FAMILY (CHAPT 14)
 
From earlier chapters: Interaction "refers to the ways in which people 
respond to to one another, whether face to face or over the telephone or over
the computer, or any place else they can communicate (letters).

We define our social reality in many ways SOCIAL STRUCTURE: The predictable 
relationships that emerge from our interaction, from our norms, and from 
our institutions.

An INSTITUTION is a highly regulated and predictable set of social practices
that guide social and cultural practices (eg, marriage, religion, education).
 
DEFINITION:  SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ORGANIZED PATTERNS OF BEHAVIORS CENTERED 
AROUND BASIC SOCIAL NEEDS.

One way we define our world, hold it together, and create a meaningful
existence, is through these institutions.

SCHAEFFER COVERS FOUR BASIC INSTITUTIONS:
   1.  FAMILY
   2.  RELIGION
   3.  GOVERNMENT/POLITICS
   4.  THE ECONOMY
   5.  EDUCATION


DEF: FAMILY IS A SET OF PERSONS RELATED BY BLOOD, MARRIAGE, OR
SOMEOTHER AGREED-UPON RELATIONSHIP, WHO SHARE PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPRODUCING AND/OR CARING FOR ITS MEMBERS.
ThEY ARE A PRIMARY GROUP.  They live together with commitment,
form and economic unit, and care for any young, and consider
their (family) identity to be important to the group.
 
KINSHIP: A social network of people based on common ancestry,
marriage, or adoption.
 
TYPES:
 
1) FAMILY OF ORIENTATION: The family into which a person is born
and in which early socialization usually takes place.
 
2) FAMILY OF PROCREATION: The family that a person forms by
having or adopting children
 
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAMILIES:
 
 1. EXTENDED--composed of variety of relatives (parents, grand
              parents, etc)
 
 2. NUCLEAR--one or two parents and dependent children
This is the type of family that we think of, but it's changing
 
FAMILIES DO THE FOLLOWING:
 
 1. DIVISION OF LABOR
 
    A. CHILD REARING
    B. SUPPORT SYSTEM (INTERNAL)
    C. SUPPORT SYSTEM (EXTERNAL)
    D. REPRODUCE SOCIETY (EXPLAIN)
 
 2. SEXUAL REGUALATIONS

    A. MONOGAMY

    B. SERIAL MONOGAMY

    C.POLYGAMY (SEVERAL SPOUSES) (HISTORICALLY MOST-COMMON)
       1) POLYGYNY--MULTIPLE WIVES AT ONCE
       2) POLYANDRY (MULTIPLE HUSBANDS)

    D. POWER/AUTHORITY: WHO RULES?

       1) MATRIARCHY
       2) PATRIARCHY
       3) EGALITARIAN

    E. SOCIALIZATION
       1) GENDER ROLES
       2) VIOLENCE
       3) PROBLEM SOLVING
       4) VALUES
       5) CULTURE, ETC
 
HOW DO FAMILIES START:
 
   A. COURTSHIP:RITUAL "GAMES":
       1) LANGUAGE
       2)INITIATING, CUES, ETC
       3) DATING BEHAVIOR
       4) LIVING TOGETHER
 
   B. MATE SELECTION
 
      1) EXOGAMY--OUTSIDE THE GROUP
      2) ENDOGAMY--WITHIN THE GROUP
      3) HOMOGAMY--MARRYING THOSE "LIKE" US
 
   C. LOVE/LUST
 
   D. MISCELLANEOUS VARIABLES:
      1) CLASS--
      2) RACE
      3) ETHNICITY
 
NOTE: 90 pct of men & women marry at least once --

HOW DO FAMILIES END?
   A. DEATH (TRAUMATIC--MORE FOR MEN)
   B. "FATALISTIC" -- LOVE/LUST GOES
   C. DIVORCE--MOST COMMON
 
    What causes divorce? (these are *variables,* not "causes)
      --Generally, divorce rates are up, marriage rates down
      --difficult to interpret stats
      --Marriage at an early age
      --Short acquaintanceship before marriage
      --Disapproval of marriage by friends/relatives
      --Limited economic resources
      --Limited education
      --Parents who are divorced or have unhappy marriages
      --Presence of children at the BEGINNING of a marriage
 
4. SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES
   --1970: 89 pct of whites were two parent; 79 pct in '00
     (2 pct v 5 pct of single parent homes were fathers)
   --for African americans: 68 pct ('70) 45 pct '00) were
     two-parent; 47 pct one-parent mothers
  --SINGLE FATHERS MORE COMMON---"GOOD" IN THAT THEY BECOME MORE 
    "PEOPLE" ORIENTED

   --Generally, divorce rates are up, marriage rates down


6. ALTERNATIVES TO MARRIAGE

   A. REMAINING SINGLE 
    FOR ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES
 (TIE TO WOMEN---BETTER FOR THEM)

   B. COHABITATION

   C. COMMUNES (KIBBUTZ, ETC)
 
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES
 
Know functionalist, conflict/feminist, symbolic interactionist
and postmodernist persepctives

A. Functionalists: Families function for reproduction, protection, etc
   
B. Conflict view: Looks a families as contributor in inequality and
instability and patricarch

C. Interactionists: Focus on the process of DOING family (eg, division
of labor, forms of intimacy, gender roles)

D. Feminists: on patriarchy and gender power asymmetries

 
WELFARE AND FAMILIES:
ANSWERS TO THE MYTHS (Know for final):
 
1) Most welware recipients are Black
 
False. It's about 40 pct Black, 40 pct white
 
2) Most welfare recipients don't want to work
 
False. Most are minor children. The adults generally want to work
but either can't, or can't find suitable work. Many states now
have "must work" laws that require recipients to find employment
with a specified period of time or leave the welfare roles
 
3) Most welfare recipients are young, unwed mothers
 
False. Most are children. Most reports indicate that fewer than
10 percent are unwed teenages.
 
4) Most welfare recipients have lots of kids
 
False. Most welfare adults have 3 or fewer children. In fact,
some studies indicate that the recipients generally have fewer
than the national average. Some students have found the average
to be only 1.9
 
5) Most welfare recipients blow their welfare checks on drugs
 
False. While there is considerable substance abuse among the
poor, mose welfare recipient simply don't make enough to support
a drug habit.  There is no evidence to indicate that a
significant number diverts their cash to drugs.
 
6) Most welfare recipients spend most (if not all) of their life
in welfare
 
False. About 80 percent are on for under four years
 
7) Many, perhaps most, welfare recipients have additional
   children so they can collect larger checks
 
False. The number of children of welfare recipients is comparable
to the national average. Further, studies show no significant
increase in the birthrates of mothers on welfare.
 
8) When we look at government economic assistance to people, the
   bulk of goverment's money goes to what group?
 
Trick question (ie, GOV'T ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE is the key phrase).
Senior citizens derive the bulk (social security, subsized health
care, and related benefits)

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