This document summarizes changes in American family structures from the 1950s to today. It discusses the emphasis on individual freedom and equality in modern families. Traditional nuclear families made up most households in the 1950s, but now many families are single-parent, blended, multi-generational for support, or same-sex couples. Marriage and children are no longer the only path, and divorce is common. The role of children is to pursue individual happiness rather than family responsibilities.

1. The American Family
Chapter 11
Hyosook Jung

2. Contents
1. Family Structures
2. The Emphasis on Individual Freedom
3. Marriage and Divorce
4. The Role of the child
5. Equality in the Family
6. Four Stages of Marriage Relationships
7. The Rule of the Family Society
8. Family values

4. Modern Family

5. Phil and Claire
• Traditional family
• A husband, wife, and
children living in a
house
• Working father
• Say-at home mother
• Children under the
age of eighteen

6. Jay and Gloria
• Stepfamily or
blended family
• Divorced people
remarry
• Children living with a
stepmother or
stepfather
• Multi-ethnic family

7. Mitchell and Cameron
• Civil union or same-
sex marriage
• A gay couple
• Adopting children
• Multi-ethnic family

8. 1. Family Structures
In the 1950s
• Classic traditional
American family
• A husband, wife and
two children
• Father=Breadwinner
• Mother=Homemaker
Today
• Different types of
families in America
• Traditional family : 25%
• Living alone : 25%
• Married couples without
children
• Single parents and their
children
• Unrelated people living
together
* Korea : traditional family (24.4%) living alone (23.1%) in 2010

9. 2. The Emphasis on Individual
Freedom
• Family’s primary purpose : Advancing
the happiness of individual members
• Traditional American values
• Equality of opportunity
• Desire for freedom from outside control
• Making independent decisions

10. 3. Marriage and Divorce
• Effects of individualism on marriage
• Parents have little control on their
children’s marriage
• Individual’s happiness is important
• The most important part of marriage is …
(American women)
Economic support, Companionship, Having children

11. 3. Marriage and Divorce
• Effects of individualism on divorce
• Easy to obtain divorce
• High rate of divorce
• Rising rapidly from 1960s to 1980s
• Now : one out of every two marriages ends in
divorce
• Belief in divorce
• Unhappy couples should not stay married
because they have children at home

12. 4. The Role of the Child

13. 4. The Role of the Child
• Effects of individualism on children
• Best parenting is emphasize…
A. Child’s needs and desires
B. Child’s social and family responsibilities
• Major purpose of family
• Development and welfare of each member as
an individual

14. 5. Equality in the Family
• Effects of individualism on equality in
Family
• Socially equal between parents and
children
• Giving a lot of freedom and equality to
children

15. 5. Equality in the Family
Traditional
• “Leave the nest”
• After graduating
from high
school(age 18)
• Going on to
collage(another city)
or getting a job
Today
• “Boomerang kids”
• Hard to find jobs
• Moving back in with
their parents

16. • Parasite single
• Kippers
• Kangaroo kids
• Mama Hotel
• Tanguy
• Nesthocker
• mammone
A. Japan
B. UK
C. Korea
D. Australia
E. France
F. Germany
G. Italy
5. Equality in the Family
* Kippers (Kids in Parents’ Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings)

17. 5. Four Stages of Marriage
Relationships
Wives…
- have increased the degree of equality with their
husbands
- have gained more power within the family
Wife as
Servant
to
Husband
Stage
I
Husband
-Head,
Wife-
Helper
Stage
II
Husband
-Senior
Partner,
Wife-
Junior
Partner
Stage
III
Husband
-Wife
Equal
Partners
Stage
IV

18. 6. The Role of the Family in Society
Benefit
• Needs and desires of
each member are
important
Problem
• Families are less
stable and lasting
• Main goal
-> achieving individual freedom and equality

19. 6. The Role of the Family in Society
• Contradictions in American family
A. Tolerating much instability to protect
freedom and equality
B. Being strongly attached to the idea of
family
Ex1) People who get divorced find a new partner
and remarry
Ex2) They believe that family life is an important
value

20. 7. The Role of the Family in Society
• Definition of family: becoming broader
• Traditional family: father, mother, and their
children
• Blended family: remarried couple, children
living with a stepmother or stepfather
• Single parents, raising their children alone
• Single mothers: one-third of all new babies in
1990s
• Single parents and their children with the
grandparents for economic and emotional support
• Gay and lesbian couple, adopting children

21. 8. Family Values