Sociology Unit 1: Changing Patterns

Sociology Unit 1: Changing Patterns

1. Marriage

   • less pressure to marry
   • more freedom about what relationship
   • feel they dont need to get married for religious reasons
   • less stigma attached to cohabitation & remaining single
   • women are financially dependent from men
   • fear of divorce
   • People are getting married later
   • a legal agreement between two people
   • EMPTY SHELL MARRIAGES- where there is no love but couple stay together

2. Divorce

   • changes in the law
   • decline in the stigma attached to divorce
   • less likely to be influenced by religion(secularisation)
   • high expectations of marriage
   • women no longer have to be dependent on men

3. Views on Divorce

   • Fem- agree: women breaking from opression
   • New Right- disagree: undermines the nuclear family
   • PostMod: agree: giving choice
   • Function: high expectations

4. Cohabitation

   • unmarried couple in a relationship living together
   • decline in sex outside marriage
   • young people are likely to accept cohabitation
   • cohabitation is a trial before marriage
   • cohabitation has a permanent alternative

5. F-rise of feminism L- law changes I-Individualism R-decline in religion T-decline of tradition S- social changes