SOC 110 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Symbolic Interactionism, Structural Functionalism, Social Forces
SOC 110
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
The Family
What makes a "Family"?
• Related by blood, marriage, or law
• But what about "Fictive Kin"?
Most experience 2 kinds of family units
• Family of Orientation (or Origin)
o Family that you're born into
• Family of Procreation
o Spouse's family
Families are a kinship system, they connect you to history, culture
They change over time, vary by place
Families, the basic unit of society
What functions do families have?
• Reproduction, nurture/ sustain members
• Educate, socialize cultural norms/ values
• Economic, unit of production, pooling of resource
• Sexual, regulate sexuality (necessary to determine transfer of property, etc.)
Theoretical Approaches
Functionalism
• Families/ members play roles, perform functions that help society prosper
Conflict Theory
• May be inequalities power/ authority in family life, status roles
Symbolic Interactionism
• The family is a symbol, socially constructed, members "play" roles
Evolution of the Nuclear Family
• Results of industrialization/ modernization
• Separates public sphere (work, production) from private sphere (family)
Structural change --> Cultural change
• Compassionate marriage ( for love) replaces arranged marriage
• Technology led to "dating" (1920's)
• "traditional", nuclear, middle class family emerges (1940's)
Contemporary Parenting
What is "good" parenting?
• Intensive, helicopter parenting vs functional parenting =/ free-range kids
• Lots of conflict over norms
Parenting norms vary widely by culture
• Examples: children traveling alone
And vary over time
• Example: right to roam
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
The "Modern" Family
Contemporary Structural & Cultural changes make the "traditional family" hard to maintain
Contemporary changes:
• Delayed marriage/ child birth
• More cohabitation (committed relationship but not married), dual bread winner
• Less divorce
• More single parent (women more likely), matriarchal
• More gay/lesbian families
Social Forces Shape Families
Labor market changes:
• Loss of jobs that provide a "family wage"/benefits, 24/7 economy, etc.
Gender division of labor:
• More women employed & men are doing more childcare but care/household inequalities
= "second shift"
Social Policies can help or hinder:
• Childcare, family leave, benefits, etc.
Family Law (Nov. 14)
Why is marriage so political?
• Represents cultural values of a society
• It is a system of rights and privileges
• Norms and benefits often taken for granted
Historical Restrictions on marriage:
• Cousin marriage
• Miscegenation (interracial marriage)
• Marriage equality movement
Some Important Questions
Do we as a society really value marriage and families?
Have people given up on families?
Is the family in decline or better off?
• Example of intimate partner violence
Key Point: our value and desire for marriage has NOT changed, BUT our patterns of formation
and dissolution have
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Most experience 2 kinds of family units: family of orientation (or origin, family that you"re born into, family of procreation, spouse"s family. Families are a kinship system, they connect you to history, culture. What functions do families have: reproduction, nurture/ sustain members, educate, socialize cultural norms/ values, economic, unit of production, pooling of resource, sexual, regulate sexuality (necessary to determine transfer of property, etc. ) Functionalism: families/ members play roles, perform functions that help society prosper. Conflict theory: may be inequalities power/ authority in family life, status roles. Symbolic interactionism: the family is a symbol, socially constructed, members play roles. Evolution of the nuclear family: results of industrialization/ modernization, separates public sphere (work, production) from private sphere (family) Structural change --> cultural change: compassionate marriage ( for love) replaces arranged marriage, technology led to dating (1920"s) Intensive, helicopter parenting vs functional parenting =/ free-range kids. Parenting norms vary widely by culture: examples: children traveling alone.
