American Family: Change and Diversity

Sociology 112

Exam 4 Review Sheet

Chapter 10

· How do the rates of violence and domestic violence in the U.S. compare with other developed nations?

· Understand the historical influence of social institutions like the legal system and religion on domestic violence in the U.S.

· What is the relationship between violence in the media and violence in society?

· How does the distribution of power between family members affect the risk of domestic violence?

· When intimate partner violence occurs, which partner is most likely to be assaulted and/or injured?

· Know how each of the conditions associated with wife abuse (economic conditions, occupation, race & ethnicity, inadequacy of husbands, alcohol abuse, family history of abuse) are related to the incidence of abuse.

· Understand each of the explanations for why wives remain in abusive situations.

· Be able to distinguish between mutual violence and patriarchal terrorism.

· How do rates of domestic violence in same sex relationships compare with heterosexual relationships?

· Know the reported rate of child abuse cases and whether/how much it has changed.

· What are the most common reasons for abuse and neglect of children?

· How is gender related to the perpetrators and victims of child abuse?

· Be aware of the various statistics regarding the incidence of incest and know its causes.

· What factors are associated with sibling abuse?

· Know the categories of elder abuse, the characteristics of victims and abusers, and the contexts which contribute to elder abuse?

· Understand the social forces that foster and maintain family violence.

· Be aware or various strategies for reducing domestic violence and deterring spouse abuse.

Chapter 11

· Know the current divorce rate in the U.S., how it has changed over time, and how it compares to other industrial nations.

· Understand how each of the following factors affects the probability of divorce.
cohabitation, age at marriage, premarital pregnancy, presence of children, income, race, and religion

· What conclusions do the authors of the textbook draw about the future divorce rate in the U.S.? Why?

· Know the consequences of divorce for ex-husbands, ex-wives, and children.

· What proportion of ex-spouses and what proportion of children successfully adjust to divorce?

· How many American children experience divorce before age 16?

· Know the characteristics of the child and the characteristics of the family that are associated with adjustment problems after divorce.

· How do gender, parental status, age, and social status affect remarriage rates?

· Be aware of the difference in divorce rates and length of marriage between first marriages and remarriages.

· What proportion of remarriages involves step-children? How do they affect the probability of divorce?

· Be able to define the different types of step-families and know the unique experiences and problems of each.

· Know the factors associated with positive adjustment and outcomes for stepchildren.

· Be able to identify any unique problems experienced in elderly remarriages.

· What conclusion do the authors of the text book draw regarding the “politics of divorce”?

Chapter 12

· Be able to distinguish between households and families.

· Know the trends in the proportions family households and nonfamily households over the last forty years.

· Be aware of the five global trends in family formation.

· How has marriage changed?

· Understand the approach to thinking about family diversity suggested by the authors of your text book. What do they conclude about the cause of diverse family patterns?

· What proportion of young men and women will never marry? How can we accurately identify those who account for most of the increase in the single population?

· Be able to define the term “marriage squeeze” and to explain it’s consequences for men and women.

· How does long term singlehood affect men and women?

· How many Americans are currently cohabiting and how is the rate of cohabitation related to marriage?

· Understand how each of the following social characteristics is related to cohabitation.
age, previous divorce, presence of children, attitudes about gender relationships, level of education & income, race & ethnicity

· What is the relationship between premarital cohabitation and marital quality & divorce?

· What proportions of gays and lesbians are currently in a steady relationship?

· According to information presented in class lecture, what proportion of adults is exclusively homosexual?

· Be aware of the demographic characteristics of lesbian and gay couples.

· Understand the gender issues, support networks, and family dynamics of same sex families.

· Be able to quantify the progress that has been made in the domestic partner movement.

· What is a transnational family?

· Define commuter marriages. Explain the reasons for their existence and how they are perceived by husbands and wives.

Chapter 13

· Compare the ideological perspectives of conservatives and progressives regarding the definition of families and reasons for changes in family patterns.

· Compare the level of political organization and media network influence of conservatives and progressives.

· Be aware of the relevant statistics regarding premarital sexual intercourse, rates of teen pregnancy & STDs, and sexuality education.

· Compare the conservative and progressive approaches to sexuality education.

· How do condom distribution programs affect rates of sexual activity, pregnancy, and STDs?

· What is the trend in the abortion rate in the U.S. and how does the U.S. rate compare to other developed nations?

· How does social class affect access to abortion?

· How many Americans are living below the poverty line? How does this compare with other developed nations?

· What are the consequences of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Welfare Reform Act)?

· Compare the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the U.S. to that of other industrialized nations.

· How have the rates of poverty changed for the elderly and for children over the last 40 – 50 years? Why?

· Be aware of the effectiveness and the funding level of the Head Start program.

· Compare the U.S. approach to child care with that of other industrialized nations.