Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

Divorce involves the entire family, not just the couple. Children suffer. Some of the negative impacts divorce has on children include an obviously less positive relationship with their parent(s), problems at school, and social isolation. These factors can lead to addictions and eating disorders. Children of every age have expressed anger, fear, abandonment issues, sadness, rejection, and guilt. If parents can maintain a positive relationship during a divorce and avoid conflict, children will adapt better. They will still have to adjust to one less parental figure and the stress that the family is likely to experience with less income. Marriages suffer breakdown for several different reasons. Some of them are listedhere. • Stress on the nuclear family • Ending of romantic love, if not followed or shifted to rational love • Changed role of women can threaten the stability of the male’s ideal • Sexual permissiveness takes the trust of the couple and shatters it Most divorced people tend to remarry within 3-4 years. Eight out of ten of these remarriages include children. 60-75% of remarriages fail due to several factors: • Step-parenting problems • Carrying over problems from first marriage into second • Reacting quicker to signs of marital problems • Ease of getting a divorce Notes onWidowhood: Death is another source of the changing face of families. Millions of men and women are widowed (mostly women). It is not unusual for widowers to be completely cut off from friends and family and to continue leading an isolated life. Widows are usually more economically troubled thanwidowers. Residence Patterns Residence patterns follow the norms of the society. There are three types of residential livingpattern: • Patrilocal residence: Custom dictates that married partners dwell in or near the husband’s father • Matrilocal residence: Custom dictates that married partners dwell in or near the wife’s father • Neolocal residence: Custom dictates that married partners dwell in a new residence separate from the kin of either spouse Authority Patterns: Authority patterns follow the norms of society, as well, but they are also affected by the personality of each spouse. The types of marital authority are: • Patriarchy: Husband has more authority in the family • Matriarchy: Wife has more authority in the family

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