Sociology (9690) | Social change and changing families

Welcome to Families and Change!

Hello Sociologists! This chapter is incredibly important because it connects the tiny, private world of the family to massive, global forces. We are moving beyond just defining family types (which you studied in 3.1.1.1) and looking at how societies reshape the family, and how the family, in turn, adapts or resists.

Don't worry if some of the concepts seem complex—we’ll break them down using simple examples. You’ll be looking at everything from birth rates to blended families, and how changing laws affect who holds the power at home. Let's dive into Social Change and Changing Families (Syllabus 3.1.1.3) and the roles of Gender, Age, and Experience (Syllabus 3.1.1.4).

Section 1: Social Change and Changing Families (3.1.1.3)

1.1 Demographic Changes: The Numbers Tell a Story

Demography is the study of populations—specifically, their size, distribution, and changes. Global changes in demographics have huge implications for family life.

Key Demographic Shifts

• Family Size: In most developed countries, family size has shrunk dramatically, largely due to lower birth rates and women having fewer children later in life.
• Birth and Death Rates:
  • A fall in the Birth Rate means fewer babies are being born. Reasons include better contraception, women's education, and the rising cost of raising children.
  • A fall in the Death Rate (especially in childhood) and improvements in health mean people are living longer.
• Infant and Child Mortality: A huge decline in the number of babies and young children dying (infant/child mortality) means parents don't need to have many children to ensure some survive—further lowering the birth rate.
• Ageing Populations: When birth rates fall and death rates fall, the average age of the population increases. This creates an ageing population, which puts pressure on healthcare, pensions, and family caregivers.
• Migration (Internal and International):
  • Internal migration (moving within a country, e.g., rural to urban) changes how extended families interact.
  • International migration (moving between countries) is crucial for forming diasporas and transnational families (see below).

Did you know? Sociologists explain these demographic changes using concepts like the Demographic Transition Theory, which links industrial growth to initial drops in death rates, followed by drops in birth rates.

1.2 Families, Industrialisation, and Urbanisation

The movement from pre-industrial farming societies to modern industrial economies (industrialisation) and the shift of populations into cities (urbanisation) fundamentally changed the function and structure of the family.

• Industrialisation: Before industry, the extended family was the primary unit of production (everyone worked the land together). Industrialisation required a mobile workforce. Sociologist Parsons argued that the nuclear family (parents and children) became the 'best fit' for modern industrial society because it was geographically and socially mobile.
• Urbanisation: Moving to cities weakened traditional kinship ties. City life promoted individualism and reduced the need to rely on immediate neighbours or extended kin for everything from healthcare to job searching.

Quick Review: Industrialisation & Family

Industrialisation needed small, nimble families (the nuclear family) that could move easily for factory work, rather than large, stable extended families tied to the land.

Section 2: Family Diversity and Modern Life (3.1.1.3)

2.1 Newer Types of Families

Societies today see huge family diversity—not just the traditional nuclear family. You must know these specific newer types:

• Reconstituted/Blended Families: These are formed when two separate families merge, often following divorce/separation and remarriage or cohabitation. They include step-parents, step-siblings, and sometimes half-siblings.
• Pivot/Sandwich Generation: This describes middle-aged adults (often women) who are caring simultaneously for both their dependent children and their elderly parents.
  (Memory Aid: Imagine being the 'pivot' point in the middle, or the 'filling' in a sandwich, squeezed between two demanding slices of bread!)
• Living Apart Together (LAT): Couples who are in a committed, intimate relationship but choose to live in separate households.
• Child-free Couples: Couples (married or cohabiting) who choose not to have children, as opposed to being childless (where they cannot have children).
• Beanpole Families: These are families that are vertically extended but not horizontally extended. They are tall and thin—many generations alive at once, but few members in each generation (due to low birth rates).
  (Example: A great-grandparent, grandparent, parent, and child are all alive, but the parent only has one sibling, and the child has no cousins.)

2.2 Explanations of Family Diversity

Why is the family changing so much? Sociologists point to several key drivers:

• Demographic Changes: As noted above, an ageing population directly creates the beanpole and sandwich family structures.
• Laws and Social Policies: Changes in law permit new family structures.
  (Examples: Easier divorce laws increase single-parent and reconstituted families. Laws allowing same-sex marriage or civil partnerships recognise non-traditional relationships.)
• Individualisation (Smart): Sociologist Carol Smart (Personal Life perspective) argues that increasing individual choice means people are less bound by traditional rules or expectations (like getting married or staying married). We choose relationships based on personal life and what makes us happy, leading to diversity like LATs.

2.3 Globalisation and Non-Traditional "Family" Ties

Globalisation (the increasing interconnectedness of the world) has created new forms of family life and challenged the definition of "family."

• Diasporas and Transnational Families: A diaspora is a dispersed population whose origin lies in a separate homeland. Transnational families are those where members live in different nation-states but remain closely connected through remittances, communication, and mutual support.
  (Example: A mother working overseas sends money back to her children being cared for by a grandparent in her home country.)
• Friends as Family: Due to individualisation and mobility, many people rely on close friends (chosen families) for the emotional support and security traditionally provided by kin.
• Pets/Companion Animals: In many societies, pets are no longer just animals but are genuinely regarded as full family members, fulfilling emotional and companionship roles.

Key Takeaway: Diversity is the Norm

The nuclear family is no longer the dominant type. Diversity is driven by changing laws, individual choice (Smart), and global migration patterns creating families across borders (diasporas).

Section 3: Gender, Age, and the Experience of Family Life (3.1.1.4)

3.1 Gender: Traditional Roles and the Reality of Change

The experience of family life often depends heavily on a person's gender. We examine the 'traditional' model and how it has evolved.

Traditional Gender Roles (Parsons/Functionalism)

The Functionalist sociologist Parsons described the division of labour in the family as follows:

• Male Role: The Instrumental Role or 'breadwinner'. This involves achieving success at work and providing financially for the family.
• Female Role: The Expressive Role. This involves providing emotional support, primary socialisation of children, and maintaining harmony within the home.

Changes to Roles and Reasons for Change

Feminists argue that this traditional split is unequal and serves men (patriarchy). However, these roles are changing due to:

• Economic Factors: Women's increased participation in paid employment makes the 'breadwinner' role less exclusively male.
• Ideological Shifts: Changing social expectations, feminism, and increasing equality legislation mean the idea of rigid gender roles is less acceptable.
• The Division of Domestic Labour: While men do more domestic work than in the past, research consistently shows the division is often still unequal.
• The Female 'Triple Shift' (or Dual Burden): Sociologists like Oakley highlighted that working women now often perform three roles:
  1. Paid employment (the work shift).
  2. Domestic labour (housework shift).
  3. Emotional Support (the emotion work shift).
  The 'Triple Shift' is like juggling three massive tasks, leading to stress and exhaustion.

3.2 Power and Decision Making

Who makes the big decisions (e.g., buying a house, moving country) often reflects who controls the money or resources. Gender differences in power within the family are still common:

• If men earn significantly more (the 'breadwinner'), they may have more control over major financial decisions.
• The way money is managed (e.g., pooling income or separate accounts) significantly impacts a person's power and economic dependence.
• Conflict sociologists (Marxists/Feminists) argue that this unequal division of labour and decision-making reinforces social inequality within the home.

3.3 Violence Against Women and Children

Sadly, the family is not always a safe place. The syllabus requires you to understand that violence (including domestic abuse) against women and children is a significant issue within family life globally. Feminist sociology views this violence as a tool of patriarchal control, reinforcing the domination of men within the family unit.

Section 4: Age and the Experience of Family Life (3.1.1.4)

The status and roles of different age groups—children, adults, and older people—are shaped by society and have changed significantly over time.

4.1 Children: Status and Child-Centredness

Historically, children were often seen as 'mini-adults' or economic assets (working on the farm or in factories). This has changed radically, especially in developed societies.

• Child-Centredness: Modern society has become increasingly child-centred. This means children are seen as highly valuable, unique individuals who require protection, nurturing, and significant financial and emotional investment.
• Status Changes: Laws protect children from working and abuse, and they now have their own social space (parks, schools, dedicated media) that is distinct from the adult world.

4.2 Adult Children: The Boomerang Phenomenon

The experience of adulthood is also changing, largely due to economic factors and longer life expectancy.

• 'Boomerang' Families: This term describes adult children who leave the family home (often for university or work) but then return to live with their parents, usually due to financial difficulties (e.g., student debt, difficulty finding stable housing or employment).

4.3 Older People: Status and Grandparent Roles

As populations age, the role of older people and grandparents is changing.

• Changing Status: In many traditional cultures, older people held very high status due to their wisdom and control over resources. In modern industrial societies, their status can sometimes decrease, leading to marginalisation. However, longer life expectancy means many remain active and healthy much later.
• Grandparent Roles: Grandparents are playing increasingly crucial roles due to demographic changes:
  • In beanpole families, they are the vital link across many generations.
  • They often provide significant childcare support (financial and physical) for working parents, especially in the pivot/sandwich generation structure.

Quick Review: Age Roles

Children = from economic assets to high-value, protected individuals (child-centred).
Adult Children = returning home (Boomerang).
Older People = vital support roles (grandparent carers) in new family structures (Beanpole/Pivot).

Summary of Key Sociologists to Remember

Make sure you can link these names directly to the concepts covered in this chapter:

• Parsons: Instrumental (male) and Expressive (female) roles; the nuclear family 'fits' industrial society.
• Oakley: Pioneering work on the division of domestic labour and the Triple Shift.
• Smart: Key figure in the Personal Life perspective; links modern relationships to Individualisation and choice.