Chapter 4: Family in the United States – 40 blanks

Fewer ppl married in US

1960 today

whts 74% 55%

hisp. 72% 48%

blks 61% 31%

18-24 45% 9%

Cult. changes – diff. ideas about marr & fam

econ + cult = change

views ch over time

3 time peri. (soc. Barbra Dafoe Whitehead)

1. mid-40s to mid-60s: trad. fam

2. mid-60s to mid-80s: individualism

3. present: new fam

1. 1940s - 1960s: Traditional Family

After WWII + Econ

 standard of liv’g,  mid class

• Fam = marr couple + child: husb wrk, wife @ home

• low div rate, + birth rate

• 3 cult charac

i. Conformity to soc norms

ii. + male domination of fam

iii. clear gender roles

2. 1960s - 1980s: Individualism

Nonconform’g nature: 3 impt soc & pol mov’t: sexual revol’n, W.’s liber’n, anti-war (i.e.
against war in VN)
 Cult change: 2 impt soc dev’ts:

> focus on career & work

drive for self-exp’n & self-fulf’t

→ ♀/F began enter prof such as: med, law & manag’t.

♂/M took > active role in chld-rais’g

Eco change

↑↑ liv’g cost → ♀/W need wrk outside to support fam → < press. for ♀/W stay in
unsuitable marr.

→ Divor. rate dble.

↑ divor rate + > fin. indep → marr < attr for many W.

→ numb sing par households trpl.

→ change fam pic : fam = husb & wif wrk/ sing par w. child/ unmar coup w. or w.o chil

3. Present: The New Family

W. ≠ want give up gender equality, freedom to leave unsuit marr or fulfil’t inter’g job.

Chil paid high price:

+ spend long hrs away fr par & homes or home alone while par wrk

+ many grw up w. only one par or w. steppar.

Yng ppl > caus abt marr:

+ still want get marr + have chil, but wait for right per

+ want get edu’ + have gd job b4 marry’g

Today, median age for 1st marr: 28.7 for M. & 26.5 for W. (in 1960: 22.8 for M. & 20.3 for W.)

W. may make > $ than husb & > share in dec’n mak’ vs. trad fam.

Ideal family = 2 chil, par spend > time w. chil

Changes in fam dur lst 50 yrs → a lot concern

Accor to stats, our att t/w marr & fam diff now vs. 1960