Sociological Perspectives on Family

Sociological Perspectives on Family and Relationships

• Functionalism: Views society as a system where parts work together for stability and solidarity.
• Conflict Theory: Focuses on competition for resources (wealth, power) between groups (e.g., classes, races, genders).
• Feminist Theory: Highlights gender inequality, intersecting with other social categories (race, class), emphasizing women's perspectives, and challenging patriarchal structures.
• Symbolic Interactionism: Emphasizes daily interactions, shared meanings, and how individuals interpret their social realities based on symbols (e.g., language, gestures).

Family Structures

• Nuclear Family: Parents and one or more children.
• Single-Parent Family: One parent and one or more children.
• Extended Family: Nuclear or single-parent family living with extended family members.
• Same-Sex Family: Two same-sex individuals with or without children.
• Blended Family: One or both parents have children from a previous marriage.

Life Clocks

• Chronological Clock: Measures age, defines adulthood in terms of years since birth (e.g., legal age, voting).
• Biological Clock: Reflects physical changes (e.g., sexual maturity).

Adolescence and the Changing Family

• Pre-Industrialization (Pre-1850): Children were seen as laborers, and family relationships often less emotionally involved.
• Industrialization (Late 19th Century): Shifting from farms to factories changed family lifestyles, and children transitioned to education & employment.
• 20th Century: Labor laws protected child workers, emphasizing education and school attendance. Teenagers emerged as a distinct demographic group.

Mate Selection and Marriage

• Murstein's Filter Theory: Suggests steps in mate selection: field of eligibles, propinquity, attraction, homogamy, compatibility, trial, and decision.
• Courtship (Historical): Early patterns varied from arranged marriages to formalized dating customs.
• Dating (Evolution): Evolved from formalized courtship, with changing expectations and motivations.
• Mate Selection Theories: People are often attracted to those with similar backgrounds (age, race, etc.) and resources.
• Ideal Mate Theory: Attraction based on an individual's unconscious ideal of the perfect partner. Individuals assess their resources and seek a mate who values them.
• Developmental Perspective: Individuals need self-understanding before forming relationships. Relationships need to be understood within a personal development framework.
• Evolutionary Psychology: Explores evolutionary factors in mate selection (e.g., preferences for providers, healthy mates).
• Social Exchange Theory: Partners seek to maximize benefits while minimizing costs, valuing assets and deficits.

Divorce and Family Issues

• Reasons for Divorce: Communication issues, infidelity, financial problems, incompatibility, substance abuse, violence, lack of intimacy, parenting conflicts, mental health issues.
• Types of Infidelity: Emotional, physical, and online or cyber.

Young Adulthood and Challenges

• Young Adult Issues: Leaving home, forming relationships, finishing education, finding employment. Increased instances of mental health issues in young adults.
• Lifespan Differences: Women statistically live longer than men, affecting caregiving responsibilities.

Marriage as a Social Institution

• Functionalist View: Marriage as a societal institution fulfilling basic needs (reproduction, care, socialization).
• Historical Perspective: Marriage as an economic and social unit, focusing on identifying offspring, responsibilities for children, and family as the primary economic unit.