The Marriage & Family Experience Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society (with InfoTrac)

by Strong, Bryan; DeVault, Christine; Cohen, Theodore F.

• ISBN13: 9780534609306
• ISBN10: 0534609309
• Edition: 9th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-07-30
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

The Marriage and Family Experience is an engaging, student friendly Marriage and Family best seller. The text's up-to-date material, real-life cross-cultural examples, and balanced presentation make it an accessible and compelling read for the Marriage and Family student. It successfully bridges all elements of the course, including intimate relationships, family policy, and family issues. The combination of this classic book's strengths fosters consistent positive student reaction and feedback semester after semester.

Table of Contents

Preface	xxi
About the Author	xxix
UNIT I MEANINGS OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
The Meaning of Marriage and the Family
Personal Experience and Wishful Thinking	4	(1)
What Is Family? What Is Marriage?	5	(8)
Defining ``Family''	5	(2)
Defining Marriage	7	(1)
Who May Marry?	7	(5)
Forms of Marriage	12	(1)
Functions of Marriages and Families	13	(5)
Intimate Relationships	13	(1)
Economic Cooperation	14	(1)
Reproduction and Socialization	15	(1)
Assignment of Social Roles and Status	16	(1)
Why Live in Families?	17	(1)
Extended Families and Kinship	18	(2)
Extended Families	18	(1)
Kinship Systems	19	(1)
Cultural Constructions of Family Life	20	(1)
Contemporary Patterns of Marriage and Family Life	21	(2)
Summary	23	(5)
Studying Marriage and the Family
How Do We Know?	28	(4)
Thinking Critically about Marriage and the Family	32	(1)
Theories and Research Methods	33	(1)
Theories of Marriage and Families	33	(1)
Theoretical Perspectives on Families	34	(14)
Family Ecology Theory	35	(1)
Symbolic Interaction	36	(3)
Social Exchange Theory	39	(2)
Family Development Theory	41	(1)
Structural Functionalism	42	(1)
Conflict Theory	43	(2)
Family Systems Theory	45	(1)
Feminist Perspective	46	(2)
Applying Theories to Long-Distance Relationships	48	(1)
Conducting Research on Families	49	(9)
Survey Research	50	(4)
Clinical Research	54	(2)
Observational Research	56	(1)
Experimental Research	57	(1)
Researching Long-Distance Relationships	58	(1)
Summary	59	(5)
Dynamics and Diversity of Families
American Families across Time	64	(11)
The Colonial Era	64	(4)
Nineteenth-Century Marriages and Families	68	(3)
Twentieth-Century Marriages and Families	71	(4)
Aspects of Contemporary Marriages and Families	75	(5)
Factors Promoting Change	76	(4)
Social Class Variations in Family Life	80	(5)
Class and Family Life	82	(3)
The Dynamic Nature of Social Class	85	(1)
Racial and Ethnic Diversity	85	(11)
Changing Perspectives on Ethnicity and Family	86	(1)
African-American Families	87	(1)
Latino Families	88	(3)
Asian-American Families	91	(1)
Native-American Families	92	(1)
European Ethnic Families	93	(1)
Amish Families	94	(2)
Summary	96	(6)
UNIT II INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS
Contemporary Gender Roles
Understanding Gender and Gender Roles	102	(4)
Studying Gender	102	(1)
Gender and Gender Roles	103	(1)
Masculinity and Femininity: Opposites or Similar?	104	(2)
Gender and Sexual Orientation	106	(1)
Gender and Gender Socialization	106	(3)
Gender Theory	107	(1)
Gender Socialization via Social Learning Theory	108	(1)
Cognitive Development Theory	109	(1)
How Family Matters: Learning Gender Roles	109	(7)
Childhood and Adolescence	110	(3)
Gender Development in Adulthood	113	(3)
Gender Matters in Family Experiences	116	(6)
Men's Roles in Families	117	(2)
Women's Roles in Families and Work	119	(2)
Breakdown of Instrumental / Expressive Dichotomy	121	(1)
Constraints of Contemporary Gender Roles	122	(2)
Resistance to Change	123	(1)
Gender Movements and the Family	124	(3)
Summary	127	(5)
Friendship, Love, and Commitment
The Importance of Love	132	(1)
Love and American Families	133	(1)
Friendship, Love, and Commitment	134	(8)
Friendship and Love	135	(1)
Gender, Love, and Friendship	135	(2)
Gender Exceptions: ``Love between Equals''	137	(1)
Gender, Love, and Sexuality	137	(2)
Love, Marriage, and Social Class	139	(1)
Prototypes of Love and Commitment	139	(1)
Attitudes and Behaviors Associated with Love	140	(1)
Factors Affecting Commitment	141	(1)
The Development of Love: The Wheel Theory	142	(2)
How Do I Love Thee? Approaches to the Study of Love	144	(7)
Styles of Love	144	(1)
Dynamics and Differences: The Triangular Theory of Love	145	(3)
Love as Attachment	148	(3)
Unrequited Love	151	(1)
Jealousy: The Green-Eyed Monster	152	(5)
What Is Jealousy?	153	(3)
Gender Differences in Jealousy	156	(1)
Managing Jealousy	156	(1)
The Transformation of Love: From Passion to Intimacy	157	(4)
The Instability of Passionate Love	157	(3)
Intimate Love: Commitment, Caring, and Self-Disclosure	160	(1)
Summary	161	(5)
Communication, Power, and Conflict
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication	166	(1)
Nonverbal Communication	167	(4)
Functions of Nonverbal Communication	167	(1)
Proximity, Eye Contact, and Touch	167	(4)
Gender Differences in Communication	171	(1)
Communication Patterns and Marriage	172	(3)
Premarital Communication Patterns and Marital Satisfaction	172	(1)
Marital Communication Patterns and Satisfaction	173	(1)
Gender Differences in Partnership Communication	173	(2)
Developing Communication Skills	175	(7)
Styles of Miscommunication	175	(1)
Miscommunication and the Likelihood of Divorce	176	(1)
Why People Don't Communicate	177	(1)
Obstacles to Self-Awareness	177	(1)
Self-Disclosure	177	(2)
Trust	179	(1)
Giving Feedback	180	(2)
Mutual Affirmation	182	(1)
Power, Conflict, and Intimacy	182	(4)
Changing Sources of Marital Power	183	(1)
Bases of Marital Power	183	(1)
Relative Love and Need Theory	184	(1)
Principle of Least Interest	184	(1)
Resource Theory of Power	184	(1)
Rethinking Family Power	185	(1)
Power versus Intimacy	185	(1)
Intimacy and Conflict	186	(1)
Basic versus Nonbasic Conflicts	186	(1)
Experiencing and Managing Conflict	187	(7)
Dealing with Anger	187	(1)
Conflict Resolution and Marital Satisfaction	188	(1)
Common Conflict Areas: Sex, Money, and Housework	189	(3)
Resolving Conflicts	192	(2)
Summary	194	(6)
Singlehood, Pairing, and Cohabitation
Choosing Partners	200	(9)
The Marketplace of Relationships	201	(1)
Physical Attractiveness: The Halo Effect, Rating, and Dating	201	(5)
The Field of Eligibles	206	(3)
The Stages of Mate Selection	209	(1)
Dating and Romantic Relationships	209	(8)
Beginning a Relationship: Seeing, Meeting, and Dating	210	(2)
Power in Dating Relationships	212	(1)
Problems in Dating	213	(3)
Breaking Up	216	(1)
Singlehood	217	(5)
Singles: An Increasing Minority	218	(1)
Relationships in the Singles World	219	(1)
Culture and the Individual versus Marriage	220	(1)
Types of Never-Married Singles	220	(1)
Singles: Myths and Realities	220	(1)
Gay and Lesbian Singlehood	221	(1)
Cohabitation	222	(7)
The Rise of Cohabitation	222	(1)
Types of Cohabitation	222	(2)
Domestic Partnerships	224	(1)
Gay and Lesbian Cohabitation	224	(1)
Cohabitation and Marriage Compared	225	(3)
Impact of Cohabitation on Marital Success	228	(1)
Summary	229	(5)
Understanding Sexuality
Psychosexual Development in Young Adulthood	234	(12)
Sources of Sexual Learning	234	(3)
Developmental Tasks in Young Adulthood	237	(1)
Sexual Scripts	237	(3)
Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Identities	240	(6)
Psychosexual Development in Middle Adulthood	246	(1)
Developmental Tasks in Middle Adulthood	246	(1)
Sexuality and Middle Age	246	(1)
Psychosexual Development in Later Adulthood	247	(2)
Developmental Tasks in Later Adulthood	247	(1)
Sexuality and the Aged	247	(2)
Sexual Behavior	249	(4)
Autoeroticism	249	(2)
Interpersonal Sexuality	251	(2)
Sexual Enhancement	253	(2)
Conditions for Good Sex	253	(2)
Intensifying Erotic Pleasure	255	(1)
Sexual Relationships	255	(8)
Nonmarital Sexuality	255	(3)
Sexuality in Gay and Lesbian Relationships	258	(1)
Marital Sexuality	259	(2)
Extramarital Sexuality	261	(2)
Nonconsensual Sexual Behavior	263	(1)
Sexual Problems and Dysfunctions	264	(3)
Origins of Sexual Problems	264	(2)
Resolving Sexual Problems	266	(1)
Birth Control	267	(1)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV/AIDS	268	(4)
Principal STD's	268	(1)
HIV/AIDS	268	(4)
Protecting Yourself and Others	272	(1)
Sexual Responsibility	272	(1)
Summary	273	(7)
Family Processes, Family Life Cycles
A Developmental Approach	280	(5)
Individual Development	280	(2)
Family Development	282	(3)
Beginning Marriages	285	(12)
Predicting Martial Success	285	(3)
Engagement, Cohabitation, and Weddings	288	(2)
The Stations of Marriage	290	(2)
Establishing Marital Roles	292	(4)
Establishing Boundaries	296	(1)
Youthful Marriages	297	(2)
Impact of Children	297	(1)
Individual Changes	298	(1)
Middle-Aged Marriages	299	(2)
Families with Young Children	299	(1)
Families with Adolescents	299	(1)
Families as Launching Centers	300	(1)
Reevaluation	301	(1)
Later-Life Marriages	301	(3)
The Intermittent Extended Family: Sharing and Caring	302	(1)
The Sandwich Generation	302	(1)
Retirement	303	(1)
Death and Dying in America	304	(4)
Attitudes Toward Death	304	(1)
The Process of Dying	305	(1)
Bereavement	306	(2)
Enduring Marriages	308	(3)
Summary	311	(7)
Should We or Shouldn't We? Choosing Whether to Have Children
Fertility Patterns in the United States	318	(4)
Forgoing Parenthood	320	(1)
Deferred Parenthood	321	(1)
Being Pregnant	322	(11)
Experiencing Pregnancy: Emotional and Psychosocial Changes	323	(2)
Sexuality during Pregnancy	325	(1)
Men and Pregnancy	325	(1)
Pregnancy Loss	326	(2)
Medicalization of Childbirth	328	(3)
Adoptive Families	331	(2)
Becoming a Parent	333	(5)
Taking on Parental Roles and Responsibilities	334	(3)
Stresses of New Parenthood	337	(1)
Summary	338	(6)
Experiencing Parenthood: Roles and Relationships of Parents and Children
Being Parents	344	(8)
Motherhood	344	(3)
Fatherhood	347	(5)
Who Actually Takes Care of the Children?	352	(3)
Active Child Care	352	(1)
Mental Child Care	353	(1)
Nonparental Child Care	353	(2)
Theories of Child Socialization	355	(3)
Psychological Theories	355	(1)
Learning Theories	356	(1)
Cognitive Development Theory	357	(1)
The Developmental Systems Approach	357	(1)
Symbolic Interaction Theory	358	(1)
From the Theoretical to the Practical: Expert Advice on Child Rearing	358	(3)
Contemporary Child-Rearing Strategies	359	(2)
Styles and Strategies of Child Rearing	361	(1)
Authoritarian, Permissive, and Authoritative Parents	361	(1)
Children's Needs, Parents' Needs	362	(4)
Biological Factors	362	(1)
Attachment	362	(1)
Individual Temperament	363	(1)
Basic Needs	363	(1)
Self-Esteem	363	(3)
Psychosexual Development in the Family Context	366	(1)
Parents Needs	366	(1)
Embattled Parents and Societal Insensitivity to Child Rearing	367	(1)
Issues of Diverse Families	367	(3)
Ethnicity and Child Socialization	368	(1)
Gay and Lesbian Parenting	369	(1)
Parenting and Caregiving in Later Life	370	(5)
Parenting Adult Children	370	(1)
Grandparenting	371	(2)
Children Caring for Parents	373	(1)
Caring for Aging Parents	374	(1)
Summary	375	(6)
Marriage, Work, and Economics
Workplace/Family Linkages	381	(2)
Work Spillover	381	(1)
Role Conflict, Role Strain, and Role Overload	382	(1)
The Familial Division of Labor: Traditional, Dual-Earning, and Nontraditional Patterns	383	(4)
The Traditional Pattern	384	(1)
Men's Family Work	384	(1)
Women's Family Work	385	(2)
Women in the Labor Force	387	(3)
Why Women Enter the Labor Force	388	(1)
Women's Employment Patterns	389	(1)
Dual-Earner Marriages	390	(5)
Typical Dual-Earners: Housework, Child Care, and the Second Shift	391	(3)
Marital Power	394	(1)
Marital Satisfaction	394	(1)
Atypical Dual-Earners: Shift Couples and Peer Marriages	395	(5)
Shift Couples	395	(1)
Peer Marriages	396	(1)
Coping in Dual-Earner Marriages	396	(1)
At-Home Fathers and Breadwinning Mothers	397	(3)
Employment and the Family Life Cycle	400	(1)
Family Issues in the Workplace	401	(6)
Discrimination against Women	402	(1)
Lack of Adequate Child Care	402	(3)
Inflexible Work Environments and the Time Bind	405	(2)
Living without Work: Unemployment and Families	407	(3)
Economic Distress	408	(1)
Emotional Distress	409	(1)
Coping with Unemployment	409	(1)
Poverty	410	(5)
Spells of Poverty	410	(1)
The Working Poor	411	(1)
Women, Children, and Poverty	411	(1)
The Ghetto Poor	411	(1)
Welfare Reform and Poor Families	412	(3)
Workplace and Family Policy	415	(1)
Summary	416	(7)
UNIT IV FAMILY CHALLENGES AND STRENGTHS
Family Violence and Sexual Abuse
Family Violence and Abuse	423	(4)
Types of Intimate Violence	423	(1)
Why Families Are Violent: Models of Family Violence	424	(2)
Multiple Causes	426	(1)
Prevalence of Family Violence	427	(19)
Common versus Extreme Violence	428	(1)
Women and Men as Victims and Perpetrators	428	(4)
The Cycle of Violence	432	(1)
Violence in Gay and Lesbian Relationships	433	(1)
Marital Rape	433	(1)
Dating Violence and Rape	434	(3)
When and Why Some Women Stay in Violent Relationships	437	(2)
Alternatives: Police Intervention, Shelters, and Abuser Programs	439	(2)
Child Abuse and Neglect	441	(3)
The Hidden Victims of Family Violence: Siblings, Parents, and the Elderly	444	(2)
Reducing Family Violence	446	(1)
Child Sexual Abuse	446	(7)
General Preconditions for Sexual Abuse	447	(1)
Forms of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse	447	(1)
Children at Risk	448	(1)
Effects of Child Sexual Abuse	449	(2)
Treatment Programs	451	(1)
Preventing Sexual Abuse	452	(1)
Summary	453	(8)
Coming Apart: Separation and Divorce
Measuring Divorce: How Do We Know How Much Divorce There Is?	461	(1)
Divorce Trends in the United States	462	(1)
Factors Affecting Divorce	463	(6)
Societal Factors	463	(2)
Demographic Factors	465	(2)
Life Course Factors	467	(1)
Family Processes	468	(1)
No-Fault Divorce	469	(1)
The Stations of the Divorce Process	469	(2)
Marital Separation	471	(6)
Uncoupling: The Process of Separation	471	(2)
The New Self: Separation Distress and Postivorce Identity	473	(3)
Dating Again	476	(1)
Consequences of Divorce	477	(3)
Economic Consequences of Divorce	477	(3)
Children and Divorce	480	(7)
The Three Stages of Divorce for Children	481	(1)
Children's Responses to Divorce	482	(2)
Multiple Perspectives on the Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children	484	(1)
How Bad Are the Long-Term Consequences of Divorce?	485	(2)
Child Custody	487	(5)
Types of Custody	487	(2)
Noncustodial Parents	489	(3)
Custody Disputes and Child Abduction	492	(1)
Divorce Mediation	492	(1)
What to Do about Divorce	493	(3)
Summary	496	(7)
New Beginnings: Single-Parent Families, Remarriages, and Blended Families
Single-Parent Families	503	(5)
Characteristics of Single-Parent Families	504	(1)
Children in Single-Parent Families	505	(2)
Successful Single Parenting	507	(1)
Binuclear Families	508	(5)
Complexity of Binuclear Families	508	(2)
Subsystems in the Binuclear Family	510	(2)
Courtship	512	(1)
Remarriage	513	(3)
Remarriage Rates	513	(1)
Characteristics of Remarriage	514	(1)
Marital Satisfaction and Stability	515	(1)
Blended Families	516	(10)
A Different Kind of Family	516	(1)
The Developmental Stages of Stepfamilies	517	(3)
Problems of Women and Men in Stepfamilies	520	(2)
Conflict in Stepfamilies	522	(3)
Stepfamily Strengths	525	(1)
Summary	526	(5)
Marriage and Family Strengths and Needs
Recurring Themes of This Book	531	(3)
Families Are Dynamic	531	(1)
Families Are Diverse	531	(1)
Families Satisfy Important Societal and Personal Needs	532	(1)
Families Need Societal Support	532	(2)
Marital and Family Strengths	534	(10)
Marital Strengths	534	(1)
Family Strengths	535	(1)
Ten Characteristics of Strong Families	536	(8)
Different Families, Different Strengths	544	(4)
Family Strengths and Ethnic Identity	544	(4)
Family Strengths and Family Form	548	(1)
Kin and Community	548	(3)
Intimacy Needs	549	(1)
The Extended Family: Helping Kin	549	(1)
Affiliative Kin	550	(1)
Friendship	550	(1)
Family in the Community	550	(1)
Strengthening Families through Family Policy	551	(2)
Summary	553	(2)
Appendix A: Sexual Structure and the Sexual Response Cycle	555	(8)
Appendix B: Pregnancy, Conception, and Fetal Development	563	(4)
Appendix C: The Budget Process	567	(6)
Glossary	573	(18)
Bibliography	591	(61)
Photo Credits	652	(1)
Indexes	653