Sociology of Family Exam #1
Why is defining LGBT families so difficult?
Is it defined by who is LGBT, if the child is, does that make it an LGBT or what if a grandfather is Individuals, not families have sexual orientation
What does Baca Zinn mean when she says, "[y]et many of the minority family patterns deemed 'incorrect' by journalists, scholars, and policymakers are logical life choices in a society of limited social opportunities" (p. 18).
differences between racial- ethnic families are due to the opportunities afforded to them shaped by society
DeVault sees a family meal as an "event"—why?
Conversation- parents setting an example-eating food they don't like Building relationships- other and daughter- baking- quizzing on world capitals during the meal- meals, and education Pulling the baby to the table to include in meal Meals at the center of celebrations and holidays
DeVault says that feeding is women's work—explain. Does this come naturally? Why or why not—and how do DeVault's data support this?
Cooking is gendered and is created through family- a majority of women do the cooking and learn to cook from their mothers as well as grew up seeing their mothers doing all the cooking and as a result they repeat this behavior- sometimes it's who comes home first and since many women take more flexible hours they are the ones getting home earlier Feeding work has become one the primary ways that women "do" gender- through this ongoing process, activities such as feeding, which members of the society have learned to associate strongly with one gender, come to seem like "natural" expressions of gender. - early age children learn from their mothers
What is the relationship between the frequency of sex and the division of labor within households?
Couples, where men do more than a third of the household work, have more sex than those who do less (12)
family
Family: A group of people united by ties of marriage, blood, adoption, or any intimate emotional or sexual relationship in which: 1. the members see their individual identities as importantly attached to the group; 2. the group has an identity of its own; 3. the group gives support to its members ("support" can be emotional nurturing, physical caretaking, economic assistance, or some combination of the three)
Compared to mothers, what percentage of fathers report that parenting is extremely important to their identity?
Roughly the same percentage of fathers as mothers report that parenting is extremely important to their identity (first page)
In what country is ratio between women's and men's household/childcare labor the lowest, and what explanation does Lockman offer for it?
It is the smallest in the Scandinavian countries The largest gap is in south Asia where women do 90 percent of the housework There is a relationship between the gender gap in unpaid care work and prosperity, the smaller the gap the wealthier the county
How does the U.S. compare to other countries?
Italy is the largest while the US is in the middle Welfare rich countries tend to have less because they help young adults with things like housing
Gerson and Jacobs, "The Work-Home Crunch" What is the overall argument?
The average work week hasn't changed for average workers- hiding variation Families as a unit work more, less home time - moms are working
How does this relate to "invisible labor?"
There is much more that goes into feeding family beyond just going to the grocery store or cooking. It is the planning and consideration that goes unnoticed.
What does it mean to say that gender is "socially constructed?"
Socialization: the process through which individuals learn culture and cultural roles. Individuals gain a sense of self-identity through socialization. Self identity = what we recognize as true or most authentic about ourselves For sociologists, most of what we experience and feel as authentic and natural is actually a cultural creation. Sociologists argue that all identities are produced through social relationships (they are socially constructed). Cultural and historical values, ideas, and rules shape our identities.
Marjaneh thought telecommuting would give her more control of her day, but Montgomery argues it greatly influenced her use of household space and her family interactions. Explain and give examples.
When the family is together she leaves to do work- shushes her family when she is on a work call The household is taken over by workplaces Husband and wife work together- fight about work that they help each other with Guests would come over it was mostly family friends and not their own friends Bathroom- magazines about the tech industry and entrepreneurship
What percent of LGBT-identified adults have had a child at some time in their lives?
37%
In a 2010 study, what percent of participants believed pets count as family?
51%
Nuclear family:
A father, mother, and their children
Why is "feeding the family" an important topic to study?
Feeding the family is invisible work, there are tons of different kinds of work involved in it that does not get recognized. This burden of feeding the family often falls to the mother or woman of the household. This helps to show some of the inequality in household labor.
Foster families:
one or two parents and one or more children who have been taken away from their biological parents and become wards of the state. Foster parents typically raise these children as their own.
manager/helper dynamic
one partner manages the other- this is another job added to their workload- person administrating tasks
stalled revolution
Since the '70s, women have poured into the workplace, compelled by economic necessity and personal ambition, to the point where dual-wage-earner families are now the norm. Yet somehow neither work nor the family has changed enough to make this a tenable situation.- women work inside and outside- second shift- men didn't change- need to pick up the slack at home Women have been willing to move into the labor force to share the role of breadwinning, but men have not made a corresponding move toward sharing the responsibility of routine housework and childcare
Monogamy:
the practice of being exclusively committed sexually to one partner during the course of that relationship. Worldwide, it is estimated that only 10% of all marriages are actually monogamous (Gittins 2007). In the U.S., our marriage pattern is "serial monogamy" because individuals marry as many times as they like as each prior marriage ends by death or divorce. Of course, that does not mean that all those marriages are truly monogamous...
Peer marriages/ partnerships
the workload is shared equally Partners split the household duties and child-raising, share equally in the decision making, have equal access to discretionary funds, and give each person's work equal weight in the couple's life plans. Even in peer partnerships, labor is often gendered: Women: indoor work, especially cooking Men: outdoor work
What has feminist thinking contributed to the study of families and what new direction does Baca Zinn want us to take?
western feminist-marginalized racial-ethnic families as special "cultural" cases mainstream feminism failed to grapple with race affecting families feminist have founded that the family is socially constructed the family is closely connected with other structures and institutions in society since structural arrangements are abstract and often invisible, family processes can be deceptive or hidden have made great strides in challenging the myth of the monolithic family
Lesbian or gay families:
individuals of the same sex who partner together in intimate sexual and/or romantic relationships and define themselves as a family. These relationships may or may not have children.
Voluntarily childless family
a couple who decide not to have children
Identify and explain the four historical contexts that were influential in helping LGBTQ people develop their families today.
1) Gay liberation movement Groups created- gay people meeting each other Middle-class white gay men STONEWALL MOVEMENT- police fired- the birth of modern gay movement 2) Women's movement Women leaving the traditional role- sex as pleasure- women don't need to be at home all the time Women meeting- space for sexual exploration Exclusion of transgender women 3) HIV/ AIDS Epidemic Awareness LGBT parents to adopt children to make up for the loss Brought separate groups together- people dying- want to bring families together (discrimination) Hospitals wouldn't let them see their loved ones-> need marriage rights Gay and lesbian marry each other but have their side 'true' relationship (front families) 4) Reproduction and Contraceptive technology People able to have children outside of heterosexual relationship Need the money for it More couples have to adopt
How does this number compare to the percentage of Americans who believe same-sex couples without children are families?
30%
How many accordion families are there in the U.S. and how has this number changed in the last 10 years?
2000-2.1 mil 2009- 3.4 mil increased
What does it mean to say that families are "socially constructed?"
All societies have beliefs, rules, and expectations regarding mating, sexuality, gender, and age relations, but there are NO cultural universals. Families are SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED rather than biologically determined. This means that families vary within and across cultures and throughout history. Each society defines "family" depending on its social, cultural, and economic contexts. Individuals within a given society may define their experience of "family" differently from one another. White, Western, nuclear families are often regarded as the model or ideal family. However, this ideology distorts our understanding of diverse families by considering them "deviations from the norm." In fact, nuclear families are NOT the norm. Today, most adults no longer live in nuclear family households.
What family practices does Gittins note are NOT universal?
Aspects not universal -maternal instinct -who raises the children (not always moms) -incestuous relationships -when you have children -nuclear families are not the norm
Why does Mount Holyoke professor Francine Deutsch say "Children...create an inequality of crisis proportions" (p. 27).
Before kids there are not as many needs to get done and it is less harmless to let things According to a range of studies today, working women are devoting how much more time to family care than men? Working women devote twice as much time to family care as men
Describe the study, the location, and the research site. Historically, how was factory life "designed for men?" (p. 66).
Ethnographic research- participant observation Constraints on family life Good compensation at the workplace- making more than a living wage, but they are still having issues- CONTRACTS- mandatory overtime- 54 hours minimum- no required sundays- good health benefits The study was done at Sylvania auto parts factory (midwest) The study focused on 2 women and their families- Maureen and Jenny and their work home lives Designed for men- men used to be breadwinners- wages were provided for families to men
How did gender and parental status affect interview offers in a 2007 study with fictitious applicants?
Childless women were 2.1 times more likely to be offered interviews than mothers for work, fathers were slightly more likely to be called than men without children (15)
DeVault says feeding creates families—what does she mean?
Creating connection there is more that goes into feeding the family than people think- not everyone is included in family dinner- special considerations are made for family members Using class def of family 1- id attached to group is important- work cook is doing to include members] 2- group id- who is at the dinner table, cooking for the kid not the male friend 3- support- providing food Cooking and meal= caregiver
What is DOMA?
Defense of marriage act (1996)- left LGBTQ people out of the legal definition of marriage and family
Why do different countries experience variety in terms of the number of accordion families?
Dependent upon on government programs and overall cultural expectations
What policies to Gerson and Jacobs suggest as solutions to the "work-home crunch?"
Develop policies to help workers resolve pressures - page 35 Revising regulations on hours of work and providing benefit protections to more workers, moving toward the norm of a shorter work week, creating more family-supportive workplaces that offer both job flexibility and protections for employed parents, and developing a wider array of high quality, affordable child care options (page 36)
How does this create a challenge for today's families? Give specific examples and discuss how families navigate these challenges (what strategies do they use?)
Expectations for mothers to work- but no childcare to make up for it Strategies- maureen and her husband worked opposite hours so they are there for the children- they never see each other Maureen took a different job so that she could hold days- was switched once to night shift and can't happen again- challenge Maureen wanted to be a teacher, but she couldn't make more money- she feels out of place at the factory- it feels beneath her Jenny- children went to different places- she gets up at 4am, different daycares- her mother- took cleaning job so that it was more flexible and she didn't have to work overtime
Trends Graphs
Figure 1.1 50% decline since 1920 in marriages per year 2017: 6.9/1,000 Why- independent women, increased cohabitation, changes in meaning of marriages Figure 1.2 Median Age at first marriage- 1950- m-22.5 f- 20.1, 2016- m 29.5 f- 26.4- 70s women going to college and marrying later 3rd graph- cohabitation age has stayed the same- 1965 10% hetero couples planned to get married lived together- number of people cohabitating has significantly increased Figure 1.9 Divorce rates- a majority of people who divorce remarry- divorce rates have declined since 1980
What did Marjaneh and Steve think about whether their house "ceased to become a home?"
He was glad there was less work in the household Marjaneh- thinks the work in the family is good- is building relationships
Connect the following phrases to the article: egalitarian/peer marriage; easing of barriers to women's education and employment; new management strategies in the workplace; technology affecting the workplace.
Peer marriage- worked together on projects, husband did the cooking- trying to not make it gendered Easing of barriers to women's education and employment- works in tech field was not common beforehand- interferes with family life Management strategies in the workplace- managers needing to be available 24/7, she made herself available to all time zones- she can work from home Tech affecting the workplace- Marjaneh pressured into using phones and then IM
How do Maureen and Jenny understand their work at the plant (blue collar and white collar work section)?
Jenny had discomfort with being in the factory- she felt that women did not belong there, she had originally worried that the factory would get in the was of her being a good mother- in white collar families- supervision, education, and good work ethic were important- in blue collar families- there was not an emphasis on care and supervision- too much importance on having things- Jenny gendered the factory- in the factory they have equal pay for equal work Maureen- "according to her blue collar were not as smart, educated, or into reading and school, they were often rude and uncouth; they had low social status; and their work was meaningful to them only as a means to make money" (75) ideas of class differences the dingy production floor vs beautiful glass windowed offices- she had started working at the factory as a means to finish college- but she didn't finish college- she wanted to go back to work and be a white collar mother
Marriage/ divorce rate
Marriage Rate: the number of persons who marry during the preceding 12 months per 1,000 population members (single adults). Divorce Rate: the number of people divorced during the preceding 12 months per 1,000 population members (married adults). Marriage and divorce rates are measures of the propensity for the population of a given area to become married or divorced during a given year.
How and why has the work week increased for married couples in the last 30 years?
Moms have gone to work
Which Americans are working more than 40-hours a week and which ones are working less? Why?
More professionals with higher education work more hours (salary workers) Paid by hours- less educated workers are getting less hours (but they need more hours in order to get benefits or to have enough money) Law- over 40 hours they need to be paid more (time and a half) Over 35 hours they need health and benefits (ACA)
What concerns does Gittins raise regarding various definitions of "family?"
Most definitions have had a functionalist point of view and have focused on what "needs" they fulfill in society. Functionalists focused on it being a universal institution There are numerous examples in contemporary society families who do not form households or only form households for periods of time Families are so wide ranging and different that many definitions fail to encompass different types of families The characteristics do not apply to all families, but also apply to relationships that are not family Murdocks 4 basic functions- common residence, economic co-operation, reproduction, and sexuality
How does "invisible labor" relate to gender?
Much of the work being done is by women and cooking itself may not seem like a huge task, however, it takes a lot of time.
Separate Spheres
Nineteenth-century idea in Western societies that men and women, especially of the middle class, should have different roles in society: women as wives, mothers, and homemakers; men as breadwinners and participants in business and politics
What is the largest predictor of on the lifelong welfare of kids--family structure or quality of relationships?
Progressives argue it is the quality of the family (28)
What is relative-deprivation theory, and how does it relate to sharing household/childcare work?
Relative deprivation is the lack of resources to sustain the diet, lifestyle, activities and amenities that an individual or group are accustomed to or that are widely encouraged or approved in the society to which they belong.- women become accustomed to doing more work
How do sociologists differentiate between sex and gender?
SEX: biological apparatus: genes; sex hormones; genitalia GENDER: personal traits and social positions that members of a society attach to being male or female; gender is a socially constructed identity that shapes our lives in significant ways.
How did household life change after the tech bubble burst? How did it stay the same?
Spaces that were previously sacred and cut off were then used for work
What is the relationship between marital happiness and division of labor in households?
The division of family labor is the primary source of conflict after couples have children (12)
Family of origin:
The family into which you are born and in which you are raised.
Family of procreation:
The family you establish if you have children of your own.
Describe the "modern, involved father," and explain why Lockman calls this fallacy.
The modern involved father may be more involved than in previous years, however they still do less than the mothers do
What was the most common reason given to Belgian psychotherapist Esther Perel for why women are unfaithful to their husbands?
The most common reason women give for cheating on their husbands is the desire to break free from their caregiving role (12) Is there inequality in household labor for same-sex couples, and how does it differ from male/female couples? Less likely to get angry because it was agreed upon beforehand, without gendered assumptions of roles they communicate to decide the division of labor (13)
What kinds of couples have the most egalitarian caregiving arrangements, but how is this complicated by managerial care at home?
The most egalitarian caregiving arrangements are between sole-breadwinner wives and unemployed husbands- in homes with stay at home fathers mothers continue to take on more managerial care of their children- otherwise known as scheduling and keeping track of stuff (doc page 9)
Expressive role
The role of the family in meeting the emotional and social needs of family members. In an industrial society in which the majority of people live in urban areas, neighbors remain strangers and it becomes harder for people to find deep friendships, companionships, and emotional support. In such an impersonal society, it becomes important to find intimacy, a sense of belonging, and emotional security in the family it self.
Instrumental role
The role of the family in meeting the needs of society or the physical needs of family members. Physical needs of family members: shelter, food, clothing, medical care Societal needs: society needs members who are properly socialized in cultural norms (rules and expectations that guide a society's members) and cultural values (standards of goodness in a particular society).
DeVault says, "Planning a meal is rarely recognized as the kind of intellectual problem it actually is. The process is like solving a puzzle" (p. 47). What does she mean by this and how does her data support this statement? In other words, how does DeVault justify this assertion? (Be able to give specific examples from the chapters.)
There are preferences, schedules, diet restrictions, and so on that go into creating a meal and planning meals in order make family members happy and make them feel cared for each of their individual tastes must be accounted for. LOOK OVER LECTURE NOTES
How does the U.S. census define "family?"
U.S. Census (current): A family is a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing together.
Mezey identifies two to important U.S. Supreme Court cases that contributed to the rise in same sex marriages--what are they?
US v Windson (2013)- the federal government must recognize same-sex marriage- states which prohibit same-sex marriage must still recognize marriages certified by outside states Obergefell v. Hodger (2015)- same-sex marriage is a constitutional right
How does parenting affect work/home arrangements in heterosexual partnerships?
Women are taking a second shift- they come home and do the domestic labor and are therefore feeling the work-home crunch more
Men and women both agree that women should be doing what proportion of household chores?
Women should about two-thirds of the household chores (17)
Blended or Reconstituted Family:
a family formed when a widowed or divorced person, with or without children, "re-partners" with another person who may or may not have been married before and who may or may not have children. If either partner has children from a previous relationship, a stepfamily is formed.
Patriarchal Family:
a family in which the father is the head of the household, with authority over other family members.
Matriarchal Family:
a family in which the mother is the head of the household, with authority over other family members.
Chosen family or surrogate family:
a group of people, either of the same or different sex, who define themselves as a family. These relationships are not necessarily sexual or romantic in nature and may or may not include children.
Single-parent family:
a parent (who may or may not have been married) and one or more children.
Accordion Families:
a shared household when adult children return to their family of origin after living on their own
Extended family:
an individual, possibly a partner, and children the individual might have, and other relatives, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, etc., who give support (see three types of support, above)
Breadwinning Role
breadwinner. 1 : a means (such as a tool or craft) of livelihood. 2 : a member of a family whose wages supply its livelihood.
What cultural and structural factors does Newman provide as an explanation for the increase in accordion families? Be able to explain these factors in relation to the United States.
trouble in the labor market... depends a lot on nationality... generous welfare states... cushion the blow... weak welfare states... pushing them in the private safety net of the family (49)." Housing markets- high prices- not a lot of open spaces- minimum wage is not a living wage Education- cost of college- debt- move back home Family and wealth- poorer family- may request children move back in to help with costs Cultural- people would rather have creature comforts than live at home (consumption practices in the US), the value of families, marriage pushed later Aging pop.- higher rates of health care, less young people working, increased prices
Second shift
women go to work and then come home and do more work- housework
