Are Families Becoming Weak Research Paper
Weak Families 1
Are Families Becoming Weaker?
(Name)
Sociology 210, Section 01
Professor McCoy
February 22, 2014
Weak Families 2 Are families really becoming weak or are they just becoming different? Due to the perception of what many think a family should be may have a lot to do with the idea that they are becoming weaker? Although the family dynamic is changing from what it used to be that does not necessarily mean that they are becoming weaker. Would this not constitute that families may just be becoming more different instead? There are ideals that suggest that you could look at this both ways. Either as a weakening trend or just that they are not becoming weak, but the make-up of what a family …show more content…
According to Wilson (2002), he states that when a family decays society also becomes loose at the hinges. He also feels that not all countries are experiencing a weakening family but more so just the U.S. and Western European Countries. His reasons for the breakdown in family were high divorce rates, single parent homes, and generations just not being taught what the importance of family really is. In essence, he is not the only one that feels this way. Dr Fagen cited in an article written by Fitzpatrick (2010) that families were becoming weak due to the same reasons as Wilson stated. Dr Fagen backed his comments by stating that the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey of 2008 cited that “only 45 percent of U.S. teenagers aged 15-17 were living in two parent homes with both biological parents” (Fitzpatrick, 2010). So in general, many do believe that families are becoming weaker for many of the same reasons. Cliquet (n.d.) stated in his report that there are three major factors that affect the family dynamic. They are cited as socio-economic, socio-biological, and socio-cultural. In terms of socio-economic factors, individuals are depending more on themselves for improvement then the help of their kin, traditional family functions have been taken over by broader societal structures, the “increased opportunities for social and geographical mobility further weakened the extended …show more content…
(2011, April). Changes in the American family. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the -me-in-we/201104/changes-in-the-american- family Cliquet, Robert. (n.d.). Major trends affecting families in the new millennium. Retrieved from http://undeasadspd.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=wclbstPFzJo%3D&tabid=282 Fitzpatrick, Brian. (2010, December). America’s global leadership imperiled by weak families:
Sexual dysfunction, divorce, out-of-wedlock birth depriving kids of stable homes.
Retrieved from http://www.wnd.com/2010/12/243621
Frontline. (2002, August 22). Let’s get married [interview by James Q. Wilson]. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/marriage/interviews/wilson.html Mintz, Steven. (2014, February). Modern family. Retrieved from
Are Families Becoming Weaker?
(Name)
Sociology 210, Section 01
Professor McCoy
February 22, 2014
Weak Families 2 Are families really becoming weak or are they just becoming different? Due to the perception of what many think a family should be may have a lot to do with the idea that they are becoming weaker? Although the family dynamic is changing from what it used to be that does not necessarily mean that they are becoming weaker. Would this not constitute that families may just be becoming more different instead? There are ideals that suggest that you could look at this both ways. Either as a weakening trend or just that they are not becoming weak, but the make-up of what a family …show more content…
According to Wilson (2002), he states that when a family decays society also becomes loose at the hinges. He also feels that not all countries are experiencing a weakening family but more so just the U.S. and Western European Countries. His reasons for the breakdown in family were high divorce rates, single parent homes, and generations just not being taught what the importance of family really is. In essence, he is not the only one that feels this way. Dr Fagen cited in an article written by Fitzpatrick (2010) that families were becoming weak due to the same reasons as Wilson stated. Dr Fagen backed his comments by stating that the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey of 2008 cited that “only 45 percent of U.S. teenagers aged 15-17 were living in two parent homes with both biological parents” (Fitzpatrick, 2010). So in general, many do believe that families are becoming weaker for many of the same reasons. Cliquet (n.d.) stated in his report that there are three major factors that affect the family dynamic. They are cited as socio-economic, socio-biological, and socio-cultural. In terms of socio-economic factors, individuals are depending more on themselves for improvement then the help of their kin, traditional family functions have been taken over by broader societal structures, the “increased opportunities for social and geographical mobility further weakened the extended …show more content…
(2011, April). Changes in the American family. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the -me-in-we/201104/changes-in-the-american- family Cliquet, Robert. (n.d.). Major trends affecting families in the new millennium. Retrieved from http://undeasadspd.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=wclbstPFzJo%3D&tabid=282 Fitzpatrick, Brian. (2010, December). America’s global leadership imperiled by weak families:
Sexual dysfunction, divorce, out-of-wedlock birth depriving kids of stable homes.
Retrieved from http://www.wnd.com/2010/12/243621
Frontline. (2002, August 22). Let’s get married [interview by James Q. Wilson]. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/marriage/interviews/wilson.html Mintz, Steven. (2014, February). Modern family. Retrieved from