SOCL 4401 The Family notes - SOCL 4401 The Family Tuesday Thursday 9-10:30 Defining Families The personal family people to whom we feel related The

SOCL 4401 The Family Tuesday & Thursday 9-10:30 8/25/16  Defining Families  The personal family – people to whom we feel related -----???  The Legal family- a group of individuals related by birth, marriage, or adoption.  The Family as an institutional Arena- a social space in which relations b/t people in common positions are governed by accepted rules of interaction. - The family is the institutional arena where people practice, child bearing and socialization, and caring work.  Characteristics of social Institutions… -endure across time and space -entail distinct social practices (intimacy, support, socialization) -have social positions characterized by norms that both facilitate and constrain behavior of its members.  institutions are important to their members, & their rules & expectations become internalized as important identities and parts of selves.  inst. Are inconsistent, contradictory, and rife with conflict -inst. Are organized and permeated by power. -individuals must adapt to inst. But they remake them at the same time -inst. continuously change  The Family Interacts with other institutional Arenas  State: Children are required by law to attend schooling or receive an equivalent education. Marriage certificates, birth certificates mean that the state monitors family formation and dissolution, and allocates tax benefits based on family composition.  Market: Families purchase services they used to manage themselves, including some food and clothing, cleaning and child/elder care, cooking and transportation.  How the US Census counts Families:

 The Family in Sociological Theory  Broad Perspectives -consensus vs. conflict  Contemporary Theories  feminism: seeks to understand and ultimately reduce inequality b/t men and women -importance of socialization: the process by which individuals internalize elements of the social structure in their own personalities  Exchange theory: individuals or groups w/ different resources, strengths, & weaknesses enter into mutual relationships to maximize their own gains.  Symbolic Interaction: concerned w/ the ability of humans to see themselves through the eyes of others and to enact social roles based on others’ expectations. missed 8/25 & 8/30 powerpoint on moodle. Read chapter 1 9/1/16 chapter 2  Studying Families  Sample Surveys: A research method in which identical questions are asked of many different people and their answers are gathered into one large data file.  Longitudinal Surveys: a research method in which the same people are interviewed repeatedly over a period of time.  In-Depth interviews and Observation: interviews from 15 min-1.5 hour or staying in a home to study a family.  Time Use Studies: collect data on how people spend their time during a sample period, such as a single day or week.