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AQA Sociology - Families and Households (Topic Five - Changing Family Patterns)
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Contains the lecture notes from the AQA Sociology Paper Two Families and Households Topic Five Changing Family Patterns.
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TOPIC FIVE – CHANING FAMILY PATTERS:DIVORCE:
In the last 40/50 years, there have been major changes in the family and household such as:
- Divorce rates have increased
- There are fewer first marriages but an increase in second marriages (those who were
previously divorced)
- People are marrying later in life
- More couples are choosing to cohabit then get married
- There are more same sex relations which have been legalised
- There are more births outside marriage
- More people now live alone
HISTORY OF DIVORCE:
Before the 1850s, divorce existed to those that were rich enough. In the late 1850s, men were able
to divorce their wives if the wife was unfaithful. Statistics show that in the 1920s, only 3,000 couples
had divorced in the UK. It wasn’t until 1923 when the grounds for divorce were equal to men and
women, however, it was difficult to prove. 1949 made it so legal aid was able to help with divorce. In
1969, The Divorce Reform Act made it so you could divorce over ‘no fault’ (so marriage that broke
down over time rather than adultery).
CHANGING PATTERNS IN DIVORCE:
- Increase in divorces in the 1960s but a decrease in the 1990s due to increase in cohabitation.
- 40% of marriages statistically will end in divorce and 65% of divorce applications come from
women where the majority were for ‘unreasonable’ behaviour from the male partner
- Couples who got married young, had a child before marriage, and those who are marrying
for a second time are more likely to be divorced than any other couple
EXPLANATIONS IN DIVORCE RATES:
CHANGES IN LAW: SECULARISATION:
Divorce was hard to obtain in the 19th century Society is becoming more secular (less
and early 20th. For women, divorce has been controlled by the church and its beliefs).
made easier to access through equalisation of Couples are therefore less likely to be
access and cheaper divorce routes. influenced by the church and are more likely to
have a divorce.
Divorce is not easier to access so less people
use separation methods such as desertion or
empty shell marriage where they stay married
but are separated.
DECLINE IN STIGMA AND CHANGES RISING EXPECTATIONS OF MARRIAGE:
ATTITUDES: FLETCHER (1966) argues that there is rise in
The church did not allow divorce and expectations during marriage which has caused
condemned those who would divorce and re- some unhappiness in marriage. They argue that
marry. marriage is based on personal fulfilment, and if
MITCHELL & GOODY – less stigma means more that is not done, couples will divorce.
couples are less afraid to get divorces. Divorces
have become more normalised
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