Class Notes for Marriages, Families, and Intimate Relationships, 4th Edition
Stay ahead in class with Class Notes for Marriages, Families, and Intimate Relationships, 4th Edition, an essential study resource.
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i
Instructor’s Resource Manual
for
Williams, Sawyer, Wahlstrom
Marriages, Families, & Intimate
Relationships
A Practical Introduction
Fourth Edition
Instructor’s Resource Manual
for
Williams, Sawyer, Wahlstrom
Marriages, Families, & Intimate
Relationships
A Practical Introduction
Fourth Edition
iii
Contents
Chapter 1 Seeking: Finding Happiness in Relationships in a Complex World 1
Chapter 2 Understanding: Learning about Intimate Behavior 16
Chapter 3 Gender: The Meanings of Masculinity & Femininity 27
Chapter 4 Involvement: Dating, Pairing, & Courtship 37
Chapter 5 Love: The Many Faces 44
Chapter 6 Communication: Realizing Effective Intimacy 54
Chapter 7 Sexuality: Interpersonal Sexuality, Sexual Values, & Behavior 64
Chapter 8 Marriage: The Ultimate Commitment? 73
Chapter 9 Variations: Nonmarital Families & Households 83
Chapter 10 Reproduction: Decisions about Having or Not Having Children 95
Chapter 11 Parenting: Children, Families, & Generations 104
Chapter 12 Work: Economics, Jobs, & Balancing Family Demands 115
Chapter 13 Crises: Managing Stress, Disaster, Violence, & Abuse 125
Chapter 14 Uncoupling: Separation & Divorce 140
Chapter 15 Remarriage: Reinvented, Renewed, & Blended Families 152
Contents
Chapter 1 Seeking: Finding Happiness in Relationships in a Complex World 1
Chapter 2 Understanding: Learning about Intimate Behavior 16
Chapter 3 Gender: The Meanings of Masculinity & Femininity 27
Chapter 4 Involvement: Dating, Pairing, & Courtship 37
Chapter 5 Love: The Many Faces 44
Chapter 6 Communication: Realizing Effective Intimacy 54
Chapter 7 Sexuality: Interpersonal Sexuality, Sexual Values, & Behavior 64
Chapter 8 Marriage: The Ultimate Commitment? 73
Chapter 9 Variations: Nonmarital Families & Households 83
Chapter 10 Reproduction: Decisions about Having or Not Having Children 95
Chapter 11 Parenting: Children, Families, & Generations 104
Chapter 12 Work: Economics, Jobs, & Balancing Family Demands 115
Chapter 13 Crises: Managing Stress, Disaster, Violence, & Abuse 125
Chapter 14 Uncoupling: Separation & Divorce 140
Chapter 15 Remarriage: Reinvented, Renewed, & Blended Families 152
1
Chapter 1
SEEKING: Finding Happiness in Relationships in a
Complex World
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1.1 Discuss how love and relationships affect personal happiness.
1.2 Describe the components, types, and benefits of families.
1.3 Explain how the families of yesterday differed from our own.
1.4 Describe the great forces that influenced family life.
Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer
1. How could an intimate relationship make me happy?
2. What are the principal components and benefits of marriage and family?
3. How have the families of today been influenced by the past?
4. What economic and demographic forces are affecting the family?
On the Web
What Do You Seek in Love & Intimacy?
Oxford Happiness Questionnaire—Meaning and Happiness
www.meaningandhappiness.com
At the start of every chapter, we offer you the opportunity to go on the Internet to investigate a
subject that will make the forthcoming material more relevant to you. This is the first one. A
principal theme of this book is that we seek happiness in intimate relationships. But what is
happiness? To begin to investigate this subject, go to the website “Oxford Happiness
Questionnaire—Meaning and Happiness.” After you finish, you can look at the “Interpretation of
Score” to see how you scored in relation to others.
Chapter Outline
I. 1.1 Seeking Happiness through Love & Intimacy
Many people think that they will be happy if they can find the right relationship. In fact,
among the happiest people are those who are married. It’s possible that you can manage your
emotions for happiness just as you manage other things in your life. Happy couples have
common strengths in at least five areas.
Major Question 1.1: How could an intimate relationship make me happy?
Chapter 1
SEEKING: Finding Happiness in Relationships in a
Complex World
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
1.1 Discuss how love and relationships affect personal happiness.
1.2 Describe the components, types, and benefits of families.
1.3 Explain how the families of yesterday differed from our own.
1.4 Describe the great forces that influenced family life.
Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer
1. How could an intimate relationship make me happy?
2. What are the principal components and benefits of marriage and family?
3. How have the families of today been influenced by the past?
4. What economic and demographic forces are affecting the family?
On the Web
What Do You Seek in Love & Intimacy?
Oxford Happiness Questionnaire—Meaning and Happiness
www.meaningandhappiness.com
At the start of every chapter, we offer you the opportunity to go on the Internet to investigate a
subject that will make the forthcoming material more relevant to you. This is the first one. A
principal theme of this book is that we seek happiness in intimate relationships. But what is
happiness? To begin to investigate this subject, go to the website “Oxford Happiness
Questionnaire—Meaning and Happiness.” After you finish, you can look at the “Interpretation of
Score” to see how you scored in relation to others.
Chapter Outline
I. 1.1 Seeking Happiness through Love & Intimacy
Many people think that they will be happy if they can find the right relationship. In fact,
among the happiest people are those who are married. It’s possible that you can manage your
emotions for happiness just as you manage other things in your life. Happy couples have
common strengths in at least five areas.
Major Question 1.1: How could an intimate relationship make me happy?
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A. Love, Marriage, & Happiness
1. Loneliness may be hazardous to one’s health
2. Singles may be better off because some research shows that marriage actually reduces
social ties
B. Marriage & Well-Being
1. Who is very happy?
a. 40% of married people
b. 24% of people living together
c. 22% of those never married
d. 18% of those previously married
2. Research shows that once adults marry, their well-being improves
C. Numbers That Matter: Marriage, Families, & Happiness
1. 40% of married people say they are happy compared with 24% of never-married
people
2. 75% of happy couples agree on the high quality of their communication
3. Married couples declined from 71% of all families in 1970 to 48.4% in 2010
D. Practical Action: Happiness: Is It within Your Grasp?
1. The happiness “set point”
2. Can money buy happiness?
3. Where do you live? The effect of culture on happiness
E. Love, Appreciation, & Happiness
1. John Gottman indicates that the best predictor of divorce is contempt, which may be
thwarted by cultivating a “culture of appreciation”
F. How Happy Are You in a Relationship?
1. Key areas that affect a couple’s happiness:
a. They communicate well
b. They are flexible as a couple
c. They are emotionally close
d. They have compatible personalities
e. They agree on how to handle conflict
2. Other areas that affect a couple’s happiness are:
a. their sexual relationship
b. their choice of leisure activities
c. the influence of family and friends
d. the ability to manage finances
e. an agreement on spiritual beliefs
II. 1.2 Marriage & Family: The Basic Concepts
Marriage has five components: emotional, ceremonial, legal, sexual faithfulness, and
parenting. Family may be a traditional “modern” or nuclear family. Or today it may be a
“postmodern” family, such as a two-household (binuclear) or blended family (stepfamily), or
even one consisting of “affiliated kin” who are family by reason of emotional closeness.
Major Question 1.2: What are the principal components of marriage and family?
A. What Is Marriage?
1. Five components:
A. Love, Marriage, & Happiness
1. Loneliness may be hazardous to one’s health
2. Singles may be better off because some research shows that marriage actually reduces
social ties
B. Marriage & Well-Being
1. Who is very happy?
a. 40% of married people
b. 24% of people living together
c. 22% of those never married
d. 18% of those previously married
2. Research shows that once adults marry, their well-being improves
C. Numbers That Matter: Marriage, Families, & Happiness
1. 40% of married people say they are happy compared with 24% of never-married
people
2. 75% of happy couples agree on the high quality of their communication
3. Married couples declined from 71% of all families in 1970 to 48.4% in 2010
D. Practical Action: Happiness: Is It within Your Grasp?
1. The happiness “set point”
2. Can money buy happiness?
3. Where do you live? The effect of culture on happiness
E. Love, Appreciation, & Happiness
1. John Gottman indicates that the best predictor of divorce is contempt, which may be
thwarted by cultivating a “culture of appreciation”
F. How Happy Are You in a Relationship?
1. Key areas that affect a couple’s happiness:
a. They communicate well
b. They are flexible as a couple
c. They are emotionally close
d. They have compatible personalities
e. They agree on how to handle conflict
2. Other areas that affect a couple’s happiness are:
a. their sexual relationship
b. their choice of leisure activities
c. the influence of family and friends
d. the ability to manage finances
e. an agreement on spiritual beliefs
II. 1.2 Marriage & Family: The Basic Concepts
Marriage has five components: emotional, ceremonial, legal, sexual faithfulness, and
parenting. Family may be a traditional “modern” or nuclear family. Or today it may be a
“postmodern” family, such as a two-household (binuclear) or blended family (stepfamily), or
even one consisting of “affiliated kin” who are family by reason of emotional closeness.
Major Question 1.2: What are the principal components of marriage and family?
A. What Is Marriage?
1. Five components:
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a. The emotional component: Is love necessary?
i. Most people in the United States say they would marry for love. This is not
true in all cultures
b. The ceremonial component: Church, state, or other?
i. Every culture has some sort of ceremony cementing the union
c. The legal component: Does the state have to be involved?
i. The state has a legal interest once a marriage license is filed—legal marriage
affects matters of property, children, debts, and inheritance
d. The sexual-faithfulness component: Are monogamy & exclusivity required?
i. For most people, marriage is based on sexual exclusivity; however, there are
variations of this
(a) Monogamy—one spouse only, the only legal form in the United States
(b) Polygamy as polygyny—more than one wife
(c) Polygamy as polyandry—more than one husband
e. The parenting component: Are children the main reason for marriage?
i. The main “social” reason for marriage is to provide a stable framework for
bearing, nurturing, socializing, rearing, and protecting children
B. What Is a Family?
1. Family versus household: Not the same
a. Traditional family: Two or more people related by blood, marriage, or adoption,
and who live together; this obviously leaves many people out
2. The formerly “modern” family: The nuclear family
a. Nuclear/modern family: Husband, wife, children
b. Family of origin: family one is born into
c. Family of procreation: family one begins upon marrying and having children
3. Today’s “postmodern” families: Binuclear, blended, & single-parent families
a. Postmodern family: describes the great variability in family constellation
b. Binuclear: members live in two households (e.g., divorced parents with children)
c. Blended family: stepfamily
d. Single-parent family: one parent living with child/children
4. The extended family: Kin & affiliated kin
a. Kin: relatives by blood, marriage, remarriage, or adoption
b. Affiliated kin: unrelated individuals who are treated as if they are related
5. Beyond the Household: Extended Families & Patterns of Residence
a. Neolocal—In their own home
b. Patrilocal—With the husband’s family
c. Matrilocal—With the wife’s family
C. Why Have Families at All? Four Benefits
1. Economic benefits: Economies of scale
a. Greater income earning potential, distribution of chores
2. Proximity: Convenience
a. Closeness; more convenient to obtain help or company
3. Familiarity: At your best & at your worst
a. Family members know the best and the worst about you
4. Continuity: People who are always there for you
a. Long-term emotional support, attachments, and assistance
a. The emotional component: Is love necessary?
i. Most people in the United States say they would marry for love. This is not
true in all cultures
b. The ceremonial component: Church, state, or other?
i. Every culture has some sort of ceremony cementing the union
c. The legal component: Does the state have to be involved?
i. The state has a legal interest once a marriage license is filed—legal marriage
affects matters of property, children, debts, and inheritance
d. The sexual-faithfulness component: Are monogamy & exclusivity required?
i. For most people, marriage is based on sexual exclusivity; however, there are
variations of this
(a) Monogamy—one spouse only, the only legal form in the United States
(b) Polygamy as polygyny—more than one wife
(c) Polygamy as polyandry—more than one husband
e. The parenting component: Are children the main reason for marriage?
i. The main “social” reason for marriage is to provide a stable framework for
bearing, nurturing, socializing, rearing, and protecting children
B. What Is a Family?
1. Family versus household: Not the same
a. Traditional family: Two or more people related by blood, marriage, or adoption,
and who live together; this obviously leaves many people out
2. The formerly “modern” family: The nuclear family
a. Nuclear/modern family: Husband, wife, children
b. Family of origin: family one is born into
c. Family of procreation: family one begins upon marrying and having children
3. Today’s “postmodern” families: Binuclear, blended, & single-parent families
a. Postmodern family: describes the great variability in family constellation
b. Binuclear: members live in two households (e.g., divorced parents with children)
c. Blended family: stepfamily
d. Single-parent family: one parent living with child/children
4. The extended family: Kin & affiliated kin
a. Kin: relatives by blood, marriage, remarriage, or adoption
b. Affiliated kin: unrelated individuals who are treated as if they are related
5. Beyond the Household: Extended Families & Patterns of Residence
a. Neolocal—In their own home
b. Patrilocal—With the husband’s family
c. Matrilocal—With the wife’s family
C. Why Have Families at All? Four Benefits
1. Economic benefits: Economies of scale
a. Greater income earning potential, distribution of chores
2. Proximity: Convenience
a. Closeness; more convenient to obtain help or company
3. Familiarity: At your best & at your worst
a. Family members know the best and the worst about you
4. Continuity: People who are always there for you
a. Long-term emotional support, attachments, and assistance
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III. 1.3 A Short History of Families
This section presents the history of the American family during three eras: the early
American era, the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the modern era. We describe variations
for different ethnic and racial groups.
Major Question 1.3: How have the families of today been influenced by the past?
A. American Families in the Colonial Era
1. Native American families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
c. Transitions
2. White colonial families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
c. Transitions
3. African American families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
4. Hispanic (Latino) families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
B. Families in the 19th & Early 20th Centuries
1. Industrialization, urbanization, & immigration
a. Industrialization—From self-sufficient to wage-earning families
b. Urbanization—The movement to the cities
c. Immigration—Two waves of newcomers
2. The importance of kinship networks
3. The changing family & changing roles
C. Families in the Modern Era
1. Rise of a new form: The companionate family
2. The effect of the World Wars & the Great Depression
a. The Great Depression—Out-of-work men blame themselves
b. World Wars I and II—Women take “male-only” jobs
3. Families in the 1950s
a. The Baby Boom—The swelling population
b. Suburbanization—The move to the suburbs
c. The child-centered culture
4. How the family stands today
a. Trend #1—People are living longer and marrying later
b. Trend #2—Women are having fewer children and waiting longer to have them
c. Trend #3—More people are living alone or in unmarried relationships
d. Trend #4—More families are single-parent families
e. Trend #5—More two-parent families feature both parents working
f. Trend #6—There are more divorces, remarriages, and blended families
5. Is the family in decline?
III. 1.3 A Short History of Families
This section presents the history of the American family during three eras: the early
American era, the 19th and early 20th centuries, and the modern era. We describe variations
for different ethnic and racial groups.
Major Question 1.3: How have the families of today been influenced by the past?
A. American Families in the Colonial Era
1. Native American families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
c. Transitions
2. White colonial families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
c. Transitions
3. African American families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
4. Hispanic (Latino) families
a. Marriage and sex
b. Families
B. Families in the 19th & Early 20th Centuries
1. Industrialization, urbanization, & immigration
a. Industrialization—From self-sufficient to wage-earning families
b. Urbanization—The movement to the cities
c. Immigration—Two waves of newcomers
2. The importance of kinship networks
3. The changing family & changing roles
C. Families in the Modern Era
1. Rise of a new form: The companionate family
2. The effect of the World Wars & the Great Depression
a. The Great Depression—Out-of-work men blame themselves
b. World Wars I and II—Women take “male-only” jobs
3. Families in the 1950s
a. The Baby Boom—The swelling population
b. Suburbanization—The move to the suburbs
c. The child-centered culture
4. How the family stands today
a. Trend #1—People are living longer and marrying later
b. Trend #2—Women are having fewer children and waiting longer to have them
c. Trend #3—More people are living alone or in unmarried relationships
d. Trend #4—More families are single-parent families
e. Trend #5—More two-parent families feature both parents working
f. Trend #6—There are more divorces, remarriages, and blended families
5. Is the family in decline?
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a. “The decline in two-parent families means trouble for children”
b. “Children are no worse off with other kinds of parental arrangements”
IV. 1.4 Major Forces Affecting Relationships & Families
Traditional families are being radically influenced by economic and demographic forces.
Economically, the family has been affected by the Industrial Revolution, technological
change, globalization, the mass media and popular culture, and the recent Great Recession.
Demographic trends are affecting changes in ethnic and racial diversity.
Major Question 1.4: What economic and demographic forces are affecting the family?
A. Today’s Changing Families: Economic Forces
1. The effect of the Industrial Revolution: From familism to individualism
a. Familism: The family collective concerns take precedence over the needs of the
individual
b. Individualism: The needs of the individual take priority over the family collective
concerns
2. Technological change: More complexity or more choices?
a. From transportation to communication
b. Computers, the Net, and the web
c. Developments in biology
d. Globalization
i. Argument for globalization
ii. Argument against globalization
e. The mass media & popular culture: Relief from boredom & other effects
i. Roles
ii. Beliefs
iii. Values
f. The Great Recession of 2007–2009: The biggest economic setback since the
1930s
3. Practical Action: How Are Social Media Affecting Relationships?
a. The iGeneration
b. The positives of communications technology
c. The negatives of communications technology
4. Today’s changing families: Demographic trends
a. Non-Hispanic whites—62.6% of Americans in 2013
b. Hispanic or Latino—17.1% in 2013
c. African Americans—13.2% in 2013
d. Asian Americans—5.3% in 2013
e. Native Americans & Alaskan natives—1.2% in 2013
f. Native Hawaiian & other Pacific Islanders—0.2% in 2013
g. Are racial & ethnic identities firm?
h. The “no racial majority” scenario: Multiracial in America
B. Your Personal Exploration
Key Terms
a. “The decline in two-parent families means trouble for children”
b. “Children are no worse off with other kinds of parental arrangements”
IV. 1.4 Major Forces Affecting Relationships & Families
Traditional families are being radically influenced by economic and demographic forces.
Economically, the family has been affected by the Industrial Revolution, technological
change, globalization, the mass media and popular culture, and the recent Great Recession.
Demographic trends are affecting changes in ethnic and racial diversity.
Major Question 1.4: What economic and demographic forces are affecting the family?
A. Today’s Changing Families: Economic Forces
1. The effect of the Industrial Revolution: From familism to individualism
a. Familism: The family collective concerns take precedence over the needs of the
individual
b. Individualism: The needs of the individual take priority over the family collective
concerns
2. Technological change: More complexity or more choices?
a. From transportation to communication
b. Computers, the Net, and the web
c. Developments in biology
d. Globalization
i. Argument for globalization
ii. Argument against globalization
e. The mass media & popular culture: Relief from boredom & other effects
i. Roles
ii. Beliefs
iii. Values
f. The Great Recession of 2007–2009: The biggest economic setback since the
1930s
3. Practical Action: How Are Social Media Affecting Relationships?
a. The iGeneration
b. The positives of communications technology
c. The negatives of communications technology
4. Today’s changing families: Demographic trends
a. Non-Hispanic whites—62.6% of Americans in 2013
b. Hispanic or Latino—17.1% in 2013
c. African Americans—13.2% in 2013
d. Asian Americans—5.3% in 2013
e. Native Americans & Alaskan natives—1.2% in 2013
f. Native Hawaiian & other Pacific Islanders—0.2% in 2013
g. Are racial & ethnic identities firm?
h. The “no racial majority” scenario: Multiracial in America
B. Your Personal Exploration
Key Terms
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Adolescence: a separate social and psychological stage of development coinciding with puberty
and characterized by rebellion and crises (p. 16).
Affiliated kin: unrelated individuals who are treated as if they are related (p. 12).
Beliefs: the definitions and explanations people have about what is true (p. 28).
Binuclear family: a family in which members live in two different households, usually as a
result of parents being divorced and their children spending time with both (p. 11).
Blended family: a family created when two people marry and one or both brings into the
household a child or children from a previous marriage or relationship; also called a stepfamily
(p. 11).
Common-law marriage: a type of living arrangement in which a man and a woman living
together present themselves as being married and are legally recognized as such (p. 9).
Demographics: characteristics of a population such as family size, marriage and divorce rates,
and ethnicity and race (p. 29).
Demography: the study of population and population characteristics, such as family size,
marriage and divorce rates, and ethnicity and race (p. 29).
Ethnicity: cultural characteristics that distinguish one group from another (p. 29).
Extended family: a family that includes not only members of the nuclear family but other
people as well (p. 12).
Familism: a philosophy in which family collective concerns take priority over individual
concerns (p. 18).
Family: traditionally defined as a unit of two or more people who are related by blood, marriage,
or adoption and who live together (p. 10).
Family of cohabitation: the family you begin if and when you get married and have children;
also called family of procreation (p. 11).
Family of orientation: the family into which you were born or in which you grew up; also
called the family of origin (p. 11).
Family of origin: see “family of orientation” (p. 11).
Family of procreation: see “family of cohabitation” (p. 11).
Globalization: the trend of the world economy toward becoming a more interdependent system
(p. 27).
Household: defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as any group of persons residing together (p.
10).
Indentured servants: people who worked under contract to an employer for a number of years
to pay for their passage to the New World or other obligations (p. 15).
Individualism: a philosophy in which individual concerns take priority over family collective
concerns (p. 25).
Kin: people in your family who are your relatives by blood, marriage, remarriage, or adoption,
ranging from grandparents to nieces to brothers-in-law (p. 12).
Marriage: a socially approved mating relationship (p. 7).
Matriarchal family: family in which the mother holds the power (p. 15).
Adolescence: a separate social and psychological stage of development coinciding with puberty
and characterized by rebellion and crises (p. 16).
Affiliated kin: unrelated individuals who are treated as if they are related (p. 12).
Beliefs: the definitions and explanations people have about what is true (p. 28).
Binuclear family: a family in which members live in two different households, usually as a
result of parents being divorced and their children spending time with both (p. 11).
Blended family: a family created when two people marry and one or both brings into the
household a child or children from a previous marriage or relationship; also called a stepfamily
(p. 11).
Common-law marriage: a type of living arrangement in which a man and a woman living
together present themselves as being married and are legally recognized as such (p. 9).
Demographics: characteristics of a population such as family size, marriage and divorce rates,
and ethnicity and race (p. 29).
Demography: the study of population and population characteristics, such as family size,
marriage and divorce rates, and ethnicity and race (p. 29).
Ethnicity: cultural characteristics that distinguish one group from another (p. 29).
Extended family: a family that includes not only members of the nuclear family but other
people as well (p. 12).
Familism: a philosophy in which family collective concerns take priority over individual
concerns (p. 18).
Family: traditionally defined as a unit of two or more people who are related by blood, marriage,
or adoption and who live together (p. 10).
Family of cohabitation: the family you begin if and when you get married and have children;
also called family of procreation (p. 11).
Family of orientation: the family into which you were born or in which you grew up; also
called the family of origin (p. 11).
Family of origin: see “family of orientation” (p. 11).
Family of procreation: see “family of cohabitation” (p. 11).
Globalization: the trend of the world economy toward becoming a more interdependent system
(p. 27).
Household: defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as any group of persons residing together (p.
10).
Indentured servants: people who worked under contract to an employer for a number of years
to pay for their passage to the New World or other obligations (p. 15).
Individualism: a philosophy in which individual concerns take priority over family collective
concerns (p. 25).
Kin: people in your family who are your relatives by blood, marriage, remarriage, or adoption,
ranging from grandparents to nieces to brothers-in-law (p. 12).
Marriage: a socially approved mating relationship (p. 7).
Matriarchal family: family in which the mother holds the power (p. 15).
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Matrilineal: system in which children trace their descent, and perhaps rights and property,
through the mother’s line (p. 14).
Matrilocal residence: pattern of residence in which newly married partners reside with the
wife’s family (p. 12).
Media-sharing websites: online social networks in which members share media such as photos,
video, and music (p. 25).
Modern family: a family that consists of father, mother, and children living in one household;
also called the nuclear family (p. 10).
Monogamy: marital or sexual relationship in which a person is committed exclusively to one
partner (p. 9).
Neolocal residence: pattern of residence in which newly married partners set up their own
household (p .12).
Nuclear family: see “modern family” (p. 10).
Patriarchal family: a family in which the father holds the power (p. 15).
Patrilineal: system in which descent and ownership of property come down through the father’s
line (p. 14).
Patrilocal residence: pattern of residence in which newly married partners live with the
husband’s family (p. 12).
Polyandry: marriage in which one wife has more than one husband (p. 10).
Polygamy: form of marriage in which one person has several spouses (p. 9).
Polygyny: marriage in which one husband has more than one wife (p. 9).
Postmodern family: a term meant to describe the great variability in family forms (p. 11).
Puberty: the period during which one develops secondary sex characteristics (such as breasts or
facial hair) (p. 14).
Race: inherited physical characteristics that distinguish one group from another (p. 29).
Roles: patterns of behaviors expected of a person who occupies a certain social position within a
certain group or culture (p. 28).
Single-parent family: a family in which a child or children lives with one parent (p. 11).
Social networking websites: online communities of Internet users who share a common bond
(p. 25).
Stepfamily: see “blended family” (p. 11).
Traditional family: family structure in which the man’s role is primarily husband, father, and
income earner and the woman’s role is wife, mother, and homemaker (p. 11).
Values: deeply held beliefs and attitudes about what is right and wrong, desirable and
undesirable (p. 28).
Web 2.0: the second generation of the Internet, characterized by communication tools, wikis
(websites that allow visitors to edit content), and social networking websites (p. 25)
Discussion Topics
Matrilineal: system in which children trace their descent, and perhaps rights and property,
through the mother’s line (p. 14).
Matrilocal residence: pattern of residence in which newly married partners reside with the
wife’s family (p. 12).
Media-sharing websites: online social networks in which members share media such as photos,
video, and music (p. 25).
Modern family: a family that consists of father, mother, and children living in one household;
also called the nuclear family (p. 10).
Monogamy: marital or sexual relationship in which a person is committed exclusively to one
partner (p. 9).
Neolocal residence: pattern of residence in which newly married partners set up their own
household (p .12).
Nuclear family: see “modern family” (p. 10).
Patriarchal family: a family in which the father holds the power (p. 15).
Patrilineal: system in which descent and ownership of property come down through the father’s
line (p. 14).
Patrilocal residence: pattern of residence in which newly married partners live with the
husband’s family (p. 12).
Polyandry: marriage in which one wife has more than one husband (p. 10).
Polygamy: form of marriage in which one person has several spouses (p. 9).
Polygyny: marriage in which one husband has more than one wife (p. 9).
Postmodern family: a term meant to describe the great variability in family forms (p. 11).
Puberty: the period during which one develops secondary sex characteristics (such as breasts or
facial hair) (p. 14).
Race: inherited physical characteristics that distinguish one group from another (p. 29).
Roles: patterns of behaviors expected of a person who occupies a certain social position within a
certain group or culture (p. 28).
Single-parent family: a family in which a child or children lives with one parent (p. 11).
Social networking websites: online communities of Internet users who share a common bond
(p. 25).
Stepfamily: see “blended family” (p. 11).
Traditional family: family structure in which the man’s role is primarily husband, father, and
income earner and the woman’s role is wife, mother, and homemaker (p. 11).
Values: deeply held beliefs and attitudes about what is right and wrong, desirable and
undesirable (p. 28).
Web 2.0: the second generation of the Internet, characterized by communication tools, wikis
(websites that allow visitors to edit content), and social networking websites (p. 25)
Discussion Topics
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1.1 Seeking Happiness through Love & Intimacy
1. Happiness is an important and elusive topic; what will bring happiness to one person may
bring misery to another. Yet we all seem to seek happiness in our relationships with
others. Among the most important relationships in our lives are those with the people
with whom we choose to share our lives in an intimate way. Discuss how we seek
different components of happiness from different areas of our life. Then consider the
types of happiness found in our intimate relationships and the qualities of the relationship
that enhance and/or strengthen happiness.
2. What makes, or would make, you happy? Have students provide a list of things they
think will make them happy and write these on the board. Help students recognize that
different things make different people happy, and guide them in detecting any biases they
may have toward accepting what makes another happy.
3. How do you know when you are happy? Students will usually identify abstract things
such as “I feel good” or “I just feel happy.” Help them identify behaviorally observable
ways of telling how they are happy, such as being more active, smiling more, speaking
more often to people, and having more energy. This helps students recognize that they
may be happy even when they don’t “feel” it, and this recognition may increase their
overall feelings of happiness if they see that they are happy more often.
1.2 Marriage & Family: The Basic Concepts
1. What difference does marriage make? Have students discuss the pros and cons of
marriage. Help them realize the legal, social, and sexual components. Is there a gender
difference in the way students respond?
2. What is a family? Ask students to list the types of families they know (gay, single,
divorced, widowed, never married, etc.).
3. What have you gained from being a part of a family? Help students recognize the
benefits of being in a family, either family of origin or family of procreation (sharing
chores, friends and confidants close by, someone to accept you as you are, someone who
always cares about you).
1.3 A Short History of Families
1. The concepts of marriage and family have changed radically since the first half of the
20th century. While some fulfill the needs of marriage and family in the traditional way,
many more fulfill these needs in less traditional ways.
Discuss what these changes mean to people seeking nontraditional families and
marriages (gays, cohabitation, and single parents).
Discuss how choosing a nontraditional family can be difficult for families of origin
and friends.
1.1 Seeking Happiness through Love & Intimacy
1. Happiness is an important and elusive topic; what will bring happiness to one person may
bring misery to another. Yet we all seem to seek happiness in our relationships with
others. Among the most important relationships in our lives are those with the people
with whom we choose to share our lives in an intimate way. Discuss how we seek
different components of happiness from different areas of our life. Then consider the
types of happiness found in our intimate relationships and the qualities of the relationship
that enhance and/or strengthen happiness.
2. What makes, or would make, you happy? Have students provide a list of things they
think will make them happy and write these on the board. Help students recognize that
different things make different people happy, and guide them in detecting any biases they
may have toward accepting what makes another happy.
3. How do you know when you are happy? Students will usually identify abstract things
such as “I feel good” or “I just feel happy.” Help them identify behaviorally observable
ways of telling how they are happy, such as being more active, smiling more, speaking
more often to people, and having more energy. This helps students recognize that they
may be happy even when they don’t “feel” it, and this recognition may increase their
overall feelings of happiness if they see that they are happy more often.
1.2 Marriage & Family: The Basic Concepts
1. What difference does marriage make? Have students discuss the pros and cons of
marriage. Help them realize the legal, social, and sexual components. Is there a gender
difference in the way students respond?
2. What is a family? Ask students to list the types of families they know (gay, single,
divorced, widowed, never married, etc.).
3. What have you gained from being a part of a family? Help students recognize the
benefits of being in a family, either family of origin or family of procreation (sharing
chores, friends and confidants close by, someone to accept you as you are, someone who
always cares about you).
1.3 A Short History of Families
1. The concepts of marriage and family have changed radically since the first half of the
20th century. While some fulfill the needs of marriage and family in the traditional way,
many more fulfill these needs in less traditional ways.
Discuss what these changes mean to people seeking nontraditional families and
marriages (gays, cohabitation, and single parents).
Discuss how choosing a nontraditional family can be difficult for families of origin
and friends.
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Discuss ways to show acceptance to nontraditional families. For example, educate
yourself about other lifestyles, don’t use derogatory terms such as “That is so gay!”
and include nontraditional family members as you would any other family member.
2. The American family has changed a great deal in the last century.
Discuss what some of these changes mean. For example, two-income families mean
greater resources but less parent/child interactions. Both parents working means that
young children are in the care of another person, which causes an increase in daycare
centers and other alternative forms of childcare.
The increase in single-parent families (most often headed by single mothers) creates a
group of people with the lowest incomes. Discuss what it means to be a single mother
in today’s society.
The divorce rate creates changes in how marriage is viewed. For example, some
young people view their marriage as a “first marriage,” with the expectation they will
marry again. Discuss why marriage may no longer be viewed as “a lifetime
commitment.”
1.4 Major Forces Affecting Relationships & Families
1. What do you think of globalization? Describe the arguments for and against
globalization and have students discuss the pros and cons as they see them. Help them see
the other perspectives and expand their worldview to fit others’ views. (This may be a
challenging topic if some of their family members have lost jobs to globalization.)
Class Activities and Handouts
In-Class Activity
Bring in a variety of commonly available popular magazines. Be sure to collect magazines
representing differing ages, ethnicities, races, and cultures. Divide the class into groups of three
to four students, and give each group a magazine. Give groups 10 minutes to identify the various
family forms depicted and list demographics such as age, race, and ethnicity. Have each group
identify roles, values, and diversity represented in each magazine. Allow time for each group to
report their discoveries to the larger group.
Discuss ways to show acceptance to nontraditional families. For example, educate
yourself about other lifestyles, don’t use derogatory terms such as “That is so gay!”
and include nontraditional family members as you would any other family member.
2. The American family has changed a great deal in the last century.
Discuss what some of these changes mean. For example, two-income families mean
greater resources but less parent/child interactions. Both parents working means that
young children are in the care of another person, which causes an increase in daycare
centers and other alternative forms of childcare.
The increase in single-parent families (most often headed by single mothers) creates a
group of people with the lowest incomes. Discuss what it means to be a single mother
in today’s society.
The divorce rate creates changes in how marriage is viewed. For example, some
young people view their marriage as a “first marriage,” with the expectation they will
marry again. Discuss why marriage may no longer be viewed as “a lifetime
commitment.”
1.4 Major Forces Affecting Relationships & Families
1. What do you think of globalization? Describe the arguments for and against
globalization and have students discuss the pros and cons as they see them. Help them see
the other perspectives and expand their worldview to fit others’ views. (This may be a
challenging topic if some of their family members have lost jobs to globalization.)
Class Activities and Handouts
In-Class Activity
Bring in a variety of commonly available popular magazines. Be sure to collect magazines
representing differing ages, ethnicities, races, and cultures. Divide the class into groups of three
to four students, and give each group a magazine. Give groups 10 minutes to identify the various
family forms depicted and list demographics such as age, race, and ethnicity. Have each group
identify roles, values, and diversity represented in each magazine. Allow time for each group to
report their discoveries to the larger group.
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Out-of-Class Activity
Read the case studies of the ideal family, and then answer the case-study questions.
The Ideal Family
Case No. 1
Mr. and Mrs. Falborne live in a lovely apartment in a large city. All bills are incorporated into
their rental fee. Both have pleasant jobs. Each morning they breakfast together and then depart to
their differing interests of the day. They seldom see each other during daytime hours but each is
interested in the other’s work. They lunch separately and often dine out together in the evening.
They are successful and happy. They have friends of many kinds. They live in a world full of
opportunities for gracious living, and each has some private interests to which they devote part of
their time, effort, and money. Each is “somebody” in the eyes of the other. They have no
children. They are not against children, but they are not in a rush for them. They will have as
many as they feel comfortable with and for whom they can find suitable resources to help care
for them. They do not have maid service daily, but someone comes in weekly. They expect to be
good parents, but the wife expects to continue her career, so they will involve other people and
community resources in the rearing of their children. They feel that their commitment in life is to
themselves and their world and to raising their children to operate effectively in life.
Case No. 2
Robin and Keri live in a nice house in the suburbs of a mid-sized town. They are both
professionals working in jobs that provide them with meaning in their lives. They feel they are
contributing to society with the work they do. They have many outside interests that occupy their
time and each enjoys these activities. They are involved in some outside activities together, and
others they are involved in without the other. They are comfortable with each other, dedicated to
their relationship, and comfortable with their sexual orientation. They feel their lives are
committed to social justice and service. At times they experience prejudice, but this does not
happen often, and they have a strong support network and many accepting friends and
colleagues. They have no children but have discussed adopting at some point in the future when
they feel ready for the responsibility and have resources available.
Case No. 3
Mr. and Mrs. Claymore live in a small town in a medium-sized house with a lovely yard. The
neighborhood is alive with children. Mr. Claymore has a responsible and respectable job with a
local firm. Mrs. Claymore does not work outside the home except in emergencies. Four children
keep her occupied. She is active in the Parent-Teacher Association (P.T.A.), church, and in some
community groups in which she has an interest. Mr. Claymore is solid, religious, and attentive to
his family and his yard. He has a few sound contacts within the community that he maintains.
The family does a lot of things together, such as picnicking, visiting, and hobbies—nothing
fancy, but pleasant. The neighborhood is friendly and the family interchanges activities with
other couples and families throughout the town. Members of this family like one another and
support one another in various activities. Life is not exciting, but neither is it dull. It has
regularity and routine with which everyone feels comfortable and it has a predictability felt by
Out-of-Class Activity
Read the case studies of the ideal family, and then answer the case-study questions.
The Ideal Family
Case No. 1
Mr. and Mrs. Falborne live in a lovely apartment in a large city. All bills are incorporated into
their rental fee. Both have pleasant jobs. Each morning they breakfast together and then depart to
their differing interests of the day. They seldom see each other during daytime hours but each is
interested in the other’s work. They lunch separately and often dine out together in the evening.
They are successful and happy. They have friends of many kinds. They live in a world full of
opportunities for gracious living, and each has some private interests to which they devote part of
their time, effort, and money. Each is “somebody” in the eyes of the other. They have no
children. They are not against children, but they are not in a rush for them. They will have as
many as they feel comfortable with and for whom they can find suitable resources to help care
for them. They do not have maid service daily, but someone comes in weekly. They expect to be
good parents, but the wife expects to continue her career, so they will involve other people and
community resources in the rearing of their children. They feel that their commitment in life is to
themselves and their world and to raising their children to operate effectively in life.
Case No. 2
Robin and Keri live in a nice house in the suburbs of a mid-sized town. They are both
professionals working in jobs that provide them with meaning in their lives. They feel they are
contributing to society with the work they do. They have many outside interests that occupy their
time and each enjoys these activities. They are involved in some outside activities together, and
others they are involved in without the other. They are comfortable with each other, dedicated to
their relationship, and comfortable with their sexual orientation. They feel their lives are
committed to social justice and service. At times they experience prejudice, but this does not
happen often, and they have a strong support network and many accepting friends and
colleagues. They have no children but have discussed adopting at some point in the future when
they feel ready for the responsibility and have resources available.
Case No. 3
Mr. and Mrs. Claymore live in a small town in a medium-sized house with a lovely yard. The
neighborhood is alive with children. Mr. Claymore has a responsible and respectable job with a
local firm. Mrs. Claymore does not work outside the home except in emergencies. Four children
keep her occupied. She is active in the Parent-Teacher Association (P.T.A.), church, and in some
community groups in which she has an interest. Mr. Claymore is solid, religious, and attentive to
his family and his yard. He has a few sound contacts within the community that he maintains.
The family does a lot of things together, such as picnicking, visiting, and hobbies—nothing
fancy, but pleasant. The neighborhood is friendly and the family interchanges activities with
other couples and families throughout the town. Members of this family like one another and
support one another in various activities. Life is not exciting, but neither is it dull. It has
regularity and routine with which everyone feels comfortable and it has a predictability felt by
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young and old. Mr. and Mrs. Claymore jointly head up the home and each is willing to
condescend to the other though they generally believe that father should be the head. The
children fit in well with their peer groups with occasional upsets. Family members are likable
and liked. They are developing skills but are not greatly pressured concerning them. Life for this
family is pleasant and regular and all seems to fit into its place.
Case No. 4
Mr. and Mrs. Featherwell live in a lovely, spacious house in the suburbs of one of our central
cities. Mrs. Featherwell is president of her local Parent-Teacher Association (P.T.A.) and is an
active member of other community and women’s groups. Mr. Featherwell is a junior executive in
one of the large companies in the city. They have three children, ages 12, 9, and 7. They are
usually nicely dressed and are rather careful around the house. Family and children’s friends are
numerous, but they are screened with some degree of selectivity and friendship with certain
groups is greatly reinforced. Mr. Featherwell is involved in some community groups where he
seeks to play an active role, as he does also in his church. He provides the income and, with help,
takes care of the yard, of which he is very proud. Mrs. Featherwell handles the budget and is an
excellent hostess. They are going to a company party and she has just called her husband and a
friend for further details and to determine and discuss what she should wear. The children have
been waiting for her to take them to their activity for the afternoon and are becoming quite verbal
in their impatience at her slowness. Family council is held once a week in this family, directed
by the father. Each person is considered an individual and has freedom to express himself or
herself as such. The family does some things together and frequently seeks to be involved in
educational and cultural activities. Mr. and Mrs. Featherwell go places frequently together
without the children and even for extended periods of time, during which they hire someone to
care for the children. Life at the Featherwells’ home operates very efficiently under the mother’s
guidance and is generally pleasant, but proceeds at a hurried pace. Children are expected to
demonstrate achievement in some of their activities and to develop skills.
Case No. 5
Mr. and Mrs. Trueman could be living in any city or area of the country. He is advancing well
with his company. Mrs. Trueman thinks he is a wonderful person. He makes many contacts and
is a well-known figure in the world in which he operates. His family is well informed and
respected by others in the community. Mrs. Trueman is happy with his activity on behalf of
herself and the family, but she is quite content to stay in the background and let him front for the
family. They are very polite and cordial with one another and with their children, who are well
behaved and are achieving well in school and in the development of personality skills. Their
names often appear on the lists of achievers. Life in the home is organized around the coming
and going of the father. Mrs. Trueman spends a lot of her time in home hobbies and in visiting
the neighbors and the ladies of the church. She involves her children in the home activities,
particularly the girls, while Mr. Trueman gives more time to his boys, trying to be at their
activities when he can and taking time off with them on occasion. Life in the family revolves
around the mother and her rather gentle approach to and acceptance of life, but when father
comes home the pattern shifts to accommodate what his world requires. Life is rather proper in
this family, but somewhat relaxed, and family members each have satisfactory worlds in which
they operate.
young and old. Mr. and Mrs. Claymore jointly head up the home and each is willing to
condescend to the other though they generally believe that father should be the head. The
children fit in well with their peer groups with occasional upsets. Family members are likable
and liked. They are developing skills but are not greatly pressured concerning them. Life for this
family is pleasant and regular and all seems to fit into its place.
Case No. 4
Mr. and Mrs. Featherwell live in a lovely, spacious house in the suburbs of one of our central
cities. Mrs. Featherwell is president of her local Parent-Teacher Association (P.T.A.) and is an
active member of other community and women’s groups. Mr. Featherwell is a junior executive in
one of the large companies in the city. They have three children, ages 12, 9, and 7. They are
usually nicely dressed and are rather careful around the house. Family and children’s friends are
numerous, but they are screened with some degree of selectivity and friendship with certain
groups is greatly reinforced. Mr. Featherwell is involved in some community groups where he
seeks to play an active role, as he does also in his church. He provides the income and, with help,
takes care of the yard, of which he is very proud. Mrs. Featherwell handles the budget and is an
excellent hostess. They are going to a company party and she has just called her husband and a
friend for further details and to determine and discuss what she should wear. The children have
been waiting for her to take them to their activity for the afternoon and are becoming quite verbal
in their impatience at her slowness. Family council is held once a week in this family, directed
by the father. Each person is considered an individual and has freedom to express himself or
herself as such. The family does some things together and frequently seeks to be involved in
educational and cultural activities. Mr. and Mrs. Featherwell go places frequently together
without the children and even for extended periods of time, during which they hire someone to
care for the children. Life at the Featherwells’ home operates very efficiently under the mother’s
guidance and is generally pleasant, but proceeds at a hurried pace. Children are expected to
demonstrate achievement in some of their activities and to develop skills.
Case No. 5
Mr. and Mrs. Trueman could be living in any city or area of the country. He is advancing well
with his company. Mrs. Trueman thinks he is a wonderful person. He makes many contacts and
is a well-known figure in the world in which he operates. His family is well informed and
respected by others in the community. Mrs. Trueman is happy with his activity on behalf of
herself and the family, but she is quite content to stay in the background and let him front for the
family. They are very polite and cordial with one another and with their children, who are well
behaved and are achieving well in school and in the development of personality skills. Their
names often appear on the lists of achievers. Life in the home is organized around the coming
and going of the father. Mrs. Trueman spends a lot of her time in home hobbies and in visiting
the neighbors and the ladies of the church. She involves her children in the home activities,
particularly the girls, while Mr. Trueman gives more time to his boys, trying to be at their
activities when he can and taking time off with them on occasion. Life in the family revolves
around the mother and her rather gentle approach to and acceptance of life, but when father
comes home the pattern shifts to accommodate what his world requires. Life is rather proper in
this family, but somewhat relaxed, and family members each have satisfactory worlds in which
they operate.
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Case No. 6
Mr. and Mrs. Straman live in a medium-sized house in a respectable urban housing situation.
They have four children. Both work at jobs they like and in which they find satisfaction. There is
not a lot of interchange between them concerning their jobs or activities. Each is a strong
individual entity, and they go their separate ways without much worry about one another. If
emergencies come up they pitch in and help one another, but otherwise each is expected to be on
his/her own. The children have been given the same privileges of being strong individuals and
have a strong voice in family affairs. They do not hold family councils. Life revolves largely
around the mother at home, with the father free to come and go as he wishes. The mother may
hire help, or do whatever is needed to handle the home situations without overdoing herself.
They consider themselves a very modern family. The husband and wife do not engage in a lot of
joint activities, though they will when needed. They build their relationship on a strong
affectional sex life. They move about the community as they wish, choosing their activities and
associates and encouraging their children to do the same. They are supportive of the children and
back them strongly, but they will also put pressure on them to express their personal strengths.
Life in the home varies with the situation and in mood and tempo. It has a situational aspect to it
that decides what shall be done. They contribute to community and church affairs in the areas in
which they feel interested and capable. The mother may be as free as the husband to move about
in the home. A family of strong individualists, this family flows with the tide as needed, is not
highly analytical or emotionally communicative, but is very supportive of each one’s selection of
ways to express the strength of his/her individuality.
Case No. 6
Mr. and Mrs. Straman live in a medium-sized house in a respectable urban housing situation.
They have four children. Both work at jobs they like and in which they find satisfaction. There is
not a lot of interchange between them concerning their jobs or activities. Each is a strong
individual entity, and they go their separate ways without much worry about one another. If
emergencies come up they pitch in and help one another, but otherwise each is expected to be on
his/her own. The children have been given the same privileges of being strong individuals and
have a strong voice in family affairs. They do not hold family councils. Life revolves largely
around the mother at home, with the father free to come and go as he wishes. The mother may
hire help, or do whatever is needed to handle the home situations without overdoing herself.
They consider themselves a very modern family. The husband and wife do not engage in a lot of
joint activities, though they will when needed. They build their relationship on a strong
affectional sex life. They move about the community as they wish, choosing their activities and
associates and encouraging their children to do the same. They are supportive of the children and
back them strongly, but they will also put pressure on them to express their personal strengths.
Life in the home varies with the situation and in mood and tempo. It has a situational aspect to it
that decides what shall be done. They contribute to community and church affairs in the areas in
which they feel interested and capable. The mother may be as free as the husband to move about
in the home. A family of strong individualists, this family flows with the tide as needed, is not
highly analytical or emotionally communicative, but is very supportive of each one’s selection of
ways to express the strength of his/her individuality.
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Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________________
Case Study Questions
Each of these family lifestyles allows the expression of individual personality. Each family goes
about it differently and does not produce the same types of personalities, but each represents
different kinds of family strengths. You won’t find exactly what you want in any of them.
Nevertheless, some will carry the message of what you want more than others. Answering the
following questions should help you gain a better recognition of what you are looking for and
what you are biased toward and against, particularly as we may have the opportunity to
interchange ideas in class sessions.
1. Which of these families most closely reflects the image you have of a good family? You may
not like any of them, but you should be able to pick one as being more reflective of your
ideas.
2. Identify three things about the family you chose that caused you to be more attracted to it.
a.
b.
c.
3. Is there anything in the family you chose that you dislike? If so, identify it.
4. Which of these family groups seems to have achieved the most . . .
________ a. unity?
________ b. favorable conditions for providing for the personal satisfaction of each family
member?
________ c. favorable conditions for providing for the personal welfare of husband and
wife, i.e. the well-being of their “pair” relationship?
________ d. favorable conditions for increased open conflict and struggle among family
members?
________ e. clear evidence of love expression among family members?
________ f. balanced organization of family resources?
Name: ________________________________________ Date: ____________________
Case Study Questions
Each of these family lifestyles allows the expression of individual personality. Each family goes
about it differently and does not produce the same types of personalities, but each represents
different kinds of family strengths. You won’t find exactly what you want in any of them.
Nevertheless, some will carry the message of what you want more than others. Answering the
following questions should help you gain a better recognition of what you are looking for and
what you are biased toward and against, particularly as we may have the opportunity to
interchange ideas in class sessions.
1. Which of these families most closely reflects the image you have of a good family? You may
not like any of them, but you should be able to pick one as being more reflective of your
ideas.
2. Identify three things about the family you chose that caused you to be more attracted to it.
a.
b.
c.
3. Is there anything in the family you chose that you dislike? If so, identify it.
4. Which of these family groups seems to have achieved the most . . .
________ a. unity?
________ b. favorable conditions for providing for the personal satisfaction of each family
member?
________ c. favorable conditions for providing for the personal welfare of husband and
wife, i.e. the well-being of their “pair” relationship?
________ d. favorable conditions for increased open conflict and struggle among family
members?
________ e. clear evidence of love expression among family members?
________ f. balanced organization of family resources?
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5. As you look at each case study, what is it that most strikes you about each family?
Case 1:
Case 2:
Case 3:
Case 4:
Case 5:
Case 6:
6. Looking back at the answers you have given, what clues do they suggest about your
particular desires for your own family?
5. As you look at each case study, what is it that most strikes you about each family?
Case 1:
Case 2:
Case 3:
Case 4:
Case 5:
Case 6:
6. Looking back at the answers you have given, what clues do they suggest about your
particular desires for your own family?
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Diversity Resources
National Center for Family and Marriage Research
https://www.bgsu.edu/ncfmr.html
This site offers various resources by topics and data sets, and it provides family profiles,
comparisons, and data. The NCFMR extols a three-fold mission—research, training, and
dissemination.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center
http://www.healthymarriageinfo.org/index.aspx
This resource is “a clearinghouse for high quality, balanced, and timely information and
resources on healthy marriage.” The NHMRC’s stated mission is to “be a first stop for
information, resources, and training on healthy marriage for experts, researchers, policymakers,
media, marriage educators, couples and individuals, program providers, and others.”
University of Central Florida: Marriage and Family Research Institute
www.mfri.ucf.edu
The University of Central Florida Marriage and Family Research Institute conducts original
research to meet goals including the facilitation of scholarly activity of faculty and graduate
students interested in marriage and family issues and imparting skills and best practices to
professional and nonprofessional individuals and couples.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/
The Administration for Children & Families’ mission includes helping married couples “gain
greater access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can acquire the
skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage.”
Diversity Resources
National Center for Family and Marriage Research
https://www.bgsu.edu/ncfmr.html
This site offers various resources by topics and data sets, and it provides family profiles,
comparisons, and data. The NCFMR extols a three-fold mission—research, training, and
dissemination.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center
http://www.healthymarriageinfo.org/index.aspx
This resource is “a clearinghouse for high quality, balanced, and timely information and
resources on healthy marriage.” The NHMRC’s stated mission is to “be a first stop for
information, resources, and training on healthy marriage for experts, researchers, policymakers,
media, marriage educators, couples and individuals, program providers, and others.”
University of Central Florida: Marriage and Family Research Institute
www.mfri.ucf.edu
The University of Central Florida Marriage and Family Research Institute conducts original
research to meet goals including the facilitation of scholarly activity of faculty and graduate
students interested in marriage and family issues and imparting skills and best practices to
professional and nonprofessional individuals and couples.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/
The Administration for Children & Families’ mission includes helping married couples “gain
greater access to marriage education services, on a voluntary basis, where they can acquire the
skills and knowledge necessary to form and sustain a healthy marriage.”
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1
Chapter 2
UNDERSTANDING: Learning about Intimate Behavior
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
2.1 Identify and explain the steps involved in critical thinking.
2.2 Discuss the eight key theoretical perspectives on the family and describe how macro- and
micro-level orientations apply to the perspectives.
2.3 Explain the five principal kinds of scientific research and the importance of objectivity.
Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer
1. Is there a more beneficial way to approach the world and ideas than I might be taking
now?
2. What are eight perspectives for looking at the family and relationships?
3. What are five principal kinds of scientific research?
On the Web
Understanding Advertising
Jean Kilbourne
http://jeankilbourne.com
Do you really know how advertising works? See if you can find out one thing about ads that
makes you realize how they influence you. To start, you might go to the website “Jean
Kilbourne” and click on “Get Active.” What did you learn?
Chapter Outline
I. 2.1 Learning How to Think: Keys to Being Open-Minded
We discuss how uncritical thinking can hinder our approach to the truth. We then describe
four steps in critical thinking.
Major Question 2.1: Is there a more beneficial way to approach the world and ideas than I
might be taking now?
A. Numbers That Matter: How Times Have Changed
1. The average American spent 4.5 hours daily watching TV in 2013
B. Uncritical Thinking & Magical Thinking
1. The enemy: Our mind-sets
C. Critical Thinking
1. The steps in critical thinking
Chapter 2
UNDERSTANDING: Learning about Intimate Behavior
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
2.1 Identify and explain the steps involved in critical thinking.
2.2 Discuss the eight key theoretical perspectives on the family and describe how macro- and
micro-level orientations apply to the perspectives.
2.3 Explain the five principal kinds of scientific research and the importance of objectivity.
Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer
1. Is there a more beneficial way to approach the world and ideas than I might be taking
now?
2. What are eight perspectives for looking at the family and relationships?
3. What are five principal kinds of scientific research?
On the Web
Understanding Advertising
Jean Kilbourne
http://jeankilbourne.com
Do you really know how advertising works? See if you can find out one thing about ads that
makes you realize how they influence you. To start, you might go to the website “Jean
Kilbourne” and click on “Get Active.” What did you learn?
Chapter Outline
I. 2.1 Learning How to Think: Keys to Being Open-Minded
We discuss how uncritical thinking can hinder our approach to the truth. We then describe
four steps in critical thinking.
Major Question 2.1: Is there a more beneficial way to approach the world and ideas than I
might be taking now?
A. Numbers That Matter: How Times Have Changed
1. The average American spent 4.5 hours daily watching TV in 2013
B. Uncritical Thinking & Magical Thinking
1. The enemy: Our mind-sets
C. Critical Thinking
1. The steps in critical thinking
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2
a. Get an understanding of the problem
b. Gather information and interpret it
c. Develop a solution plan and carry it out
d. Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness
D. Example of Magical Thinking: The Vaccine Doubters
1. Taking health for granted
2. The discredited autism connection
3. Antiscience & the Internet
E. Critical Thinking: Skills versus Disposition
F. Practical Action: The Steps in Critical Thinking
1. Get an understanding of the problem
2. Gather information & interpret it
3. Develop a solution plan & carry it out
4. Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness
II. 2.2 Theoretical Perspectives on the Family
Theories offer perspectives explaining why processes and events occur. Eight perspectives
for viewing marriage and family are structural-functional, conflict, symbolic interaction,
family systems, social exchange, feminist/male studies, ecological, and family development.
Major Question 2.2: What are eight perspectives for looking at the family and
relationships?
A. Two Types of Theories: Macro-Level versus Micro-Level Orientations
1. Macro-level orientation: The top-down view
2. Micro-level orientation: The bottom-up view
B. The Structural-Functional Perspective: The family is a social institution performing
essential functions
1. Manifest functions: intended
2. Latent functions: unintended
3. Applying the perspective: Families have three main functions:
a. To ensure that society has an ongoing supply of new members and to be a source
of socialization
b. To provide economic support for family members
c. To provide emotional support for family members
C. The Conflict Perspective: Conflict & change, not harmony, is the normal state of the
family
1. Applying the perspective
a. Conflict over power
b. Conflict over resources
D. The Symbolic Interaction Perspective: People’s interactions ultimately determine their
behavior
1. Applying the perspective
a. Definition of the situation
b. Self-image based on others’ interactions
c. Predictability of behavior
a. Get an understanding of the problem
b. Gather information and interpret it
c. Develop a solution plan and carry it out
d. Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness
D. Example of Magical Thinking: The Vaccine Doubters
1. Taking health for granted
2. The discredited autism connection
3. Antiscience & the Internet
E. Critical Thinking: Skills versus Disposition
F. Practical Action: The Steps in Critical Thinking
1. Get an understanding of the problem
2. Gather information & interpret it
3. Develop a solution plan & carry it out
4. Evaluate the plan’s effectiveness
II. 2.2 Theoretical Perspectives on the Family
Theories offer perspectives explaining why processes and events occur. Eight perspectives
for viewing marriage and family are structural-functional, conflict, symbolic interaction,
family systems, social exchange, feminist/male studies, ecological, and family development.
Major Question 2.2: What are eight perspectives for looking at the family and
relationships?
A. Two Types of Theories: Macro-Level versus Micro-Level Orientations
1. Macro-level orientation: The top-down view
2. Micro-level orientation: The bottom-up view
B. The Structural-Functional Perspective: The family is a social institution performing
essential functions
1. Manifest functions: intended
2. Latent functions: unintended
3. Applying the perspective: Families have three main functions:
a. To ensure that society has an ongoing supply of new members and to be a source
of socialization
b. To provide economic support for family members
c. To provide emotional support for family members
C. The Conflict Perspective: Conflict & change, not harmony, is the normal state of the
family
1. Applying the perspective
a. Conflict over power
b. Conflict over resources
D. The Symbolic Interaction Perspective: People’s interactions ultimately determine their
behavior
1. Applying the perspective
a. Definition of the situation
b. Self-image based on others’ interactions
c. Predictability of behavior
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3
E. The Family Systems Perspective: Family members are interconnected, & changes in one
member affect the others
1. Applying the perspective
F. The Social Exchange Perspective: Individuals seek the most benefits & the least costs in
a relationship
1. Applying the perspective
G. The Feminist Perspective: Inequality between men & women results from male
dominance
1. Applying the perspective
a. Emphasis on inequality
b. No one kind of family
c. Reduction in harassment and violence
2. Men’s studies
H. The Ecological Perspective: The family is influenced by & influences its environment
1. Applying the perspective
I. The Family Development Perspective: Individuals & families change through stages of
life
1. Applying the perspective
J. Is Any Perspective Better than Any Other?
1. Pluses & minuses
a. Structural-functional
b. Conflict
c. Symbolic interactionist
d. Family systems
e. Social exchange
f. Feminist
g. Ecological
h. Family development
III. 2.3 How Do You Know What’s True? Learning to Evaluate Research Results
Five principal kinds of scientific research are survey, clinical, observational, experimental,
and other—cross-cultural, historical, and longitudinal. When looking at research findings, be
aware of the blinders of your own experience and the flaws that can affect research studies.
Major Question 2.3: What are five principal kinds of scientific research?
A. Survey Research: Collecting data by questionnaire or interview from representative
samples
1. Step 1: Decide on the population & the sample
a. Representative (random) sample
b. Nonrepresentative sample
2. Step 2: Gather the data: Using questionnaires or interviews
a. Survey by questionnaire
b. Survey by interview
3. Step 3: Analyze & generalize the results
B. Clinical Research: In-depth examination of individuals or groups in counseling
1. Benefits: host of insights
E. The Family Systems Perspective: Family members are interconnected, & changes in one
member affect the others
1. Applying the perspective
F. The Social Exchange Perspective: Individuals seek the most benefits & the least costs in
a relationship
1. Applying the perspective
G. The Feminist Perspective: Inequality between men & women results from male
dominance
1. Applying the perspective
a. Emphasis on inequality
b. No one kind of family
c. Reduction in harassment and violence
2. Men’s studies
H. The Ecological Perspective: The family is influenced by & influences its environment
1. Applying the perspective
I. The Family Development Perspective: Individuals & families change through stages of
life
1. Applying the perspective
J. Is Any Perspective Better than Any Other?
1. Pluses & minuses
a. Structural-functional
b. Conflict
c. Symbolic interactionist
d. Family systems
e. Social exchange
f. Feminist
g. Ecological
h. Family development
III. 2.3 How Do You Know What’s True? Learning to Evaluate Research Results
Five principal kinds of scientific research are survey, clinical, observational, experimental,
and other—cross-cultural, historical, and longitudinal. When looking at research findings, be
aware of the blinders of your own experience and the flaws that can affect research studies.
Major Question 2.3: What are five principal kinds of scientific research?
A. Survey Research: Collecting data by questionnaire or interview from representative
samples
1. Step 1: Decide on the population & the sample
a. Representative (random) sample
b. Nonrepresentative sample
2. Step 2: Gather the data: Using questionnaires or interviews
a. Survey by questionnaire
b. Survey by interview
3. Step 3: Analyze & generalize the results
B. Clinical Research: In-depth examination of individuals or groups in counseling
1. Benefits: host of insights
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4
2. Drawbacks: results can’t be generalized
C. Observational Research: Observing people in their usual surroundings
1. Two kinds of observation
a. Participant observation—Interact anonymously with subjects
b. Nonparticipant observation—Just observe subjects
2. Benefits
3. Drawbacks
D. Experimental Research: Measuring behavior under controlled conditions
1. Two kinds of variables
a. Independent variables
b. Dependent variables
2. Experimental group versus control group
a. Experimental group
b. Control group
3. Benefits
4. Drawbacks
E. Other Kinds of Research
1. Cross-cultural
2. Historical
3. Longitudinal
4. Content analysis
5. Secondary analysis
F. Trying to Be Objective: How Do You Know What’s True?
1. Your mind-sets: The possible filters
a. Ethnocentrism—“My country or culture is best”
b. Heterosexism—“The only legitimate family is heterosexual”
c. Bias against not having children—“Children are the ultimate reason”
2. Possible flaws in research studies
a. Researcher is biased
b. Sample is biased
c. No control group
d. Questions not neutrally worded
e. Time and other distortions
f. Questions of reliability and validity
G. Using the Sociological Imagination: Different Folks, Different Families
Key Terms
Case study method: research that consists of clinical practitioners working directly with
individuals or families using interviews, observation, and analysis of records (p. 58).
Clinical research: entails in-depth study of individual or small groups who have sought
counseling for psychological, relationship, or marital/family problems from mental health
professionals (p. 58).
Conflict perspective: views individuals and groups as being basically in conflict with each other
for power and scarce resources (p. 50).
2. Drawbacks: results can’t be generalized
C. Observational Research: Observing people in their usual surroundings
1. Two kinds of observation
a. Participant observation—Interact anonymously with subjects
b. Nonparticipant observation—Just observe subjects
2. Benefits
3. Drawbacks
D. Experimental Research: Measuring behavior under controlled conditions
1. Two kinds of variables
a. Independent variables
b. Dependent variables
2. Experimental group versus control group
a. Experimental group
b. Control group
3. Benefits
4. Drawbacks
E. Other Kinds of Research
1. Cross-cultural
2. Historical
3. Longitudinal
4. Content analysis
5. Secondary analysis
F. Trying to Be Objective: How Do You Know What’s True?
1. Your mind-sets: The possible filters
a. Ethnocentrism—“My country or culture is best”
b. Heterosexism—“The only legitimate family is heterosexual”
c. Bias against not having children—“Children are the ultimate reason”
2. Possible flaws in research studies
a. Researcher is biased
b. Sample is biased
c. No control group
d. Questions not neutrally worded
e. Time and other distortions
f. Questions of reliability and validity
G. Using the Sociological Imagination: Different Folks, Different Families
Key Terms
Case study method: research that consists of clinical practitioners working directly with
individuals or families using interviews, observation, and analysis of records (p. 58).
Clinical research: entails in-depth study of individual or small groups who have sought
counseling for psychological, relationship, or marital/family problems from mental health
professionals (p. 58).
Conflict perspective: views individuals and groups as being basically in conflict with each other
for power and scarce resources (p. 50).
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5
Content analysis: the systematic examination of cultural artifacts or various forms of
communication to extract thematic data and draw conclusions about social life (p. 60).
Control group: group in which subjects are not introduced to the independent variable by the
researcher (p. 59).
Critical thinking: clear thinking, skeptical thinking, active thinking; actively seeking to
understand, analyze, and evaluate information in order to solve specific problems (p. 44).
Cross-cultural study: study in which social scientists compare data on family life among
different kinds of societies (p. 60).
Dependent variables: factors or behaviors that are affected by changes in the independent
variable (p. 59).
Developmental tasks: family members fulfill specific role expectations and responsibilities as
they move through the life cycle (p. 54).
Ecological perspective: examines how a family (or individual) is influenced by and influences
its environment (p. 53).
Ethnocentrism: the belief that one’s native country, culture, language, abilities, or behavior are
superior to those of another culture (p. 61).
Experiment: factors or behaviors are measured or monitored under closely controlled
circumstances (p. 59).
Experimental group: group in which subjects are exposed to an independent variable
introduced by the researcher (p. 59).
Experimental research: research in which researchers try to isolate a single factor or behavior
under controlled conditions to determine its effect (p. 59).
Expressive role: the role of the female as a homemaker who is nurturing and supportive (p. 47).
Family development perspective: proposes that family members accomplish developmental
tasks as they move through stages in the family life cycle (p. 54).
Family life cycle: family members’ roles and relationships change, largely depending on how
they have to adapt to the absence or presence of child-rearing responsibilities (p. 54).
Family systems perspective: suggests that family members make up a system of interconnected
parts of a whole and that changes in one part change the other parts (p. 51).
Feminist perspective: the view that inequality in women’s roles is the result of male dominance
in the family and in society (p. 52).
Generalized: the results of the sample can be applied to the population, or the larger group (p.
58).
Hawthorne effect: situation in which subjects of research change from their typical behavior
because they realize they are under observation (p. 59).
Heterosexism: the belief that the standard family is heterosexual, with homosexual families
(lesbian and gays) not being viewed as true families (p. 61).
Historical study: study in which researchers compare census, social agency, or demographic
data to ascertain changing patterns of family life (p. 60).
Independent variables: factors or behaviors that can be controlled or manipulated by the
experimenter (p. 59).
Content analysis: the systematic examination of cultural artifacts or various forms of
communication to extract thematic data and draw conclusions about social life (p. 60).
Control group: group in which subjects are not introduced to the independent variable by the
researcher (p. 59).
Critical thinking: clear thinking, skeptical thinking, active thinking; actively seeking to
understand, analyze, and evaluate information in order to solve specific problems (p. 44).
Cross-cultural study: study in which social scientists compare data on family life among
different kinds of societies (p. 60).
Dependent variables: factors or behaviors that are affected by changes in the independent
variable (p. 59).
Developmental tasks: family members fulfill specific role expectations and responsibilities as
they move through the life cycle (p. 54).
Ecological perspective: examines how a family (or individual) is influenced by and influences
its environment (p. 53).
Ethnocentrism: the belief that one’s native country, culture, language, abilities, or behavior are
superior to those of another culture (p. 61).
Experiment: factors or behaviors are measured or monitored under closely controlled
circumstances (p. 59).
Experimental group: group in which subjects are exposed to an independent variable
introduced by the researcher (p. 59).
Experimental research: research in which researchers try to isolate a single factor or behavior
under controlled conditions to determine its effect (p. 59).
Expressive role: the role of the female as a homemaker who is nurturing and supportive (p. 47).
Family development perspective: proposes that family members accomplish developmental
tasks as they move through stages in the family life cycle (p. 54).
Family life cycle: family members’ roles and relationships change, largely depending on how
they have to adapt to the absence or presence of child-rearing responsibilities (p. 54).
Family systems perspective: suggests that family members make up a system of interconnected
parts of a whole and that changes in one part change the other parts (p. 51).
Feminist perspective: the view that inequality in women’s roles is the result of male dominance
in the family and in society (p. 52).
Generalized: the results of the sample can be applied to the population, or the larger group (p.
58).
Hawthorne effect: situation in which subjects of research change from their typical behavior
because they realize they are under observation (p. 59).
Heterosexism: the belief that the standard family is heterosexual, with homosexual families
(lesbian and gays) not being viewed as true families (p. 61).
Historical study: study in which researchers compare census, social agency, or demographic
data to ascertain changing patterns of family life (p. 60).
Independent variables: factors or behaviors that can be controlled or manipulated by the
experimenter (p. 59).
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6
Instrumental role: the role of the male as the breadwinner who is hard-working, self-confident,
and competitive (p. 47).
Interviewer bias: bias of interviewers that allows their own preconceptions to influence how
they ask questions (p. 57).
Latent functions: unconscious or unintended functions that have hidden purposes (p. 47).
Longitudinal study: study in which researchers use questionnaires or interviews over a number
of years to follow up on earlier investigations (p. 60).
Macro-level orientation: focuses on large-scale patterns of society (p. 47).
Magical thinking: the interpreting of two closely occurring events as though one caused the
other, without any concern for causal link (p. 43).
Manifest functions: functions that are open, stated, and conscious (p. 47).
Micro-level orientation: focuses on small-scale patterns of society, concentrating on individual
interactions in specific settings (p. 47).
Nonparticipant observation: researchers observe their subjects without interacting with them
(p. 58).
Nonrepresentative sample: a sample in which participants are chosen by researchers on the
basis of convenience or availability (p. 57).
Observational research: research in which researchers obtain information data by observing
people in their usual surroundings (p. 58).
Participant observation: researchers interact with the subjects they are observing but do not
reveal that they are researchers (p. 58).
Population: any well-known group of people social scientists want to study (p. 57).
Random sample: a sample in which everyone in a particular population has an equal chance of
being included; also called representative sample (p. 57).
Reliability: the degree to which a measurement method produces the same results when repeated
by the same or other researchers (p. 62).
Representative sample: see “random sample” (p. 57).
Sample: small group of the population to be studied; may be representative or nonrepresentative
(p. 57).
Secondary analysis: the analysis of data collected by other researchers (p. 60).
Social exchange perspective: proposes that people’s interactions represent the efforts of each
person to maximize his or her benefits and minimize costs (p. 52).
Socialization: the process by which offspring learn attitudes, beliefs, and values appropriate to
their society and culture so they can function effectively in society (p. 49).
Sociological imagination: the influence of social structure and culture on interpersonal
decisions (p. 63).
Stratified random sample: a sample of specific subgroups of a particular population in which
everyone in the subgroups has an equal chance of being included in the study (p. 57).
Structural-functional perspective: views the family as a social institution that performs
essential functions for society to ensure its stability (p. 47).
Instrumental role: the role of the male as the breadwinner who is hard-working, self-confident,
and competitive (p. 47).
Interviewer bias: bias of interviewers that allows their own preconceptions to influence how
they ask questions (p. 57).
Latent functions: unconscious or unintended functions that have hidden purposes (p. 47).
Longitudinal study: study in which researchers use questionnaires or interviews over a number
of years to follow up on earlier investigations (p. 60).
Macro-level orientation: focuses on large-scale patterns of society (p. 47).
Magical thinking: the interpreting of two closely occurring events as though one caused the
other, without any concern for causal link (p. 43).
Manifest functions: functions that are open, stated, and conscious (p. 47).
Micro-level orientation: focuses on small-scale patterns of society, concentrating on individual
interactions in specific settings (p. 47).
Nonparticipant observation: researchers observe their subjects without interacting with them
(p. 58).
Nonrepresentative sample: a sample in which participants are chosen by researchers on the
basis of convenience or availability (p. 57).
Observational research: research in which researchers obtain information data by observing
people in their usual surroundings (p. 58).
Participant observation: researchers interact with the subjects they are observing but do not
reveal that they are researchers (p. 58).
Population: any well-known group of people social scientists want to study (p. 57).
Random sample: a sample in which everyone in a particular population has an equal chance of
being included; also called representative sample (p. 57).
Reliability: the degree to which a measurement method produces the same results when repeated
by the same or other researchers (p. 62).
Representative sample: see “random sample” (p. 57).
Sample: small group of the population to be studied; may be representative or nonrepresentative
(p. 57).
Secondary analysis: the analysis of data collected by other researchers (p. 60).
Social exchange perspective: proposes that people’s interactions represent the efforts of each
person to maximize his or her benefits and minimize costs (p. 52).
Socialization: the process by which offspring learn attitudes, beliefs, and values appropriate to
their society and culture so they can function effectively in society (p. 49).
Sociological imagination: the influence of social structure and culture on interpersonal
decisions (p. 63).
Stratified random sample: a sample of specific subgroups of a particular population in which
everyone in the subgroups has an equal chance of being included in the study (p. 57).
Structural-functional perspective: views the family as a social institution that performs
essential functions for society to ensure its stability (p. 47).
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7
Survey research: uses questionnaires or interviews to collect data from small representative
groups (samples), which are then used to generalize conclusions valid for larger groups
(populations) (p. 57).
Symbolic interaction perspective: focuses on internal family interaction, the ongoing action
and response of family members to one another (p. 50).
Theory: a perspective or a set of statements that explains why processes and events occur (p.
46).
Thomas theorem: theorem that states, “If people define situations as real, they are real in their
consequences” (p. 50).
Validity: the degree to which a measurement method actually measures what it claims to
measure and is free of bias (p.62).
Variable: a factor that can be varied or manipulated in the experiment (p. 59).
Discussion Topics
2.1 Learning How to Think: Keys to Being Open-Minded
1. Help students identify and analyze a basic assumption they have about family life. For
example, many students believe that parents should rear their own children. Encourage
students to discuss where they got this idea, if this idea is always the best, and how to
analyze alternatives. It is okay if in the end they decide that parents should raise their
own children because now they have examined the concept and have accepted it based on
thought instead of default. Ask them to begin to think of more challenging areas they
have accepted by default rather than thought, such as religion, politics, college major—
the list goes on.
2. Why develop critical thinking skills? Have students discuss the differences between
critical thinking and habitual or uncritical thinking. Help them learn that critical thinking
is more difficult and takes more time, at least in the beginning. Have them discuss the
value of being able to think critically to help them be motivated to putting forth an effort
to think in this new way.
2.2 Theoretical Perspectives on the Family
1. Have students discuss the differences among the eight perspectives. Ask them to point
out strengths and weaknesses of each perspective. Help them understand that each
perspective is flawed on its own and that true critical thinking employs a variety of
perspectives.
2.3 How Do You Know What’s True? Learning to Evaluate Research Results
1. Discuss the benefits of research and the limits of findings. Often students become
disillusioned when they find out that they cannot completely accept the findings of
research. (Help them rethink critical thinking skills.) Help them realize that all research
Survey research: uses questionnaires or interviews to collect data from small representative
groups (samples), which are then used to generalize conclusions valid for larger groups
(populations) (p. 57).
Symbolic interaction perspective: focuses on internal family interaction, the ongoing action
and response of family members to one another (p. 50).
Theory: a perspective or a set of statements that explains why processes and events occur (p.
46).
Thomas theorem: theorem that states, “If people define situations as real, they are real in their
consequences” (p. 50).
Validity: the degree to which a measurement method actually measures what it claims to
measure and is free of bias (p.62).
Variable: a factor that can be varied or manipulated in the experiment (p. 59).
Discussion Topics
2.1 Learning How to Think: Keys to Being Open-Minded
1. Help students identify and analyze a basic assumption they have about family life. For
example, many students believe that parents should rear their own children. Encourage
students to discuss where they got this idea, if this idea is always the best, and how to
analyze alternatives. It is okay if in the end they decide that parents should raise their
own children because now they have examined the concept and have accepted it based on
thought instead of default. Ask them to begin to think of more challenging areas they
have accepted by default rather than thought, such as religion, politics, college major—
the list goes on.
2. Why develop critical thinking skills? Have students discuss the differences between
critical thinking and habitual or uncritical thinking. Help them learn that critical thinking
is more difficult and takes more time, at least in the beginning. Have them discuss the
value of being able to think critically to help them be motivated to putting forth an effort
to think in this new way.
2.2 Theoretical Perspectives on the Family
1. Have students discuss the differences among the eight perspectives. Ask them to point
out strengths and weaknesses of each perspective. Help them understand that each
perspective is flawed on its own and that true critical thinking employs a variety of
perspectives.
2.3 How Do You Know What’s True? Learning to Evaluate Research Results
1. Discuss the benefits of research and the limits of findings. Often students become
disillusioned when they find out that they cannot completely accept the findings of
research. (Help them rethink critical thinking skills.) Help them realize that all research
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8
has limitations, and that when these limitations are considered, we gain information and
broaden our understanding of the topic.
Class Activities and Handouts
The following handouts may be printed out and used for in-class and/or out-of-class activities
related to the topics covered in this chapter.
has limitations, and that when these limitations are considered, we gain information and
broaden our understanding of the topic.
Class Activities and Handouts
The following handouts may be printed out and used for in-class and/or out-of-class activities
related to the topics covered in this chapter.
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9
In-Class Activity
Please provide the type of possible research flaws illustrated below:
The Family Research Alliance, an organization supporting one woman/one man marriage,
recently hired a researcher to examine the family behaviors of homosexual couples.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
When the researchers run the test again, they achieve different results.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
A researcher examines the effect of listening to music while learning math in a second-grade
classroom.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
A major test to measure psychological problems is developed using people who are hospitalized
with mental illness as its sample.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
A researcher creates a survey and does not test it with a small group first to make sure the
wording is understandable.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
In-Class Activity
Please provide the type of possible research flaws illustrated below:
The Family Research Alliance, an organization supporting one woman/one man marriage,
recently hired a researcher to examine the family behaviors of homosexual couples.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
When the researchers run the test again, they achieve different results.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
A researcher examines the effect of listening to music while learning math in a second-grade
classroom.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
A major test to measure psychological problems is developed using people who are hospitalized
with mental illness as its sample.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
A researcher creates a survey and does not test it with a small group first to make sure the
wording is understandable.
Type of research flaw? ______________________
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10
Out-of-Class Activity
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ___________________
For each of the eight theoretical perspectives listed below, please provide an example of a family
you know (from TV, movies, literature, or real life) that demonstrates that perspective. Provide a
brief explanation.
1) Structural-Functional Perspective
2) Conflict Perspective
3) Symbolic Interaction Perspective
4) Family Systems Perspective
5) Social Exchange Perspective
6) Feminist Perspective
7) Ecological Perspective
8) Family Development Perspective
Out-of-Class Activity
Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ___________________
For each of the eight theoretical perspectives listed below, please provide an example of a family
you know (from TV, movies, literature, or real life) that demonstrates that perspective. Provide a
brief explanation.
1) Structural-Functional Perspective
2) Conflict Perspective
3) Symbolic Interaction Perspective
4) Family Systems Perspective
5) Social Exchange Perspective
6) Feminist Perspective
7) Ecological Perspective
8) Family Development Perspective
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11
Diversity Resources
Family Systems Theory
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Family_Systems_Theory.aspx
A detailed look at the family systems theory via the International Encyclopedia of Marriage and
Family.
“A Stop Sign at the Intersection of History and Biography: Illustrating Mills’s Imagination with
Depression-Era Photographs” (2002. Hanson, C. Teaching Sociology)
http://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/Documents/TSHanson2002.pdf
A paper by Chad Hanson, a member of the social science faculty at Casper College, proposing
that Depression-era photographs provide students with a visual counterpart to the perspective
suggested by C. Wright Mills in The Sociological Imagination.
“Migrant Mother”
http://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/images/Sociology/8b29516vPea
pickersHigherResolution.jpg
Dorothea Lange’s famous Depression-era photograph depicting a destitute migrant farm worker
and several of her children in California in 1936. (See “A Stop Sign at the Intersection of History
and Biography,” above.)
Diversity Resources
Family Systems Theory
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Family_Systems_Theory.aspx
A detailed look at the family systems theory via the International Encyclopedia of Marriage and
Family.
“A Stop Sign at the Intersection of History and Biography: Illustrating Mills’s Imagination with
Depression-Era Photographs” (2002. Hanson, C. Teaching Sociology)
http://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/Documents/TSHanson2002.pdf
A paper by Chad Hanson, a member of the social science faculty at Casper College, proposing
that Depression-era photographs provide students with a visual counterpart to the perspective
suggested by C. Wright Mills in The Sociological Imagination.
“Migrant Mother”
http://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/introtosociology/images/Sociology/8b29516vPea
pickersHigherResolution.jpg
Dorothea Lange’s famous Depression-era photograph depicting a destitute migrant farm worker
and several of her children in California in 1936. (See “A Stop Sign at the Intersection of History
and Biography,” above.)
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1
Chapter 3
GENDER: The Meanings of Masculinity & Femininity
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
3.1 Compare and contrast sex, sex roles, gender, and gender roles.
3.2 Explain the four major theories of gender role socialization.
3.3 Identify and discuss the sources of gender role socialization.
3.4 Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of traditional gender role socialization, and
identify and explain the impact of social influences on gender roles.
Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer
1. What are the principal terms anyone needs to know to discuss gender differences
intelligently?
2. What are some possible explanations for gender differences?
3. Who has influenced how I feel about being a man or a woman?
4. Is there more than one way to be masculine or feminine?
On the Web
How Do the Mass Media Portray Masculinity & Femininity?
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
http://seejane.org/research
How accurate do you think the mass media are in portraying men and women? Here’s an
opportunity to go on the World Wide Web to find out. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in
Media, founded by actor and producer Geena Davis, is concerned with looking at gender
portrayals in the mass media.
1. Go to the website “Research Informs and Empowers—See Jane.”
2. Go to Key Findings/Executive Summaries.
3. Click on one of the “Key Findings” that interests you. Do you think the gender portrayals
they describe are correct?
Chapter Outline
I. 3.1 Understanding Gender & Gender Roles
To talk about gender, you need to know the meaning of sex versus gender, of gender roles
and sex roles, and of socialization and gender identity. It helps to understand the distinctions
among cross-dressers, transvestites, transsexuals, transgenderists, and hermaphrodites.
Chapter 3
GENDER: The Meanings of Masculinity & Femininity
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, students should be able to:
3.1 Compare and contrast sex, sex roles, gender, and gender roles.
3.2 Explain the four major theories of gender role socialization.
3.3 Identify and discuss the sources of gender role socialization.
3.4 Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of traditional gender role socialization, and
identify and explain the impact of social influences on gender roles.
Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer
1. What are the principal terms anyone needs to know to discuss gender differences
intelligently?
2. What are some possible explanations for gender differences?
3. Who has influenced how I feel about being a man or a woman?
4. Is there more than one way to be masculine or feminine?
On the Web
How Do the Mass Media Portray Masculinity & Femininity?
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
http://seejane.org/research
How accurate do you think the mass media are in portraying men and women? Here’s an
opportunity to go on the World Wide Web to find out. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in
Media, founded by actor and producer Geena Davis, is concerned with looking at gender
portrayals in the mass media.
1. Go to the website “Research Informs and Empowers—See Jane.”
2. Go to Key Findings/Executive Summaries.
3. Click on one of the “Key Findings” that interests you. Do you think the gender portrayals
they describe are correct?
Chapter Outline
I. 3.1 Understanding Gender & Gender Roles
To talk about gender, you need to know the meaning of sex versus gender, of gender roles
and sex roles, and of socialization and gender identity. It helps to understand the distinctions
among cross-dressers, transvestites, transsexuals, transgenderists, and hermaphrodites.
Loading page 30...
2
Finally, you should know the vocabulary of sexism—patriarchal and matriarchal, sexism and
sexual harassment.
Major Question 3.1: What are the principal terms anyone needs to know to discuss
gender differences intelligently?
A. How to Talk about Gender: The Vocabulary
1. Sex
2. Gender
3. Roles, gender roles, & sex roles
4. Socialization & gender identity
5. Cross-dressers & transvestites
6. Transsexuals & intersexuals
B. Numbers That Matter: Gender Differences
1. Heterosexual males were found to be drawn to physically attractive young women,
and heterosexual women were found to be drawn to men with economic ambitions.
2. Males account for 70% of D and F grades and 80% of high school dropouts.
3. Women’s and men’s work are divided.
C. What Gender Are You?
1. The concept of transgender
2. LGBT becomes LGBTQIA . . . or even LGBTQQIAP
D. Example of a Transgendered Person: Bruce Jenner Becomes Caitlyn Jenner
E. The Vocabulary of Sexism
1. Patriarchal & matriarchal
2. Sexism & sexual harassment
F. Practical Action: Preventing & Stopping Sexual Harassment
1. Two types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo (tangible economic injury) and hostile
environment (offensive work environment)
2. Preventing sexual harassment
3. Stopping sexual harassment
II. 3.2 Why Do Gender Roles Differ? Some Theories
Four theories that have been offered to account for gender differences are sociobiology,
social learning theory, cognitive development theory, and gender schema theory.
Major Question 3.2: What are some possible explanations for gender differences?
A. Sociobiology: Does Biology Determine Our Gender Differences?
B. Social Learning Theory: Does the Environment Determine Our Gender Differences?
1. Two kinds of learning
a. Learning by reinforcement—Rewards and punishment
b. Learning by modeling—Imitation
C. Cognitive Development Theory: Does Our Age Determine Our Gender Differences?
1. Two-year-olds
2. Five-year-olds
3. Six-and seven-year-olds
D. Gender Schema Theory: Do We Develop Mental Categories for Organizing Our Gender
Perceptions?
Finally, you should know the vocabulary of sexism—patriarchal and matriarchal, sexism and
sexual harassment.
Major Question 3.1: What are the principal terms anyone needs to know to discuss
gender differences intelligently?
A. How to Talk about Gender: The Vocabulary
1. Sex
2. Gender
3. Roles, gender roles, & sex roles
4. Socialization & gender identity
5. Cross-dressers & transvestites
6. Transsexuals & intersexuals
B. Numbers That Matter: Gender Differences
1. Heterosexual males were found to be drawn to physically attractive young women,
and heterosexual women were found to be drawn to men with economic ambitions.
2. Males account for 70% of D and F grades and 80% of high school dropouts.
3. Women’s and men’s work are divided.
C. What Gender Are You?
1. The concept of transgender
2. LGBT becomes LGBTQIA . . . or even LGBTQQIAP
D. Example of a Transgendered Person: Bruce Jenner Becomes Caitlyn Jenner
E. The Vocabulary of Sexism
1. Patriarchal & matriarchal
2. Sexism & sexual harassment
F. Practical Action: Preventing & Stopping Sexual Harassment
1. Two types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo (tangible economic injury) and hostile
environment (offensive work environment)
2. Preventing sexual harassment
3. Stopping sexual harassment
II. 3.2 Why Do Gender Roles Differ? Some Theories
Four theories that have been offered to account for gender differences are sociobiology,
social learning theory, cognitive development theory, and gender schema theory.
Major Question 3.2: What are some possible explanations for gender differences?
A. Sociobiology: Does Biology Determine Our Gender Differences?
B. Social Learning Theory: Does the Environment Determine Our Gender Differences?
1. Two kinds of learning
a. Learning by reinforcement—Rewards and punishment
b. Learning by modeling—Imitation
C. Cognitive Development Theory: Does Our Age Determine Our Gender Differences?
1. Two-year-olds
2. Five-year-olds
3. Six-and seven-year-olds
D. Gender Schema Theory: Do We Develop Mental Categories for Organizing Our Gender
Perceptions?
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Subject
Sociology