Changing family patterns

• What major changes have occurred in family patterns over the past 40 or 50 years?

  More people live alone and have fewer children
• How does divorce contribute to changing family patterns?

  It creates lone-parent families and one-person households
• By how much did the number of divorces in the UK increase between 1961 and 1972?

  It doubled twice
• What percentage of marriages end in divorce?

  About 40%
• What is one reason for the decline in divorces since the 1990s?

  Fewer people are marrying and choosing to cohabit
• What percentage of divorce petitions come from women?

  About 65%
• What are the three kinds of legal changes that have made divorce easier to obtain?

  • Equalising grounds for divorce between sexes
  • Widening grounds for divorce
  • Making divorce cheaper
• What is desertion in the context of marriage?

  One partner leaves but remains legally married
• What is a legal separation?

  Couples separate financial affairs but remain married
• What characterizes an 'empty shell' marriage?

  Couples live together but are emotionally detached
• How has the stigma attached to divorce changed over time?

  It has declined, making divorce more acceptable
• What does secularisation refer to in the context of divorce?

  Decline in the influence of religion in society
• How has women's financial independence affected divorce rates?

  Women can support themselves and seek divorce
• What are the factors contributing to women's increased financial independence?

  • More women in paid work
  • Narrowing pay gap due to laws
  • Greater educational success for girls
  • Availability of welfare benefits
• What is the individualisation thesis proposed by Beck and Giddens?

  Individuals pursue self-interest over traditional norms
• What do modern relationships seek according to the individualisation thesis?

  Pure relationships that satisfy personal needs
• What are the perspectives on high divorce rates (HDR) from different sociological viewpoints?

  • New Right: Undesirable, undermines family
  • Feminists: Desirable, shows women's freedom
  • Postmodernists: Reflects individual choice
  • Functionalists: Higher expectations of marriage
  • Interactionists: Individual meanings of divorce
  • Personal life perspective: Normalized transition in life
• What do New Right theorists believe about high divorce rates?

  They see it as undesirable for social stability
• How do feminists view high divorce rates?

  As a sign of women's liberation from oppression
• What do postmodernists believe high divorce rates indicate?

  Individuals have the freedom to end unsatisfactory relationships
• How do functionalists interpret high divorce rates?

  As a result of higher expectations of marriage
• What do interactionists focus on regarding divorce?

  Understanding individual meanings of divorce
• What does the personal life perspective say about divorce?

  It is normalized and can adapt without disintegration
• What are the recent changes in marriage patterns?

  • Fewer people are marrying
  • More re-marriages
  • Couples less likely to marry in church
• What is the current trend in marriage rates?

  Marriage rates are at their lowest since the 1920s
• What is 'serial monogamy'?

  A pattern of marriage-divorce-remarriage
• What are the reasons for changing attitudes towards marriage?

  Less pressure to marry and focus on relationship quality
• How has secularisation affected marriage?

  People feel freer to choose not to marry
• What is the current view on alternatives to marriage?

  They are widely regarded as acceptable
• How have changes in women's positions affected marriage patterns?

  Women are less economically dependent on men
• How does fear of divorce influence marriage decisions?

  Some avoid marriage due to high divorce rates
• What are the reasons for the increase in remarriages?

  • Rise in the number of divorces
  • Increased availability of divorcees to remarry
• How has the age of marrying changed?

  Couples are marrying at older ages
• Why are couples less likely to marry in church?

  Secularisation and church refusal to marry divorcees
• What does cohabitation involve?

  An unmarried couple living together sexually
• What factors contribute to the increase in cohabitation?

  Decline in stigma and increased acceptance
• How do young people's views on cohabitation differ from older generations?

  Young people are more likely to accept cohabitation
• How does secularisation affect cohabitation rates?

  Young people with no religion are more likely to cohabit
• What are the different views on cohabitation's relationship with marriage?

  • Step towards marriage for some couples
  • Permanent alternative to marriage for others
  • Diverse meanings and interpretations
• What do many couples see cohabitation as?

  A trial marriage before deciding to marry