Explore BrainMass

Explore BrainMass

    Social Change in the Family

    In sociology, family and household structures are differentiated from each other on the basis of the different lifestyles, values and norms surrounding people’s relationships.

    The following are examples of different household structures:(1)

    • Nuclear families consist of two generations of family members (parents and children) living in the same household. Contacts with wider kin are usually infrequent.
    • Extended families involve additional family members. This structure appears in three basic ways:
    1. Vertically extended families consist of three or more generations living in the same household.
    2. Horizontally extended families involve relations such as aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives from the same generation as parents.
    3. Modified-extended families have wider family members that they keep in regular touch with. There are two types of modified-extended families: 
    •  Local extended families are 2 or 3 nuclear families in separate households living close together and providing mutual help.
    •  Dispersed extended families have less frequent personal contacts.
    • Attenuated extended families may consist of a young couple before they have children gradually separating from their original families.
    • Single-parent families involve single adult and their dependent children.
    • Reconstituted families result from a type of break-up of one family and its reconstitution as a unique family through remarriage or cohabitation. Also known as ‘step-family.’
    • Homosexual families are usually nuclear in form but consists of adults of the same sex and their children.
    • Single households consist of an adult living alone.
    • Couple households consist of 2 people living without children.

    Industrialisation and urbanisation are historically seen as the biggest motors for family change. Family structures changed from the predominantly extended family organization of pre-industrial society to the predominantly nuclear family organisation of industrial society.(1)

    Pre-industrial extended family structure worked because they were multi-functional, kinship-based and economically productive for the time. The situation arose because of the labour intensive farm work that comes with agriculture, the limitations of moving away from family and a lack of social security and welfare systems.(1)

    To accommodate the changes that came with industrialisation, the old extended families adapted to the need for geographic mobility and labour flexibility.(1)

    Although sociology does not offer any predictive theory about the forms the family will take, it does highlight the role of social norms in determining categories of people suitable for forming families with.(1)

     

    (1) http://www.sociology.org.uk/AS_family_changes.pdf

    © BrainMass Inc. brainmass.com March 18, 2024, 11:43 pm ad1c9bdddf

    BrainMass Solutions Available for Instant Download

    Effects of Divorce on the Academic Performance of Children

    Using the following guidelines; how those divorce affect children and their childhood? • Academic achievement, approaches to learning, rationale and purpose • Control and moderate variables • Examine the study framework or theoretical perspective • Fixed effects regression • Data analysis • Tests of assumptio

    Religion and the Social Ecological Framework

    Research has often yielded that those who are actively engaged in religion are generally happier, have better marriages and reap many various rewards. Using an ecological framework, how does involvement in religion influence the many systems that one interacts with and ultimately produce those benefits noted. (100 words) How

    Social Control, Social Actors and Deviancy

    Discuss social control methods (rewards & punishments) as a way to prevent social actors from performing deviant behavior. Discuss some examples of social controls that can be found within a family. Are social controls affective? *400 words for 4 credits* *NO REFERENCES NEEDED*

    Gender and Power in Infidelity

    Identify a family-related problem. Briefly explain how to apply both of the following: - Critical theory. - Feminist perspective. Analyze what makes each perspective unique in its exploration of the issue you have identified.

    Domestic violence in United States

    This assignment will consist of a substantive piece of social policy analysis. Address the social policy issue involving Almanac of Policy Issues, ensure to include the items below: 1.Identify the problem addressed by the policy; 2.Examine the objectives and provisions of the policy; 3.Analyze the strengths and weaknesses

    Social Constructionist Family Therapy and Narrative Therapy

    Proponents of social constructionist family therapy and narrative therapy theorize that these forms of treatment are better suited to treating families that do not fit the two-parent "nuclear family" mold than are earlier theories such as structural or strategic family therapy (e.g., a gay couple with an adopted child that is af

    Counseling Theories for Parents of Homosexuals

    Can you please help me choose which counseling/therapy theory might apply to parents of homosexual children, i.e. critical race theory, feminist theory, social learning theory, family systems theory, etc?

    Cause-and-Effect Relationship Among Variables and Which Relates to the Family Unit

    I need assistance devising a research question that looks for a cause-and-effect relationship among variables and which relates to the family unit. Identify the dependent and independent variables in the research question, the hypothesis for the study, and why why this would be a quantitative study rather than a qualitative stud