the neo-conventional family - chester

• Chester's view


  sees family diversity in slightly different way to functionalists & new right
• what does Chester argue the important change is?


  a move from the dominance of the traditional / conventional nuclear family to the 'neo-conventional' family
• neo-conventional family 


  -dual-earner family with both spouses going out to work

  -similar to symmetrical family (Young & Willmott)
• Chester doesn't see evidence of major change


  -most people aren't choosing to live in alternatives to nuclear family on long term basis
• life cycle process


  -Chester argues when people aren't part of a nuclear family it's due to the life cycle

  -either have been in nuclear family or will be in future
• patterns identified by Chester supporting that the nuclear family continues 


  -most people live in a household headed by a married couple

  -most adults marry and have children, children reared by natural parents

  -most marriages continue until death, most divorcees remarry

  -cohabitation has increased (usually temporary phase)

  -although births outside marriage have increased, most are jointly registered, showing parents are committed to bringing children up as couple