Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

CHOICES IN RELATIONSHIPS: AN INTRODUCTION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, students should be able to:

1. Identify the various issues to keep in mind when making interpersonal choices (e.g., not
to decide is to decide; some choices require correction; choices involve trade-offs;
choices include selecting a positive or negative view; choices involve various decision
making styles; choices produce ambivalence; some choices are revocable while others are
not); choices vary with the family life cycle; making wise choices is facilitated by
learning decision making skills.

2. Give examples of global, structural, cultural and media influences on choices.

3. Discuss how ones family of origin, unconscious motivations, habit patterns,

personalities, and previous relationship experiences influence choices in relationships.

4. Identify five elements that define marriage, and four types of marriage.

5. Make the case for marriage in terms of the benefits of marriage and the liabilities of
singlehood.

6 Review the debate over marriage education courses in the public school system and
review the data on their effectiveness.

7. Define family according to the U.S. Census Bureau definition, specify who is excluded
by this definition, and why the definition of who is family? is important. To what
degree are pets and friends commonly regarded as family members?

8. Describe various types of families including the family of origin, family of procreation,
nuclear family, binuclear family, extended family and the traditional/modern/postmodern
family.

9. Identify the differences between marriage and the family in the United States.

10. Explain how the Industrial Revolution affected family life.

11. Describe how marriages and families have changed since 1950.

12. Discuss various theoretical frameworks for viewing marriage and the family, including
social exchange, family life course development, structural-functional, conflict, symbolic
interaction, family systems, social organization, feminist, human ecological,
transpersonal and game frameworks.

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13. Identify the various stages in conducting a research project.

14. Identify seven caveats to keep in mind when reading/evaluating research in marriage and
the family.

TEST QUESTIONS

Multiple Choice

1. Not to decide is to decide means that not making a decision:

a. is a mistake
b. is a negative way of making a decision
c. is to reverse the decision making process
d. is making a decision by default
ANS: D PG: 2 SOURCE: New LO: 1

2. W According to your text, if you dont make a decision to be faithful to your partner,:
a. you will become hedonistic by default
b. you have made a decision to be vulnerable to cheating
c. your partner will not reciprocate your promise of fidelity
d. your lack of moral values will reflect negatively on you
ANS: B PG: 3 SOURCE: New LO: 1

3. Which of the following is close to an irrevocable choice?

a. deciding to marry
b. deciding to have a child
c. deciding to give up religion
d. deciding to end the relationship with ones parents
ANS: B PG: 5 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

4. If you have made a commitment to marry but feel it is a mistake, you should:
a. listen to your senses and act accordingly
b. push through your doubts and marry since wedding ambivalence is common
c. disregard the feelings since your partner may have similar feelings
d. have an affair to see if you truly miss the partner/feel guilty
ANS: A PG: 3 SOURCE: New LO:1

5. The decision making style of most college students is:

a. I am in control
b. I am experimenting and learning
c. I am irresponsible
d. I am struggling but growing
ANS: A PG: 5 SOURCE: New LO: 1

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6. Generation Yers tend to be all of the following except:

a. focus on fun
b. live with parents
c. sacrifice through hard work to achieve economic stability
d. focus on the here and now
ANS: C PG: 6 SOURCE: New LO: 1

7. The price of oil in the Middle East impacting family vacation choices reflects:
a. materialistic values result in moralistic choices
b. the interconnectedness of the European common market
c. Obama economics
d. global influences on choices
ANS: D PG: 7 SOURCE: New LO: 2

8. Individuals in which country report the highest life satisfaction?

a. Switzerland
b. United States
c. Canada
d. Australia
ANS: A PG: 7 SOURCE: New LO: 2

9. W Spouses who believe in the institution of the family:

a. are highly committed to maintaining their marriage
b. believe in the interconnections with religion and the economy
c. do not believe in divorce
d. both a and c
ANS: D PG: 8 SOURCE: New LO: 4

10. Which of the following is not a member of your primary group?

a. your sibling
b. your boss at your primary place of employment
c. your mother
d. your father
ANS: B PG: 8 SOURCE: New LO: 7

11. Which of the following is not a member of your secondary group?

a. your boss
b. your roommate
c. your teacher for this course
d. your sibling
ANS: D PG: 9 SOURCE: New LO: 7

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12. Which tends to be true of Asian and Asian American families?

a. collectivism
b. individualism
c. familism
d. relatism
ANS: A PG: 10 SOURCE: New LO: 2

13. The family and education are:

a. role relationships
b. social institutions
c. normative networks
d. status relationships
ANS: B PG: 7 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 6

14. Two types of include primary and secondary.

a. social institutions
b. social groups
c. social statuses
d. social roles
ANS: B PG: 8 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 2

15. Your coworkers in a job context are an example of a:

a. primary group
b. secondary institution
c. peer role sets
d. secondary group
ANS: D PG: 9 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 2

16. A mother in a family is an example of a .

a. role
b. norm
c. status
d. function
ANS: C PG: 9 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 7

17.W Our identify who we are; our ___________ identify what we do.
a. statuses; roles
b. roles; statuses
c. functions; beliefs
d. beliefs; functions
ANS: A PG: 9 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

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18. If your child needs to go to the doctor and you have a final exam, you are experiencing:
a. family dysfunction
b. status conflict
c. primary group conflict
d. role conflict
ANS: D PG: 10 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 2

19. Role conflict exists when:

a. the expectations of one role conflict with the expectations of another role
b. a person is uncertain about the expectations of a particular role
c. a person intentionally disregards his or her role expectations
d. a person has not properly identified status responsibilities
ANS: A PG: 10 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 2

20. Two central elements of culture include:

a. roles and statuses
b. beliefs and values
c. primary and secondary groups
d. functions and institutions
ANS: B PG: 10 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 2

21.W The sociological imagination shows how affect(s) individual lives.

a. social structure
b. culture
c. unconscious motivations
d. both social structure and culture
ANS: D PG: 10 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 2

22. Mike chose a career and wife similar to his fathers career and wife. This reflects which
influence on ones personal choices?
a. family of origin
b. unconscious motivations
c. habit patterns
d. operant learning
ANS: A PG: 11 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 3

23.W What percent of U.S. adults age 65 or older report having married at least once?
a. less than a quarter
b. over 95%
c. about half
d. 65%
ANS: B PG: 13 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 5

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24. What relationship involves a legal contract and a public ceremony?

a. marriage
b. family
c. domestic partnership
d. cohabitation
ANS: A PG: 13 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 5

25. These marriages result from a heterosexual couple living together and presenting
themselves to the community as married. They are in legal in 10 states and the District of
Columbia.
a. domestic
b. civil union
c. common law
d. both a and b
ANS: C PG: 13 SOURCE: New LO: 10

26. W According to the American Freshmen National Norms data, _______ is the top value.
a. raising a family
b. making a contribution to society
c. enjoying ones career
d. financial success
ANS: D PG: 13 SOURCE: New LO: 3

27. One form of _________ (generic term) is __________ (the specific term).
a. polygamy; polygyny
b. polyandry; polygamy
c. polygyny; polyandry
d. polyandry; polygyny
ANS: A PG: 15 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 9

28. Polygyny is legal in:

a. Hawaii
b. Utah and Arizona
c. California and Nevada
d. no state
ANS: D PG: 15 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 9

29. The term means that one woman is married to several men.
a. polyandry
b. pantogamy
c. polygyny
d. polyamory
ANS: A PG: 18 SOURCE: New LO: 9

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30. The Census Bureau defines family as a group of two or more persons related by all of the
following except:
a. law
b. blood
c. marriage
d. adoption
ANS: A PG: 18 SOURCE: Modified LO: 7

31. The __________ is known as a universal social grouping.

a. nuclear family
b. biparental family
c. monogamous marriage
d. polygamous marriage
ANS: A PG: 21 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

32. The family you begin when you marry and have children is your:
a. family of origin
b. family of orientation
c. monogamous family
d. family of procreation
ANS: D PG: 20 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 9

33. Your family of orientation is:

a. the same as your family of procreation
b. the family you begin a new family in
c. the family you marry into- your new spouse and in-laws
d. the family into which you were born
ANS: D PG: 20 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 9

34.W In contrast to the traditional family, what is an example of a postmodern family?

a. a dual earner family where both spouses work outside the home
b. a role reversal family where the wife earns the income/the father rears the children
c. a gay couple rearing children
d. a one income family where the husband is the breadwinner
ANS: C PG: 21 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 9

35. What state recognizes the marriages between same sex individuals?
a. Massachusetts
b. California
c. Connecticut
d. both Massachusetts and Connecticut
ANS: D PG: 19 SOURCE: New LO: 10

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36. In a Harris Poll, what percent of the surveyed adults regarded pets as family?
a. almost a quarter
b. almost a half
c. almost three-quarters
d. almost 90 percent
ANS: D PG: 19 SOURCE: New LO: 7

37. W The most enduring of all relationships is likely to be that between:

a. parent and child
b. siblings
c. husband and wife
d. mother and father
ANS: B PG: 20 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 7

38. In contrast to the traditional family, an example of the modern family is:
a. a dual earner family where both spouses work outside the home
b. a role reversal family where the wife earns the income/the father rears the children
c. a gay couple rearing children
d. a one income family where the husband is the breadwinner
ANS: A PG: 21 SOURCE: Modified LO: 9

39. Which of the following is not a change in the last half century?
a. death rather than divorce is the way most marriages end
b. marriage is a legitimate focus of scientific study
c. decline in marriage
d. rise in feminism
ANS: A PG: 23 SOURCE: New LO: 12

40. The Industrial Revolution provided the context for the development of:
a. familism
b. individualism
c. hedonism
d. relativism
ANS: B PG: 23 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 11

41. Richman (2008) found that the effect of terrorism on families has been:
a. increased stress
b. increased drinking
c. both a and b
d. neither a nor b
ANS: C PG: 25 SOURCE: New LO: 2

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42.W What is the theoretical framework used most often in studies of marriage and the family?
a. social exchange framework
b. biosocial framework
c. structure function framework
d. family life course development framework
ANS: A PG: 25 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

43. Which theoretical framework views the family as an institution to stabilize society?
a. conflict
b. structural-functionalist
c. family systems
d. symbolic interaction
ANS: B PG: 27 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

44. Conflict theorists regard conflict as:

a. bad for families
b. necessary to stop before escalation begins
c. destructive for children as well as adults
d. natural, normal, necessary for change and growth
ANS: D PG: 28 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

45.W The self-fulfilling prophecy is part of the ______ framework.

a. family systems
b. family development/family life cycle
c. structural-functionalist
d. symbolic interaction
ANS: D PG: 29 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

46. According to the looking-glass self, children who are often criticized by their parents:
a. make poor grades
b. develop negative self-concepts
c. improve themselves in order to gain parental approval
d. have high expectations of a mate
ANS: B PG: 29 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

47. The family life course development framework emphasizes:

a. how families change over time
b. alternative family forms
c. generational patterns in family dynamics
d. the comparative study of families across cultures
ANS: A PG: 26 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

48. Which theoretical framework is concerned with transitions and tasks?

a. family life course development
b. social exchange

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c. symbolic interaction
d. structural-functional
ANS: A PG: 26 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

49. The _______ framework is concerned with family rules of interaction and boundaries.
a. structural-functional
b. systems
c. social exchange
d. conflict
ANS: B PG: 30 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

50. The _______ framework looks at mate selection/interaction in terms of profit and loss.
a. symbolic interaction
b. structural-functional
c. systems
d. social exchange
ANS: D PG: 25 SOURCE: Modified LO: 13

51. A feral child is one who:

a. has been brought up almost exclusively in day care centers
b. has been brought up in foster homes
c. is wild and thought to be brought up by animals
d. is a child genius (sometimes unexplained by social background)
ANS: C PG: 27 SOURCE: New LO: 1

52. The phrase, Most choices are revocable means that:

a. choices can be changed
b. choices have both positive and negative outcomes
c. choices are influenced by society
d. choices are dictated by unwanted authority
ANS: A PG: 5 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

53. The Oneida Community of the 19th and 20th century is known for:
a. homogamy
b. polygyny
c. polyandry
d. pantogamy
ANS: D PG: 18 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 12

54. This theoretical framework looks at how the family interacts with society, communities,
and associations (e.g., churches, schools, hospitals).
a. structure-function
b. symbolic interaction

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c. social organization
d. conflict
ANS: C PG: 31 SOURCE: New LO: 13

55. This theoretical framework looks at the mind, body, and spirit as they interact with the
family.
a. symbolic world
b. transpersonal psychology
c. inter cranial psychology
d. mystical psychology
ANS: B PG: 31 SOURCE: New LO: 3

56. Human ecology is the study of:

a. the distribution of social services to the needs of the family
b. diversity in patterns of mating, marriage and family living
c. ecosystems as they relate to the transition from singlehood to marriage
d. the interaction of the family with the environment
ANS: D PG: 31 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 3

57. Why are random samples important in research?

a. they provide for generalization of findings to a larger population
b. they increase the reliability of the research
c. they decrease the likelihood that respondents provide distorted answers
d. they remove the criticism of cohort issues
ANS: A PG: 35 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 15

58. Which of the following is not a concept used in game theory?

a. artifacts
b. myths
c. goals
d. hypotheses
ANS: D PG: 32 SOURCE: New LO: 14

59. Most researchers use convenience samples, which means an overabundance of:
a. grade school data due to the captive audience
b. high school seniors who are willing to complete questionnaires
c. diverse college students from different social classes, religions, and races
d. white, Protestant, middle-class college students
ANS: D PG: 35 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 15

60. In research, the group not exposed to the independent variable is known as the:
a. convenience group
b. random group
c. experimental group
d. control group

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ANS: D PG: 35 SOURCE: New LO: 14

True-False

1. Not to make a decision to end an abusive relationship is to decide to stay in it.

ANS: T PG: 2 SOURCE: New LO: 1

2. The one social institution that focuses on fulfilling the emotional needs of its members is
the family.
ANS: T PG: 27 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 7

3. The primary themes of the feminist framework are inequality and oppression.
ANS: T PG: 31 SOURCE: Modified LO: 13

4. Definition of the situation and looking-glass self are concepts relevant to the conflict
framework for viewing the family.
ANS: F PG: 29 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

5. Approximately 2 years elapse between the end of a research study and its publication.
ANS: T PG: 36 SOURCE: New LO: 14

6. Rules, boundaries, subsystems, and openness are concepts relevant to the life course
theoretical framework.
ANS: F PG: 26 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 13

7. More college students are in control than experimenting and learning when making
decisions.
ANS: T PG: 5 SOURCE: New LO: 1

8. Generation Yers are more serious than their immediate gratification parents and feel
more dedicated to get credentials to ensure their economic survival in a recessionary
economy.
ANS: F PG: 6 SOURCE: New LO: 3

9. A person who drinks, is sexually active, and does not use contraception has made a
decision by default to become a parent.
ANS: T PG: 12 SOURCE: Pickup LO: 1

10. The most commonly used theoretical perspective in marriage and the family is the social
exchange framework.
ANS: T PG: 25 SOURCE: New LO: 13
Short Answer and Discussion

1. Identify the benefits of marriage and the liabilities of singlehood.

PG: 15 LO: 5

2. Compare and contrast the terms marriage and the family.

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PG: 22 LO: 10

3 Discuss the changes in U.S. marriages and families in the last fifty years.
PG: 23 LO: 12

4. What functions/benefits does the family provide for the larger society?
PG: 27 LO: 3

5. Using game theory, identify the goals, expectations, and myths of marriage.
PG: 32 LO: 13

6. Using the sociological imagination, explain how your choice of a marriage partner
. is influenced.
PG: 10 LO: 13

7. Discuss and give five examples of how not to decide is to decide.

PG: 12 LO: 1

8. Why is the Federal government interested in marriage education in the public school
system?
PG: 17 LO: 6

9. Discuss how global and media influences impact relationship choices.

PG: 7 LO: 2

10. Use the concepts of social exchange and explain the reason for your staying in your
current relationship or leaving your last one.
PG: 25 LO: 13

Essay Questions:

1. Discuss the functions of marriage for the individual and for society and predict whether
marriage will or will not continue as a viable social institution.
PG: 14 LO: 13

2. Discuss how game theory can be used to explain football as well as marriage.
PG: 32 LO: 13

3. How do structure and culture affect relationship choices?

PG: 10 LO: 2

4. Discuss the social exchange view of relationships. What social exchanges are occurring
in your current or past relationship?
PG: 25 LO: 13

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5. Using social organization theory, specify how the family interacts with other social
organizations.
PG: 31 LO: 13

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