Marriages And Families: Diversity And Change

by Schwartz, Mary Ann A.; Scott, BarBara Marliene

• ISBN13: 9780132287692
• ISBN10: 0132287692
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Pearson College Div

Summary

Taking an historical, cross-cultural, and global approach, this book focuses on the link between social structure and theeveryday livesof people's diverse experiences of marriages, families, and intimate relationships. It shows how contemporary families go well beyond the traditional, heterosexual, two-parent, white, middle class family and heterosexual legally-sanctioned marriage; challenges the assumption that one culture's way of doing things is the "natural" or "right" way; shows how marriage and family life have changed historically over time and from place to place; and how political and economic globalization impacts families worldwide. Features extensive boxed material accompanied by questions for personal reflection.Marriages and Families Over Time. Ways of Studying and Explaining Marriages and Families. Understanding Gender: Its Influence In Intimate Relationships. The Many Faces of Love. Dating, Coupling, and Mate Selection. Sexuality and Intimate Relationships. Nonmarital Lifestyles. The Marriage Experience. Reproduction and Parenting. Evolving Work and Family Structures. Violence and Abuse. The Process of Uncoupling: Divorce in the United States. Remarriage and Remarried Families. Families in Later Life. Marriages and Families in the Twenty-first Century: U.S. and World Trends.For anyone interested in marriage and family dynamics, including individuals, counselors, nurses, social workers, home economists, etc.

Table of Contents

Boxes	p. xv
Preface	p. xvii
About the Authors	p. xxiii
Marriages and Families Over Time	p. 1
Contemporary Definitions of Marriages and Families	p. 3
What Is Marriage?	p. 3
What Is a Family?	p. 4
Race, Class, and Gender	p. 5
Family Functions and the Debate over Family Values	p. 6
Social Functions of Families	p. 6
Contrasting Views of Families	p. 8
Debunking Myths about Marriages and Families	p. 12
The Universal Nuclear Family	p. 14
The Self-Reliant Traditional Family	p. 15
The Naturalness of Different Spheres for Wives and Husbands	p. 15
The Unstable African American Family	p. 15
Families in Early America	p. 16
Colonial Families	p. 17
African American Families under Slavery	p. 18
Free African American Families	p. 19
Slavery's Hidden Legacy: Racial Mixing	p. 20
Native American Families	p. 21
Families in the Nineteenth Century	p. 22
Emergence of the Good Provider Role	p. 22
The Cult of Domesticity	p. 22
Changing Views of Childhood	p. 22
The Impact of Class and Ethnicity	p. 23
Immigration and Family Life	p. 23
The Economic Roles of Women and Children	p. 23
Ethnic and Racial Family Patterns	p. 23
Mexican American Families	p. 24
Families in the Twentieth Century	p. 25
The Emergence of the Companionate Family	p. 25
The Great Depression	p. 25
World War II and Its Aftermath	p. 25
Changing Patterns of Immigration	p. 26
Lessons from History	p. 27
Contemporary Patterns in Marriages and Families	p. 27
Looking Ahead: Marriages and Families in the Future	p. 28
The Sociological Imagination	p. 28
Writing Your Own Script	p. 29
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 30
Summary	p. 30
Key Terms	p. 31
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 31
Additional Resources	p. 31
Ways of Studying and Explaining Marriages and Families	p. 33
The Sociology of Marriages and Families	p. 36
Studying Marriages and Families: The Link between Research and Theory	p. 36
Methodological Techniques in the Study of Marriages and Families	p. 37
Surveys	p. 40
Observation	p. 41
Case Studies	p. 42
Ethnography	p. 43
Scientific Methodologies Used by Feminist Researchers	p. 43
A Critical Look at Traditional Research on Marriages and Families	p. 44
A More Inclusive Sociology	p. 44
Contemporary Marriage and Family Scholarship	p. 46
Theoretical Perspectives	p. 47
Structural Functionalism	p. 47
Conflict Theory	p. 50
Symbolic Interactionism	p. 53
Social Constructionism	p. 53
Social Exchange Theory	p. 55
The Developmental Family Life Cycle Model	p. 56
Feminist Theories and Perspectives	p. 56
Men's Studies and Marriage and Family Research	p. 59
Men in Families	p. 59
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 61
Summary	p. 61
Key Terms	p. 62
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 62
Additional Resources	p. 63
Understanding Gender: Its Influence in Intimate Relationships	p. 64
Distinguishing Sex and Gender Roles	p. 65
The Process of Sex Differentiation	p. 65
Gender Differences: The Nature-Nurture Debate	p. 67
Traditional Meanings of Femininity and Masculinity	p. 69
Traditional Gender Roles: Female and Male	p. 69
Gender Variations: Race, Class, and Culture	p. 70
Gender Roles in Transition	p. 70
Theories of Gender Role Socialization	p. 72
Psychoanalytic/Identification Theory	p. 73
Social-Learning Theory	p. 74
Cognitive-Development Theory	p. 75
Enculturated-Lens Theory	p. 76
Agents of Socialization	p. 76
Parents	p. 76
Language	p. 77
Peers	p. 78
Play and Organized Sports	p. 78
Teachers and School Organization	p. 79
The Mass Media	p. 80
Consequences of Gender Stereotyping	p. 84
Lifestyle Choices	p. 84
Self-Esteem	p. 84
Self-Confidence	p. 85
Mental Health	p. 86
Women, Men, and Friends	p. 87
Patterns of Communication	p. 88
Changing Realities, Changing Roles	p. 88
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 89
Summary	p. 89
Key Terms	p. 89
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 90
Additional Resources	p. 90
The Many Faces of Love	p. 91
What Is This Thing Called Love?	p. 93
Love as a Social Construction	p. 94
How Does Romantic Love Develop in Contemporary Society?	p. 94
Love in Western Society: A Historical Perspective	p. 95
The Importance of Love	p. 98
How Do People Express Love?	p. 100
Lee's Six Styles of Loving	p. 101
Love Versus Friendship, Infatuation, and Liking	p. 102
Close Friendship Versus Love	p. 102
Infatuation Versus Love	p. 104
Liking Versus Love	p. 104
Some Theories of Love	p. 105
The Wheel Theory of Love	p. 105
The Theory of Love as a Story	p. 107
Love Stories	p. 107
Love as a Social Exchange	p. 108
Love as Limerence	p. 108
Love Across Gender, Sexuality, and Race	p. 110
Gender Differences in Love Relationships	p. 110
Lesbian and Gay Love Relationships	p. 111
Female-Male Relationships Across Race and Ethnicity	p. 112
Obstacles to Love and Loving Relationships	p. 115
Demographic Factors and Social and Cultural Change	p. 115
Traditional Gender Role Socialization	p. 116
Patriarchy as an Obstacle to Lesbian Love	p. 116
Lack of Trust	p. 117
Jealousy and Envy	p. 117
Romantic Love Today	p. 120
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 120
Summary	p. 121
Key Terms	p. 122
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 122
Additional Resources	p. 123
Dating, Coupling, and Mate Selection	p. 125
Mate Selection in Cross-Cultural and Historical Perspective	p. 127
Mate Selection Cross-Culturally	p. 127
Mate Selection in the United States: A Historical Perspective	p. 129
Dating Among Later-Life Adults	p. 132
Functions of Dating: Past and Present	p. 133
The Intersections of Race, Gender, Class, and Sexual Orientation	p. 135
Dating Patterns Among African Americans	p. 135
The Impact of Gender	p. 137
The Impact of Social Class on the Dating Process	p. 138
Lesbian and Gay Dating	p. 139
Theories of Mate Selection	p. 141
Exchange Theories	p. 141
Filter Theories	p. 142
Mate Selection: Finding and Meeting Partners	p. 142
The Marriage Market and the Pool of Eligibles	p. 143
Freedom Versus Constraint in Mate Selection	p. 144
Other Factors that Affect Mate Selection	p. 150
Personal Qualities and Mate Selection	p. 150
Meeting Partners: Where and How	p. 151
School, Church, and Work	p. 151
Singles' Bars and Gay Bars	p. 153
Self-Advertising: Personal Ads	p. 153
Dating Clubs and Dating Services	p. 154
Computer Dating and the Internet	p. 154
Dating in Cyberspace	p. 155
The Future of Dating	p. 157
Violence in Dating and Intimate Relationships	p. 158
Physical Abuse	p. 158
Date and Acquaintance Rape	p. 159
Breaking up	p. 162
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 162
Summary	p. 164
Key Terms	p. 164
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 164
Additional Resources	p. 165
Sexuality and Intimate Relationships	p. 166
Human Sexuality: Past and Present	p. 169
Jewish Traditions and Human Sexuality	p. 170
Christian Traditions and Human Sexuality	p. 170
Sexuality in the United States: An Overview	p. 170
Sexual Attitudes and Behavior in the Twentieth Century and Beyond	p. 172
Sexuality as Social Learning	p. 179
Sources of Sexual Learning	p. 181
Sexual Orientations	p. 188
Heterosexuality	p. 188
Homosexuality	p. 189
Bisexuality	p. 191
Human Sexual Expression	p. 191
Sexual Response	p. 191
Autoeroticism	p. 191
Interpersonal Sexual Behavior	p. 193
Sexual Expression Among Lesbians and Gays	p. 194
Sexuality Across the Life Cycle	p. 195
Nonmarried Sexuality and Pregnancy	p. 195
Marital Sexuality: Does Good Sex Make Good Marriages?	p. 199
Extramarital Sexuality	p. 199
Postmarital Sexuality	p. 202
Sexuality and Aging	p. 202
Sexual Dysfunctions	p. 204
Sexual Responsibility: Protecting Yourself from AIDS and Other STDS	p. 206
AIDS	p. 206
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 212
Summary	p. 212
Key Terms	p. 213
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 213
Additional Resources	p. 213
Living Single, Living with Others: Nonmarital Lifestyles	p. 215
Historical Perspectives	p. 217
Singlehood in Early America	p. 217
Singlehood in the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries	p. 218
Singlehood Today: Current Demographic Trends	p. 219
Demystifying Singlehood	p. 220
Individual Decision Making	p. 220
The Influence of Social and Economic Forces	p. 220
Types of Singles	p. 221
Advantages and Disadvantages of Singlehood	p. 221
Single Lifestyles	p. 223
Income	p. 224
Support Networks	p. 225
Happiness and Life Satisfaction	p. 225
The Never-Married in Later Life	p. 226
Heterosexual Cohabitation	p. 227
Historical Perspectives	p. 227
The Meaning of Cohabitation Today	p. 228
Reasons for Cohabitation	p. 229
Advantages and Disadvantages of Cohabitation	p. 231
Cohabitation and the Division of Labor	p. 231
Cohabitation and Marital Stability	p. 232
Cohabitation and the Law	p. 232
Lesbian and Gay Relationships	p. 234
Methodological Issues	p. 234
Demystifying Lesbian and Gay Relationships	p. 234
Living Together: Domestic Tasks, Finances, and Decision Making	p. 235
The Social and Legal Context of Lesbian and Gay Relationships	p. 236
Elderly Lesbians and Gays	p. 237
Communal Living and Group Marriage	p. 237
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Communal Lifestyle	p. 237
Communes, Shared Housing, and the Future	p. 238
Group Marriages	p. 239
Supporting Nonmarried Adults	p. 239
Summary	p. 240
Key Terms	p. 240
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 240
Additional Resources	p. 240
The Marriage Experience	p. 242
Why Do People Marry?	p. 245
Sociological Perspective	p. 246
The Meaning of Marriage	p. 247
Marriage as a Commitment	p. 247
Marriage as a Sacrament	p. 247
Marriage as a Legal Contract	p. 250
Some Legal Aspects of the Marriage Contract	p. 251
Change and Continuity in the Meaning of Marriage	p. 255
Provisions of the Modern Marriage Contract	p. 255
The Marriage Contract Today	p. 256
Marriage Traditions in the United States	p. 257
The Wedding	p. 262
Marriage and Gender	p. 265
"Her" Marriage	p. 265
"His" Marriage	p. 265
Transitions and Adjustments to Marriages	p. 266
A Typology of Marital Relationships	p. 266
Heterogamous Marriages	p. 267
Interracial Marriages	p. 267
Interethnic Marriages	p. 273
Interfaith Marriages	p. 274
Marital Satisfaction, Communication, and Conflict Resolution	p. 275
Successful Marriage	p. 275
Effective Communication	p. 276
Self-Disclosure	p. 278
Conflict and Conflict Resolution	p. 278
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 279
Summary	p. 280
Key Terms	p. 282
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 283
Additional Resources	p. 284
Reproduction and Parenting	p. 285
Historical Overview: Fertility Trends in the United States	p. 287
Current Fertility Patterns	p. 288
To Parent or Not	p. 289
The Costs of Parenthood	p. 289
The Benefits of Parenthood	p. 289
The Social Pressures to Procreate	p. 290
The Child-Free Option	p. 290
Delayed Parenting	p. 291
Controlling Fertility	p. 292
Contraceptive Use	p. 292
Reasons for Not Using Contraceptives	p. 293
Abortion	p. 293
Historical Perspectives	p. 294
Race, Class, and Age	p. 295
Public Attitudes toward Abortion	p. 296
Infertility	p. 296
Causes of Infertility	p. 296
Consequences of Infertility	p. 297
Medical Treatments and Reproductive Technology: Implications for the Meaning of Parenthood	p. 297
Artificial Insemination	p. 297
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)	p. 298
The Choice to Parent	p. 299
Conception	p. 300
Multiple Conception and Births	p. 300
Sex Preference and Selection	p. 301
Pregnancy	p. 302
Prenatal Development and Care	p. 302
Prenatal Problems and Defects	p. 303
Expectant Fathers	p. 306
The Cultural Double Bind	p. 306
Parental Adjustments, Adaptations, and Patterns of Child Rearing	p. 307
Parental Roles	p. 308
Gender Differences in the Experience of Parenthood	p. 311
Styles of Parenting	p. 312
Race and Class	p. 314
Lesbian and Gay Parents	p. 320
Single Parents	p. 321
Teenaged Parents	p. 324
Supporting Parents and Children	p. 326
Summary	p. 327
Key Terms	p. 327
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 328
Additional Resources	p. 328
Evolving Work and Family Structures	p. 329
The Work-Family Connection	p. 331
The Transformation of Work and Family Roles	p. 333
Variations by Race, Gender, and Marital Status	p. 334
Reasons Women Work	p. 334
Work and Family Structures	p. 334
Traditional Nuclear Families, Including Stay-at-Home Dads	p. 334
The Two-Person Career	p. 335
Dual-Earner Families	p. 336
Commuter Marriages	p. 336
The Impact of Work on Family Relationships	p. 337
Marital Power and Decision Making	p. 337
Marital Happiness and Satisfaction	p. 338
Husbands and the Division of Household Labor	p. 339
Child Care	p. 342
Inequities in the Workplace: Consequences for Families	p. 345
Occupational Distribution	p. 345
The Race-Gender Gap in Earnings: Good News and Bad News	p. 346
The Union Difference	p. 347
Sexual Harassment	p. 348
The Economic Well-Being of Families	p. 349
Economic Uncertainty: The Widening Income Gap	p. 350
Who Are the Poor?	p. 352
Unemployment and Underemployment	p. 353
Unemployment and Marital Functioning	p. 353
Balancing Work and Family: Restructuring the Workplace	p. 357
Family-Friendly Policies and Benefits	p. 357
Continuing Progress or Retrenchment?	p. 358
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 359
Summary	p. 359
Key Terms	p. 360
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 360
Additional Resources	p. 360
Power, Abuse, and Violence in Intimate Relationships	p. 362
The Roots of Family Violence: A Historical Context	p. 364
Violence against Women	p. 364
Violence against Children	p. 365
Violence against the Elderly	p. 365
Violence against Siblings	p. 366
Myths About Violence and Abuse	p. 366
Family Violence and U.S. Culture	p. 367
The Media	p. 368
Physical Assault: The Case of Battered Women	p. 370
What Is Woman Battering?	p. 372
How Prevalent Is Woman Battering?	p. 373
Theories of Spousal or Partner Abuse	p. 375
Why Do Women Remain in Abusive Relationships?	p. 377
Confronting Intimate Violence	p. 378
The Sexual Assault of Women	p. 379
Rape Myths	p. 380
Rape and Race	p. 380
Blaming the Victim	p. 380
Marital Rape	p. 380
The Criminal Justice Response to Woman Assault	p. 382
Attitudes and Behaviors	p. 382
Have We Made Progress?	p. 384
The Effects of Physical and Sexual Assault on Women	p. 385
Coping and Survival Strategies	p. 385
Psychological and Emotional Strategies	p. 385
Self-Destructive Strategies	p. 385
Fighting Back	p. 386
A Comparative Look at Battered Men	p. 386
Child Assault and Abuse	p. 387
The Physical Assault of Children	p. 389
The Sexual Assault of Children	p. 391
Elder Abuse in the United States	p. 393
What Is Elder Abuse?	p. 394
Who Are the Abused and the Abusers?	p. 394
Sibling Abuse	p. 395
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 396
Summary	p. 397
Key Terms	p. 397
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 397
Additional Resources	p. 398
The Process of Uncoupling: Divorce in the United States	p. 399
Historical Perspectives	p. 402
Divorce in Early America	p. 402
Divorce in Nineteenth-Century America	p. 402
Twentieth-Century America: Efforts at Reform	p. 403
Current Trends: How Many Marriages End in Divorce?	p. 404
Who Is Likely to Divorce?	p. 406
Divorce Among African Americans	p. 406
Divorce Among Latinas/os	p. 406
Divorce Among Asian Americans	p. 407
Factors Affecting Marital Stability	p. 407
Age at First Marriage	p. 408
Education	p. 408
Income	p. 408
Religion	p. 408
Parental Divorce	p. 409
Cohabitation	p. 409
Presence of Children	p. 409
The Process of Divorce	p. 410
Stages in the Divorce Process	p. 410
The Six Stations of Divorce	p. 412
Other Forms of Marital Disruption	p. 413
The Causes of Divorce	p. 413
Societal Factors	p. 413
From the Perspective of Divorced People	p. 414
From the Perspective of Family Therapists and Matrimonial Lawyers	p. 415
The Impact of Divorce on Spouses	p. 416
Common Consequences of Divorce	p. 416
Gender Differences in Divorce	p. 418
Recovering from Divorce	p. 421
The Impact of Divorce on Children	p. 422
Short-Term versus Long-Term Effects of Divorce on Children	p. 422
Children and Divorce in Other Countries	p. 423
Changing Patterns in Child Custody	p. 424
Sole Custody	p. 424
Joint Custody	p. 424
Which Is Better, Sole or Joint Custody?	p. 425
When Things Go Wrong: Family Abduction	p. 427
Reaching Accord: Counseling, Collaborative Law, and Mediation	p. 427
The Renewed Debate: Should Parents Stay Married for the Sake of Their Children?	p. 428
Supporting Marriages and Families	p. 428
Summary	p. 429
Key Terms	p. 429
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 429
Additional Resources	p. 430
Remarriage and Remarried Families	p. 431
Historical Perspective	p. 435
Cultural Images of Stepfamilies	p. 435
The Process of Remarriage	p. 436
Dating and Courtship Patterns	p. 436
The Decision to Remarry	p. 437
Patterns of Remarriage	p. 437
The Stations of Remarriage	p. 439
Remarrying a Former Spouse	p. 441
The Development of Remarried Families	p. 441
Remarried Families: Roles, Interactions, and Reactions	p. 441
Children and the Remarriage Service	p. 441
Children and the Honeymoon	p. 444
Children in Remarried Families	p. 444
Adult Children's Reaction to Parental Later-Life Remarriages	p. 449
Stepmothers: A Bad Rap?	p. 449
Stepfathers: Polite Strangers?	p. 450
Lesbian and Gay Stepfamilies	p. 451
Ex-Spouses: Do They Fade Away?	p. 452
The Strengths and Benefits of Remarried Families	p. 452
The Quality of the Remarital Relationship	p. 453
Stability in Remarriage	p. 454
Supporting Remarriage and Remarried Families	p. 455
Summary	p. 456
Key Terms	p. 457
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 457
Additional Resources	p. 457
Marriages and Families in Later Life	p. 459
Characteristics of Later-Life Families	p. 461
The Sandwich Generation	p. 461
Diversity in the Family Life Cycle	p. 462
Changing Age Norms	p. 462
The Demographics of Aging: Defining "Old"	p. 463
Age Categories of the Elderly	p. 463
Gender and Marital Status	p. 463
Race, Ethnicity, and Class	p. 464
Poverty Among the Elderly	p. 465
Living Arrangements	p. 465
Housing Patterns	p. 467
Marriages in Later Life	p. 467
Marital Quality and Satisfaction	p. 468
Adjustment to Retirement	p. 468
Intergenerational Relationships: Contact and Social Exchanges	p. 470
Quality of Relationships	p. 470
Evolving Patterns of Kinship: Grandparenthood	p. 470
Styles of Grandparenting	p. 471
Benefits and Conflicts	p. 472
Great-Grandparenthood	p. 474
The Child-Free Elderly	p. 474
Sibling Relationships	p. 475
Health and Illness	p. 475
Family Caregiving	p. 477
The Spouse as Caregiver	p. 477
Adult Children as Caregivers	p. 478
Children as Caregivers	p. 479
The Stresses and Rewards of Elderly Caregiving	p. 480
The Experience of Widowhood	p. 480
Stages of Widowhood	p. 480
Gender Differences in Widowhood	p. 482
Beyond Widowhood	p. 483
Lesbian and Gay Elderly	p. 484
Supporting Families in Later Life	p. 485
Summary	p. 485
Key Terms	p. 485
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 486
Additional Resources	p. 486
Marriages and Families in the Twenty-First Century: U.S. and World Trends	p. 487
Globalization: Its Economic Impact on Children and Families	p. 489
Inequities in Income and Wealth	p. 490
Health and Health Care	p. 491
Access to Health Care	p. 492
Trends in Drug Use and Associated Health Problems	p. 495
Alcohol Use and Abuse	p. 497
Addiction: A Family Problem	p. 497
Differential Life Chances: Death and Disease	p. 498
Families Coping with Loss: Dying and Death	p. 499
The Process of Dying	p. 500
The Needs and Tasks of the Dying	p. 500
National Mourning	p. 501
Death of a Child	p. 501
Death of a Sibling	p. 501
Death of a Parent	p. 501
Death of a Spouse or Partner	p. 502
Suicide	p. 502
AIDS	p. 502
Disenfranchised Grief	p. 503
The Right-to-Die Movement	p. 503
The Challenge of Racism and Ethnic and Religious Discrimination in Family Life	p. 503
Racism at Home and Abroad	p. 504
The Domestic and Global Challenge: Immigration, Migration, and Mass Displacement	p. 507
Safety and Security: Gangs, Street Violence, and Violence in America's Schools	p. 512
Gangs	p. 512
Street Violence	p. 513
Youth Violence	p. 513
Violence in Schools	p. 514
Terrorism and War	p. 514
Terrorism in the United States	p. 515
War	p. 515
Meeting the Needs of Children: Foster Care and Adoption	p. 520
Problems Confronting Foster Care	p. 520
Becoming Parents through Adoption	p. 521
Who Can Adopt? Characteristics and Current Controversies	p. 521
International Adoptions	p. 522
Transracial (Interracial) Adoptions	p. 522
Supporting Children and Families Here and Abroad	p. 524
Summary	p. 525
Key Terms	p. 526
Questions for Study and Reflection	p. 526
Additional Resources	p. 527
Sexual Dysfunctions and Sexually Transmitted Diseases	p. 528
Human Anatomy and Reproduction	p. 532
Methods of Abortion	p. 535
Methods of Birth Control	p. 536
Glossary	p. 540
References	p. 547
Photo Credits	p. 598
Name Index	p. 599
Subject Index	p. 603
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