Sociology of the FamilySociology of the Family

http://http://www.d.umn.edu/~sjanssenwww.d.umn.edu/~sjanssen

Week 1Week 1Public and Private FamiliesPublic and Private Families How do we view the American How do we view the American

family?family? Public vs. private familiesPublic vs. private families How do we study the family?How do we study the family?

Modes of observationModes of observation Theoretical perspectivesTheoretical perspectives

Discuss: What is a Family?Discuss: What is a Family? Write a definition of the word “family.”Write a definition of the word “family.” Which of these would match your definition?Which of these would match your definition?

Married couple, with or without childrenMarried couple, with or without children Single parent and childrenSingle parent and children 22ndnd marriage including in at least one stepparent marriage including in at least one stepparent Cohabiting couple with or without childrenCohabiting couple with or without children Gay/lesbian couple with or without childrenGay/lesbian couple with or without children Grandparents raising grandchildrenGrandparents raising grandchildren Any group of people who consider themselves Any group of people who consider themselves

“family”“family”

What is a Family?What is a Family? Social Conservative: Two parent Social Conservative: Two parent

breadwinner-homemaker breadwinner-homemaker

Economic: specific rules; who Economic: specific rules; who qualifies for benefitsqualifies for benefits

Cultural: varies from culture to Cultural: varies from culture to cultureculture

Diversity can be tolerated or rejected:Diversity can be tolerated or rejected:

right/conservative side:right/conservative side: marriage and childbearing marriage and childbearing disapproves divorce, births to single disapproves divorce, births to single

moms , cohabitation, gay marriage, moms , cohabitation, gay marriage, abortionabortion

favors policies that promote marriagefavors policies that promote marriage

How We Feel About the American How We Feel About the American FamilyFamily

left/liberal side:left/liberal side: society can adjust to new family society can adjust to new family

formsforms policies should support all types of policies should support all types of

familiesfamilies Tolerates or approves diversityTolerates or approves diversity Favors government involvementFavors government involvement

How We Feel About the American How We Feel About the American FamilyFamily

Family decisions are individual Family decisions are individual choiceschoices

Individualism: Pursuing personal Individualism: Pursuing personal rewardreward Utilitarian:Utilitarian: self-reliance and personal self-reliance and personal

achievementachievement Expressive:Expressive: emotional satisfactionemotional satisfaction Leads to family decisions based on Leads to family decisions based on

emotional bondemotional bond

Individualism and FamiliesIndividualism and Families

Public and Private FamiliesPublic and Private Families

Two key issues:Two key issues:

Are families taking care of dependents? Are families taking care of dependents? (public function)(public function)

Are families providing emotional Are families providing emotional satisfaction? (private function)satisfaction? (private function)

The Public FamilyThe Public Family

Public GoodsPublic Goods Have value for people who did not Have value for people who did not

produce or pay for themproduce or pay for them ChildrenChildren Care of children, ill, elderlyCare of children, ill, elderly

Public family provides these for societyPublic family provides these for society

The Public Family (cont.)The Public Family (cont.)

““Public Family” Includes:Public Family” Includes: One adult One adult oror two adults two adults Related by marriage, partnership, or Related by marriage, partnership, or

shared parenthood shared parenthood Taking care of dependents Taking care of dependents DependentsDependents

Provides emotional support Provides emotional support ““Private Family” Includes: Private Family” Includes:

Two or more individualsTwo or more individuals Intimate relationship that they expect Intimate relationship that they expect

will last indefinitely will last indefinitely Live in the same household Live in the same household Pool their income and laborPool their income and labor

The Private FamilyThe Private Family

Two common methods:Two common methods: Survey: Random sample, standardized Survey: Random sample, standardized

questionsquestions Observational study: Direct Observational study: Direct

observation in natural environmentobservation in natural environment

What Do Family Researchers What Do Family Researchers Do? Do?

What Do Family Researchers What Do Family Researchers Do? (cont.)Do? (cont.)

Table 1.2 Comparing Survey Studies and Observational Studies

WHO IS STUDIED HOW ARE THEY STUDIED STRENGTHS LIMITATIONS

Survey Study

Large, random sample An interviewer asks questions Results can be generalized Only limited knowledge can be of individuals or families from a predesigned questionnaire to the population of interest obtained; hard to judge honesty and records the answers of responses

Observational Study

Small, purposefully A researcher observes them in Detailed knowledge is Findings may not be chosen sample of depth over a long period of time, obtained representative of other, similar individuals or families sometimes participating in their individuals or families daily activities

What Do Family Researchers Do? (cont.)What Do Family Researchers Do? (cont.)

Theory of FamiliesTheory of Families

Classical theoriesClassical theories Functionalist Functionalist Conflict Conflict ExchangeExchange Symbolic Symbolic

InteractionInteraction FeministFeminist

Contemporary Contemporary theoriestheories Evolutionary Evolutionary

psychologypsychology ModernityModernity

Influences questions and Influences questions and observationsobservations

Classical PerspectivesClassical Perspectives

Functional theoryFunctional theory Stability and cooperationStability and cooperation Each member performs functionsEach member performs functions Family contributes to societyFamily contributes to society Best fits breadwinner-homemaker modelBest fits breadwinner-homemaker model

Conflict theoryConflict theory Inequality, power, changeInequality, power, change Male dominance — physical, economic Male dominance — physical, economic Men less dominant when women have Men less dominant when women have

financial powerfinancial power Economic development = more power Economic development = more power

for womenfor women

Classical PerspectivesClassical Perspectives

Exchange theoryExchange theory

Relationships involve exchange of Relationships involve exchange of resourcesresources

Housework, child care, financial support, Housework, child care, financial support, love, emotional supportlove, emotional support

Contributions are evaluated by membersContributions are evaluated by members Income may give more powerIncome may give more power

Classical PerspectivesClassical Perspectives

Symbolic interaction theorySymbolic interaction theory Social interaction: shared Social interaction: shared

understandingunderstanding Shared understandings: social roles Shared understandings: social roles

(Spouse, parent, breadwinner, (Spouse, parent, breadwinner, homemaker, child, etc.)homemaker, child, etc.)

Nontraditional families: more Nontraditional families: more negotiation, fewer cultural roles.negotiation, fewer cultural roles.

Classical PerspectivesClassical Perspectives

Feminist theoryFeminist theory Gender defines social roles Gender defines social roles Roles are socially (not biologically) Roles are socially (not biologically)

constructedconstructed Family life is different for women than Family life is different for women than

menmen

Contemporary TheoriesContemporary Theories

Evolutionary psychology Evolutionary psychology (sociobiology)(sociobiology)

Women’s interest: survival of young Women’s interest: survival of young (needed men’s protection)(needed men’s protection)

Men’s interest: maximize Men’s interest: maximize reproductive potential (impregnate reproductive potential (impregnate many women, control sexual access)many women, control sexual access)

Contemporary TheoriesContemporary Theories

Modernity TheoryModernity Theory Historical development of rolesHistorical development of roles Modern era – (to 1950)Modern era – (to 1950)

Roles were culturally defined (student, Roles were culturally defined (student, spouse, parent, etc.)spouse, parent, etc.)

Little choiceLittle choice Late modern era – 1950-1980’sLate modern era – 1950-1980’s

Individual choice – flexible rolesIndividual choice – flexible roles

Contemporary TheoriesContemporary Theories

Author (Cherlin) believesAuthor (Cherlin) believes

Families should be publicly supported Families should be publicly supported Stable long-term partnerships, Stable long-term partnerships,

regardless of sexual orientation, are best regardless of sexual orientation, are best for childrenfor children

Alternative family forms can provide Alternative family forms can provide support support

Equality of men and women in family lifeEquality of men and women in family life