Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S. Lecture 2 Family Sociology

Changing Demographic Trends Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.& Families in the U.S.

Lecture 2Lecture 2

Family SociologyFamily Sociology

04/20/2304/20/23

The Sociological Approach – The Sociological Approach –

Social InstitutionsSocial Institutions Family sociologists examine how social institutions interact Family sociologists examine how social institutions interact

and how they influence behaviors, attitudes, and and how they influence behaviors, attitudes, and opportunities in familiesopportunities in families

Economy

Families

GovernmentEducation

ReligionHealthcare

How does the government or the How does the government or the economy influence families?economy influence families?

How has the Obama administration How has the Obama administration affected families?affected families? Can the values of a president be translated to Can the values of a president be translated to

families or individuals?families or individuals?

How does the economy affect familiesHow does the economy affect families New research shows the bad economy has New research shows the bad economy has

influenced the birth rate! influenced the birth rate! How has it affected your family?How has it affected your family?


?What are the trends in fertility & mortalityWhat are the trends in fertility & mortality

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

? How have changing trends transformed How have changing trends transformed families?families?

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

How have families changed ?How have families changed ?

They differ in size and They differ in size and compositioncomposition

Families have fewer Families have fewer children due to lower children due to lower fertility fertility

On average, women have On average, women have 2 children2 children


They differ in size and They differ in size and compositioncomposition

Today, more women in their Today, more women in their 40s are childless40s are childless

Only 1 in 10 were childless in Only 1 in 10 were childless in 1976; while in 2004, it was 1976; while in 2004, it was about 1 in 5. about 1 in 5.

Source: National Marriage Project, 2006Source: National Marriage Project, 2006

Families are having fewer Families are having fewer childrenchildren

The downturn in the economy has The downturn in the economy has caused families to have fewer childrencaused families to have fewer children

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

Fertility – age at first births varies by Fertility – age at first births varies by racial and ethnic group racial and ethnic group

Changing Demographic Trends Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.& Families in the U.S. Mortality & Life ExpectancyMortality & Life Expectancy What is the average life expectancy for What is the average life expectancy for

women and for men in the U.S. ?women and for men in the U.S. ? Average life expectancy for women is 78Average life expectancy for women is 78 Average life expectancy for men is 71Average life expectancy for men is 71

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

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


The reasons people marry have changed The reasons people marry have changed with marital expectationswith marital expectations

Changes in demographics of familiesChanges in demographics of families Age at marriage has increasedAge at marriage has increased Cohabitation rates are risingCohabitation rates are rising Higher likelihood that children will spend Higher likelihood that children will spend

some time in a single parent familysome time in a single parent family


Weakening of marriageWeakening of marriage Even though nearly 90 percent of whites Even though nearly 90 percent of whites

and 67% of African Americans are and 67% of African Americans are projected to EVENTUALLY marry, the projected to EVENTUALLY marry, the power of marriage to regulate individuals power of marriage to regulate individuals personal life has decreasedpersonal life has decreased

This is due to:This is due to: Increased cohabitationIncreased cohabitation Sex outside of marriageSex outside of marriage Childbirth outside of marriageChildbirth outside of marriage

http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/tabMS-2.pdf


More women are pursuing a college More women are pursuing a college educationeducation

Single and married women’s labor force Single and married women’s labor force participation rates have increased participation rates have increased increasedincreasedThis leads to postponing marriageThis leads to postponing marriage

Why are we postponing marriage?Why are we postponing marriage?

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

Only 25%Only 25% Women are more likely to graduate Women are more likely to graduate

from college than menfrom college than men Data like these can be found on the Data like these can be found on the

U.S. Census website U.S. Census website www.census.gov Click American Fact FinderClick American Fact Finder


More couples cohabit prior to More couples cohabit prior to marriagemarriage

This increases the average age at which This increases the average age at which people get marriedpeople get married

In other words you don’t have to marry once In other words you don’t have to marry once

you fall in love, you can live together and you fall in love, you can live together and marry at a later agemarry at a later age


What percentage of marriages are preceded What percentage of marriages are preceded by cohabitation? by cohabitation?

67%67% As behavior becomes more common, As behavior becomes more common,

attitudes change as wellattitudes change as well According to the 2003 Gallup Youth Survey 7 According to the 2003 Gallup Youth Survey 7

in 10 teens say they approve of couples in 10 teens say they approve of couples living together before they get marriedliving together before they get married

30% disapprove.30% disapprove.

(Source: Kennedy & Bumpass, 2007 U of Wisc working paper & Gallup (Source: Kennedy & Bumpass, 2007 U of Wisc working paper & Gallup Poll)Poll)

Source: Bumpass & Sweet, 1989. 8-2

Cohabitation varies by race/ethnicityCohabitation varies by race/ethnicity

African Americans are most likely to African Americans are most likely to cohabit – 16.9 % of coupled householdscohabit – 16.9 % of coupled households

Asian Americans have lowest rate – 4.7%Asian Americans have lowest rate – 4.7%

African Americans are 4 times as likely to African Americans are 4 times as likely to cohabit as Asian Americanscohabit as Asian Americans


Lessened economic dependence of women Lessened economic dependence of women Decline in homemaker roleDecline in homemaker role Movement of women into the labor market Movement of women into the labor market

(esp. married, middle-class mothers)(esp. married, middle-class mothers)

Remember – women probably had less Remember – women probably had less economic independence in the 1950s than economic independence in the 1950s than 50 years BEFORE50 years BEFORE

Labor Force Participation Rates of Married Women Labor Force Participation Rates of Married Women with Children by Age of Youngest Child, 1948 -2004with Children by Age of Youngest Child, 1948 -2004

Under age 6

Ages 6 - 17


In 2004:In 2004: 76 percent of all married women with 76 percent of all married women with

school-age children are in the labor forceschool-age children are in the labor force 59 % of women with preschool-age children 59 % of women with preschool-age children

are working for payare working for pay In general women are more independent In general women are more independent

financially – thus less dependent on financially – thus less dependent on marriagemarriage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyuCwCN78lA

Changing Demographic Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the Trends & Families in the U.S.U.S.

Of all married couples, 59% are dual earner Of all married couples, 59% are dual earner couplescouples

This means both the husband and wife have This means both the husband and wife have paid jobs.paid jobs.

This percent is expected to rise over the next This percent is expected to rise over the next decadedecade

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsSource: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

DivorceDivorce

What is the divorce rate?What is the divorce rate?

It depends on how you calculate it It depends on how you calculate it

Annual Divorce Rate per 1,000 MarriagesAnnual Divorce Rate per 1,000 MarriagesUnited States 1860 - 2002United States 1860 - 2002

Sources: for 1860-1988, Cherlin [1992]; for 1989-1996, U.S. NationalCenter for Health Statistics [1993, 1995, 1997].

What is the Divorce Rate?What is the Divorce Rate?

50 percent of first marriages for 50 percent of first marriages for men age 45 and under will men age 45 and under will EVENTUALLY end in divorce – but EVENTUALLY end in divorce – but remember that is over the lifetime of remember that is over the lifetime of a marriage!a marriage!

DivorceDivorce

What is the divorce rate?What is the divorce rate? In a given year your risk of divorce is In a given year your risk of divorce is

much lower!much lower!For example, in 2001 about 20 out of 1,000 For example, in 2001 about 20 out of 1,000

married women got divorced married women got divorced In other words, 2 percent received a In other words, 2 percent received a

divorce in 2001divorce in 2001

RemarriageRemarriage

Although the high divorce rate has been interpreted as a rejection of the institution of marriage, 54% of women (age 15-44) remarry within 5 years and % of men will remarryThis suggests:people are rejecting specific marital partners, but most are not rejecting the institution of marriage itself

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_022.pdfHetherington, et al.1998

X 2

RemarriageRemarriage

Remarriage rates have decreased over Remarriage rates have decreased over timetime

More people are cohabiting after they More people are cohabiting after they divorcedivorce

And women are more financially And women are more financially independent, thus less pressure to independent, thus less pressure to remarryremarry

Changing Demographic Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the Trends & Families in the U.S.U.S. How have these trends affected the living How have these trends affected the living

situation of children?situation of children? In 1999: In 1999:

68 percent of American children lived with 68 percent of American children lived with two parents, down from 77 percent in 1980two parents, down from 77 percent in 1980

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, March Current Population Survey. SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, March Current Population Survey.


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

In 1999: In 1999: 31 percent of children live with one or 31 percent of children live with one or

neither parent:neither parent:

23 percent of children live with only their 23 percent of children live with only their mothersmothers

4 percent lived with only their fathers 4 percent lived with only their fathers 4 percent lived with neither of their 4 percent lived with neither of their

parentsparents

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, March Current Population Survey. SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, March Current Population Survey.

Changing Demographic Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the Trends & Families in the U.S.U.S.

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

% of births to unmarried mothers has % of births to unmarried mothers has increased number of children growing up in increased number of children growing up in single parent familiessingle parent families

Percent of Children Living in Two-parent Families by Race/Ethnicity

77

35

63

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

White African American Hispanic/Latino

To find demographic data To find demographic data on New Jerseyon New Jersey

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html34000.html

Changing Demographic Trends & Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S.Families in the U.S.

SummarySummary

Men and especially women are postponing marriageMen and especially women are postponing marriage Rates of cohabitation are four times higher now then Rates of cohabitation are four times higher now then

in 1974in 1974 Married mothers have high rates of labor force Married mothers have high rates of labor force

participationparticipation Divorce rates increased steadily over the 20th century Divorce rates increased steadily over the 20th century

and have leveled offand have leveled off Children are more likely to spend some part of their Children are more likely to spend some part of their

childhood in a single-parent home increasing their childhood in a single-parent home increasing their likelihood of living in povertylikelihood of living in poverty

Documents

Changing Demographic Trends & Families in the U.S. Lecture 2 Family Sociology