Family Interview Assignment

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Perspectives on Intimate

Relationships

Chapter 1

Defining Marriage…

 Marriage:

 The emotional and legal commitment of two

people to share emotional and physical

intimacy, various tasks, and economic

resources.

Characteristics of Marriage

 Demographic event

 Joining of two

families and

networks

 Legal contract

 Economic union

 Most common living

arrangement in the

U.S.

 A context of human

sexuality

 Reproductive unit

 Socialization unit

 Opportunity to

develop intimate &

sharing relationship

 Privileged union

Broderick, 1992, 1993

What does “privileged union”

mean?

Same-Sex Marriage

 Controversial & political topic

 What has been happening recently with

this topic?

Same-Sex Marriage

 Nineteen states now allow same-sex

marriage

 Civil unions considered acceptable by

majority of public

 Regardless of how you feel about this

topic, consider it in terms of legal

privileges and rights.

Family Definitions

 People that care about each other, love

each other, and work together.

 Family is the bond between a group of

people that is inseparable.

 A family could be a group of individuals

connected biologically or spiritually that

nurtures our well-being and help us

grow.

What is a Family?

 Many definitions

 Common elements found in definitions:

 Relation by blood

 Sharing resources

 Emotional connections

Defining Family…

 Family:

 Two or more people who are committed to

each other and who share intimacy,

resources, decision-making responsibilities

and values.

 Do you agree?

Changing Trends …

Trends in Marriage

• Popularity of marriage declining:

• 1970—68% of adults were married

• 2000—60% of adults are married

• Delay in age of first marriage

 Median age of marriage in 1960:

 men 22.8 years; women 20.3 years

 Median age of marriage today:

 men 27.1 years; women 25.3 years

U.S. Bureau of Census, 2002a

Trends in Marriage

 How do you feel about the changes in

marriage?

 Good?

 Bad?

Trends in Cohabitation

 Growing acceptance

 Half of all couples

cohabit prior to

marriage

 40% of children

before 16 will live in

cohabitating family

2.5

3.5

4.7

5.5

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Cohabitating

Couples

1988

1993

2000

2003

Numbers represent millions

U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2003a, 2004

Trends in Divorce

 Approximately 50% of all U.S. marriages

will end in divorce.

 Is this bad or wrong?

 Quality of marriages versus longevity of

marriage:

 Marital relationships that endure do not

guarantee a marriage of quality or

happiness.

Trends in Remarriage

 75% of divorced individuals will remarry:

 60% of these remarriages end in divorce

 Serial monogamy becoming the norm

 54% of marriages each year are first

marriages

 Presence of children decreases odds of

remarriage for women

Trends in Family Structure

 Diversity in structure by ethnicity

 Increase in single parent families

 1970—12% children

 2002—28% children

 Increase in stepfamilies

 Fewer children

 Fewer stay at home moms

Advantages of Marriage

 Longer life expectancy

 Healthier lifestyle

 Greater happiness

 More satisfying sex life

 Career advantages for men

 Accumulated wealth

 Research shows it is healthier for

men than women- What do you think?

Social Environmental

Challenges

Challenges to Marriage & Family

 Stress, change, and materialism

 Lack of time for self and others

 Use of child care outside of the family

 Do you agree?

 Instability of couple and family relationships

 Violence, victimization, and fear

Challenges to Marriage & Family (cont’d)

 Alcohol and tobacco addictions

 Internet and technology

 Do you agree?

 Changing gender roles and power

dynamics

 Do you agree?

 Urban migration and overcrowding

 Financial problems