Sociology 2202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-2: Nuclear Family, Parental Controls
11 Jan 2017
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Soc 2202 – Chapter 1 and 2 notes
Connidis
Pg. 3-13, 22-24, 25-49
• Over time the nuclear family model has become less applicable as more families break the
traditional pattern through cohabitation, divorce, single parents, opting not to have children,
and remarriage
• An essential fact about the family is that it doesn't take one fixed form – continuity is a
central element of relationships later in life
o Change in the nature of past relationships may also occur in response to other changes
associated with aging
o Widowhood may lead to a reorganization of family ties and more time spent with other
family members
o Retirement may alter the martial relationships, and health declines may lead to shifts in
helping patterns and dependency
• Several myths about family life persist despite numerous studies over the years discrediting
them
o Myth – today's elderly are neglected or abandoned by their families, especially their
children
▪ The Golden Age Myth assumes a better past for older people, based on assuming
that three-generation households were typical in times gone by, that they signify
better family relationships, and that the respect accorded older individuals in the past
can be equated with affection
o Myth - Many have argued that a major reason for the shift toward living alone in old age
has been the improved financial situation of older individuals
▪ Improved economic conditions interacted with both class and gender to create
different outcomes among old family members
• Family ties beyond the nuclear family household operate on a principle of revocable
detachment wherein "dormant emotional ties can be mobilized when they are needed or
desired"
o Although extended family doesn't typically live together, multiple generations are
available to one another when needed
o Grandparents are also able to live longer to get to know their grandchildren and even
their great-grandchildren
• The potential for conflict in families may be greater today, due to the demands and
expectations on families as a source of personal identity and satisfaction in life – a potential
source of guilt and conflict
• Negative changes don't necessarily have negative consequences – changes in family life may
reflect the resilience of this social institution rather than its decline
o The tendency to focus on the negative consequences of change is part of a larger
phenomenon of looking at family life in relative terms
• A problematic assumption embedded in much research on the family is that all members of a
family share uniform experiences of family membership
• Vertical Family Structure or Beanpole Family is used to describe the increased number of
surviving generations coupled with
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