, or credentials. Members are usually able to meet all of their basic needs, including health care and education with a high rate of home ownership.However, in class, we have learned that this is starting to change. 44% identify with this category.
Provide examples of how the state and market arena shape decisions/behaviors of families.
The state makes laws regulating the systems which directly impact families. Some examples of laws that are made which control families are adoption, marriage and divorce, domestic violence, reproductive rights, etc. These laws make families choose certain decisions and have certain behaviors concerning what will be best and most efficient for their family. The market example - If wages are low and you are not getting benefits then you will not be able to afford costs of housing, food, and other expenses. The market also controls the amount of income a household might have and the tradeoff between working for pay versus upwaid care for family members (e.g., taking care of kids). Examples of ways that the market arena shape decisions and behaviors of families is increased possibility for home ownership and consumption, to name a few.
How do economic hardships affect the marriages and family relationships of the families in the documentary, "Two American Families"?
Stanleys: marriage grew stronger with faith and looking to one another for strength. Neumans: the marriage resulted in divorce because of the stress of income.
What are some common strengths of immigrant families?
Stronger family ties and marriages Grit Determination Optimism
How does the U.S. census currently define a family? What are the drawbacks to this definition? Which family members are undercounted?
The U.S. Census currently classifies the family as a group of people that live & eat separately from other groups, but also requires that the individuals all live in the same home. This leaves members that live outside of the home, such as biological parent who do not live with children, undercounted. The definition itself is also narrow as you cannot count extended family members who do not live in the same household.
How do working-class versus upper-middle-class parents differ in their parenting principles and practices, as described by the sociologist Annette Laureau? What terms does she use to differentiate these parenting styles?
UMC: More involved in school, more helicopter parenting, kids are in more activities; there is protest between the children and parents, they talk back a lot WC: Less involved in school, kids are in a less structured environment, kids are not in extracurriculars; the children listen to their parents and they do not argue She used the terms Accomplishment of natural growth (working class) and concerted cultivation (upper-middle class).
Describe trends in living alone. What factors contribute to people living alone?
Women who are 65+ years and older and living alone. The vast majority of one person households are white and the majority of those who live alone have a high school degree or more. Some reasons for living alone are preference for privacy, delays in marriage, divorce, and urbanization. Also, technology (internet, mobile phones, etc.) that make contact with non-household members possible.
What are some common characteristics of the four social classes we discussed in class (Working)?
Working The working class has a standard of living comparable to the middle class but with much less stability. Working-class jobs are based in industries, require less education and training, and are less secure.Example: Manufacturing sector. 45% of Americans identified as this class.
What types of questions can a demographic perspective or a life course perspective help us answer about the family?
A demographic perspective studies how family behavior and household structures contribute to larger processes in the population. In other words, demographic perspectives allow us to look at the family in relation to overall population processes, such as birth and migration patterns. This can help us understand trends within a family. A demographic perspective may ask "Why are families having fewer children?" A life course perspective studies family trajectories of individuals throughout the lifespan. They may follow a family's children from childhood to adulthood and look for what is "normal" to that family and people overall. We can see how life growing up impacted behaviors in the children's adult life. We are looking at the effects earlier life experiences have on later ones. This allows us to answer questions about the family such as "Does parental divorce impact children differently depending on their age?"
What is a mixed-status family?
A family that where some members are undocumented (do not have legal status) and others who do not (e.g., are U.S. citizens or have visas).
Define and describe the nuclear family and a conjugal family. When was this family form most popular in U.S. history?
A married monogamous couple living their own children and no extended family members. The conjugal family was a nuclear family that is also functionally independent of extended family members. This was most popular in the 1950s.
What are the ways in which people racially/ethnically socialize their children? (see the Hughes et al. reading)?
African American families prepare their children for bias and maintain self-esteem. Families also teach their children about their race/ethnicity by showing them books, music, or food that relate to them.
What are some current common characteristics of:African American families?
African American families today are still affected by the effects of slavery on family life. Their families tend to be matriarchal and there is a weaker tradition of patriarchal, nuclear families. The family structure is more fluid but less stable. African American families are very resilient.
What are some current common characteristics of:Asian American families? Asian Americans are often regarded as a "model minority" but what are historic and current challenges to Asian American families?
Asian American families emphasize educational excellence and respect for their elders. These families have less value on children's independence. Asian American families also tend to live in multigenerational households. Asian Americans are seen as a "model minority" which hold them to a higher standard and there are big expectations on them to succeed. The history that affects them is the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which banned Chinese labor workers from immigrating to the United States. Because of the Japanese involvement in WWII, there is a prejudice against Japanese Americans.
Describe the conflict versus the consensus perspective as it applies to theories of social class.
Conflict Perspective: Discrete Groups Inequality is not beneficial or necessary. Social class inequality is the product of economic exploitation. Divisions of labor are determined by who has access to capital aka economic resources. Marx came up with two classes, the capitalists and the working class. Consensus Perspective: Ladder Unequal rewards are beneficial and necessary for the functioning of society. Durkheim believed that inequality is necessary for economic growth. Some jobs are more important or difficult than others.
What was the Chinese Exclusion Act?
Chinese immigrants within the United States could not naturalize and were barred from immigration from China. There was a general fear of Asia and that Asian immigrants would lower wages for the rest of the workers. It was one of the first major acts in restricting a whole group of people based on their national origin.
What is class identity? How does it differ from income alone?
Class identity is the awareness and sense of belonging to a specific social class. Class identity tends to be reinforced through close contact with others in the same social class. Class identity differs from income because it does not simply focus on income, it includes other factors.
What was coverture? Define it and provide some examples of how coverture influenced and continues to influence women's lives today.
Coverture is a legal doctrine that once married, a woman's property and income became her husbands. If the woman worked, the husband had the right to her wages and if they got a divorce the children would belong to the husband. This sets the tone for heterosexual gender expectations for the future. For example, this is the reason why marital rape was not illegal in all U.S. states until the 1990s. It is also why women could not serve on juries in all U.S. states until the 1970s.
What is DACA? How has DACA benefited those immigrants who received this status? What challenges to DACA recipients still face?
DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is a program based on individuals called the Dreamers. These are individuals who have arrived in the United States before the age of 16 and have completed some educational certificate or are a veteran of the armed forces. These individuals are able to obtain further education and get jobs in the United States. DACA recipients have the possibility of being set back to their home countries, and can not obtain legal status. Many politicians are still fighting against DACA trying to end the program. There is NO authorized pathway to citizenship for DACA holders.
Define ethnicity. How does it differ from race?
Ethnicity is a group of people with a common cultural identification, based on common language, religion, ancestral origin, or traditional practices. This differs from race because race is seen as "biological differences" while ethnicity is defined by culture, language, or religion.
In colonial America (<1820), describe some common family characteristics of European families, Native American families, African American families.
In Native American families it was difficult to generalize, but there is evidence of strong respect for elders and, there was higher rates of divorce, more gender equality, and monogamous marriage. Despite this, there was still a clear gendered division of labor, and more political power to men. European families: marriage was necessary, practical arrangement and not a source of affection. It was viewed as a stabilizing force for men (remember that men had immigrated to the U.S. en masse without families hence politicians were very concerned about having a large, unmarried male population), male dominated the relationship, patriarchy evident through pervasiveness of coverture. African American families: keeping a family together was difficult but not impossible. Most people lived in families their whole lives, while also enslaved.
What are some challenges for immigrant families?
Language barriers Sometimes the families become separated Being able to receive medical care Prejudice Being able to find and obtain work Transportation
What are some common characteristics of the four social classes we discussed in class (Lower)?
Lower Class Most people in this group do not have higher education or skilled jobs. Tend to have low income and high economic insecurity. May experience periods of poverty. Often lack adequate medical care and housing. This group also includes the very poor, who depend on government assistance. 8% of the population identifies with this group, but the official poverty rate was 15% in 2018.This is evidence of the stigma around poverty.
What are some current common characteristics of: Native American families?
Native American families value cooperation over competition and collectively over individualism. Family life is crucial to survival and resistance. The modern problems of Native American families include: obesity, diabetes, alcoholism, suicide, and violence against women.
What is a family? Describe different ways to define the family.
No single definition Definition used in text- groups of related people, bound by connections thatare biological, legal, or emotional. The label family usually includes expectations of care, commitment and social Personal families - the people to whom we feel related and who we expect to define us as members of their family as well. Legal family - state-imposed legal definition of a group of individuals related by birth, marriage, and adoption. Family as an institutional arena - institution - is a social space in which relations between people in common positions are governed by accepted rules of interaction.
Most scholars today agree that "race is a social construct." Define race and explain what is meant by this phrase.
Race is defined by a group of people believed to share common descent, based on perceived innate physical similarities. Race is self-identified, and the first site of racial socialization is through your family and social interactions.
What is racialized ethnicity?
Racialized ethnicity is a ethnic group perceived to share physical characteristics.
What is social capital and how does in reinforce class identity? Provide some examples
Social Capital: The access to resources people has by virtue of relationships and connections within a social network. Different from actual capital based on social ties. This reinforces class identity because the access they have to social connections and social networking is all within their own social class. It is hard to gain social mobility. Examples: Job networking, alumni networking, internships
Define and contrast social class mobility vs. social class persistence.
Social Mobility: Ability to move up and down in social class. This is moving social class Social Persistence: Staying in the same social class as your parents. This is not moving in social class.
What were the major tenets of the Amendments to the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act? What was its legacy on the U.S. population?
The First Act of 1965 got rid of previous quotas as well as put limits on immigration from Latin America. This in return allowed for illegal immigration and people were allowed to work because of the needed labor in the U.S.. In 1965 the United States started opening up and allowing limited amounts of immigrants from Europe, and for the first time Asia and Africa (Eastern Hemisphere).
How does the U.S. govt. measure race and how has this changed over time? What happened in 2000 with the measurement of race/ethnicity?
The census was used to measure race overtime. The older census asks for their race and only includes 5 distinct races on the form. But in 2000, the census forms changed by letting individuals pick as many races that applied to them.
Differentiate the "color-blind" versus "color-conscious" used with children in Hagerman's (2014) study of White families.
The color-blind perspective is believing that race isn't an issue or that race doesn't exist. This allows them to deny uncomfortable differences and why people are treated differently as a result of racism(s). The color-conscious approach is recognizing and talking about white privilege. It is also recognising that people come from different backgrounds and have differences.
What are common ways in which the family is studied?
The family is commonly studied using surveys, in-depth interviews, observational and time use studies. Surveys consist of multiple-choice questions asked to many different people. Surveys can be longitudinal, following one group of people over an extended period. In depth interviews and observational studies ask more open-ended questions and observe the family in real life. There is a smaller number of participants, but interviews are much longer and more detailed. Finally, time studies are surveys that collect data about how people spend their time during a certain period, such as a day.
In the "Modern" period (1900s-1960s), the ideal marriage is the "companionate" marriage. Describe the ideals of the companionate marriage and how dating - the process through which most young people meet their life partners - differs from courtship.
The ideal of the companionate marriage is to have a marriage of companionship, friendship, and romance. While dating young adults spend time with multiple partners before making a long-term commitment. Dating, which consisted of unsupervised interaction, replaces courtship.
Until 1875, there were little to NO restrictions on immigration to the U.S. Why?
There were little to no restrictions on immigration to the U.S. because there were a lot of jobs that needed to be filled as well as a lot of land that needed to be settled. Immigrants helped to fill those positions. After the Civil War, however, States started implementing immigration laws and immigration regulation became a federal responsibility.
What are some common characteristics of the four social classes we discussed in class (Wealthy)?
Wealthy/Capitalist/the upper 1% They have a disproportionate amount of economic and political influence. 5% of Americans identify as upper class. Extremely high standard of living.