Changing Demographic Trends & Families in

the U.S.

Lecture 3Introduction to Family Studies

04/19/23

The Sociological Approach

Macro Level

Micro Level

04/19/23

The Sociological Approach –

The Macro LevelFamily sociologists examine how these social

institutions interact and how they influence behaviors, attitudes, and opportunities in families

Economy

Families

GovernmentEducation

Religion Healthcare

Social Institutions in SocietyA social Institution is any institution in

a society that works to socialize the groups or people in that society

All social institutions fulfill a roles and are guided by a set of behaviors

For example:

Families socialize the next generation of children who will become citizens/workers

The Economy is an institution that insures the maintenance of society through the production, distribution, and consumption of good and services

Social Institutions in SocietyA social Institution is any institution in

a society that works to socialize the groups or people in that society

The Government/Political system is a social institution through which power is acquired and exercised by some people and groups

Education is the social institution responsible for the systematic transmission of knowledge, skills, cultural values within a formally organized structure.

See: http://thecollaboratory.wikidot.com/thompson-social-institutions and make sure you understand these social institutions

Macro-Micro InteractionWe mostly think of how large social institutions

like government and the economic system influence us as individuals

But individuals can come together at the micro level and make change at the macro level

Case in point – major social movements – civil rights, feminist movement.

Most recently: http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2014/08/28/market-basket-deal-arthur-t-demoulas-thomas-kochan

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

? What are the trends in fertility & mortality

? What are the trends in marriage & divorce, and cohabitation?

? How have changing trends transformed families?

? How have these trends affected the living situation of children?

How have families changed ?

They differ in size

Families have fewer children due to lower fertility

On average, women have 1.7 children…but

How have families changed ?

Families differ in size and composition

Today, more women in their 40s are childless

In 1970s only 1 in 10 women did not have children

In 2008, 1 in 5 women ended childbearing years with no children (child free)

Source: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1642/more-women-without-children

Families are having fewer children…but

All families’ and individuals’ choices are influenced by the larger society in which they live

For ex. the downturn in the economy has caused families to have fewer children

And…between 2005 and 2011, the % of young adult men age 25-34 who are living in parents' home increasedFrom 14% in 2005 to 19% in 2011From 8 % to 10% for women

Source: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/families_households/cb11-183.html

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

Mortality & Life Expectancy

? What is the average life expectancy for women and for men in the U.S. 2010 ?

Average life expectancy for women is age 81 Average life expectancy for men is age 76

Increases likelihood that women will spend some of their “golden” years as widows

As people are living longer, this increases their “risk” for divorce

• Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr60/nvsr60_04.pdf also see chap 16 of textbook

How have families changed ? The reasons people marry have

changed with marital expectations

Changes in demographics of families The age that women and men has

increased Cohabitation rates are rising Higher likelihood that children will

spend some time in a single parent family

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

Weakening of marriage

Even though nearly 90 percent of whites and 67% of African Americans are projected to EVENTUALLY marry, the power of marriage to regulate individuals personal life has decreased

This is due to:Increased cohabitation (living together)Sex outside of marriageChildbirth outside of marriage

Source: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/families_households/cb11-183.html

Marriage Rate Declining, Cohabitation Rate Rising

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr049.pdf

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

Changes in marriage

For the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with a husband

In 2005, for the first time more women were living without a spouse

51 percent of women and men today said they were living without a spouse

Up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.

Percent of the population who is “never married” has also increased

Average age of marriage has increased

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/16/us/16census.html?ei=5090&en=8b61820a6c4712e5&ex=1326603600&pagewanted=print

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

SamanthaCharlotteMiranda

Carrie

Changing Roles of WomenMore women are adopting the “Sex and the City” lifestyle

For example:Women are seeking more education They are entering careers and focusing on moving up in

their jobsMore women are living in urban areas

All these behaviors result in women postponing marriage

SAT&C clip

Episode 1 , 3.43 min

Source for most recent figures:http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr049.pdf

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

More women are pursuing a college education

Single and married women’s labor force participation rates have increased increased

This leads to postponing marriage

Why are we postponing marriage?

What percentage of Americans over age 25 – 29 have a college degree?

Only 33.5%

Women are more likely to graduate from college than men

Data like these can be found on the U.S. Census website www.census.govClick American Fact Finder

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

More couples cohabit (live together) prior to marriage

This increases the average age at which people get married

In other words you don’t have to marry once you fall in love, you can live together and marry at a later age

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

According to a recent survey of 30-44 year-olds

What percentage of women had EVER cohabited prior to

marriage?

58%

What percent of women CURRENTLY cohabiting with a

man?

7%

As behavior becomes more common, attitudes change as

well

Source: http://www.gallup.com/poll/8128/Moving-In-Teen-Views-Cohabitation.aspx http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/06/27/living-together-the-economics-of-cohabitation/

At what age do you think more couples are marrying then couples living together?

http://www.gallup.com/poll/109402/Age-24-Marriage-Wins.aspx

Cohabitation vs. Marriage

Families vary by race/ethnicity

Greater acceptance of gay marriage

Gay marriage is now legal in 19 states and D.C.

And there are nearly 650,000 unmarried gay couples

The majority of Americans (53 percent) support gay marriage

About 46 percent oppose it

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

Lessened economic dependence of women (on men or marriage)

Decline in homemaker role (women who stay at home and do not work for pay outside the home)

Movement of women into the labor market

BIGGEST CHANGE: Married, middle-class mothers started working for pay

Remember – women probably had less economic independence in the 1950s than 50 -70 years BEFORE (when we lived on farms or worked in factories)

Mother’s Labor Force Participation Rate

http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2010/ted_20100507.htm

Labor Force Participation among Mothers

The labor force participation rate of mothers with children under 18 years of age was 70.9 percent in March 2011.

64.1% of mothers with children under 6 are employed

Only 19 percent of all families are breadwinner/homemaker model

In general women are more independent financially – thus less dependent on marriage

Source: Data were collected in the 2011 Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the CPS. Retreived from http://www.bls.gov/cps/wlf-databook-2012.pdf, Auguste 18, 2013

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

Of all married couples, 54% are dual-earner couplesDual-earner = both husband and wife in the labor force

20% of married couples have husbands working

8% of married couples have only wife working

So the majority of married couples today – BOTH wife & husband have paid jobs

Husbands are still more likely to earn more than their wives

But 29% of wives outearn their husbands

Source: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/famee.nr0.htm

Source:

Divorce

What is the divorce rate?

Refined Divorce Rate per 1,000 Marriages

Shaded areas indicate unreliable data collection periods

United States, 1860-2010

Divorce Rate 1970-2010Based on ACS (All States Reporting)

Kennedy & Ruggles, 2014

Kennedy & Ruggles, 2014

The fine print, always read the details!

What is the Divorce Rate?50 percent of first marriages

for men age 45 and under will EVENTUALLY end in divorce – but remember that is over the lifetime of a marriage!

DivorceWhat is the divorce rate? In a given year, your RISK (chance) of divorce is

much lower!For example, in 2009 about 36 out of 1,000

people (U.S. population) got divorced In other words, 3.6 percent of all people in the

U.S. received a divorce in 2009

Source: NCHS, retrieved on 09/10/10 from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/divorce.htm

To find demographic data on New Jersey

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.

Summary

Men and especially women are postponing marriage

Rates of cohabitation are four times higher now then in 1974

Married mothers have high rates of labor force participation

Divorce rates increased steadily over the 20th century and have leveled off

And while we are on the topic of attitude change..

Let’s look at some recent findings from the Gallup Poll

What percent of Americans do you think support

Abortion?

Sex before marriage?

Gay relations?

An extramarital affair?

http://www.gallup.com/video/107374/Whats-Morally-Acceptable-2008.aspx