Assignment 7

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Assignment 6


1) Briefly describe the trend in cohabitation over the past thirty years.

The trend in cohabitation over the past thirty years has changed because before the 1960s, cohabitation was common mainly among the poor and the neat poor.  For many cohabitation served as an acceptable substitute for legal marriage.  Then in 1970, the proportion of all young adults who lived with someone prior to marrying increased.  By the early 2000. About 60 percent of women in there 30s have cohabitated, and 62 percent of marriages were preceded by a period of cohabitation.  Cohabitation continues to be more common among the less affluent and less well educated.  In 2007 two out of five opposite-sex, unmarried partners had the children of one, or both partners present.  Over the past decade, most of the rise in childbearing outside marriage has been the result of births to cohabitating couples. 


2) According to your textbook by Cherlin, cohabitation has three diverse meanings. Please list and describe these using your own words.

1.  An alternative way of being single- This type of couples lives together, and are sexually intimate, but are not legally committed to each other, and do not consider themselves in a monogamous relationship.  These couples are not looking to be married, and enjoy their freedom of having the opportunity to end the relationship at any time if they want. 

2.  A testing ground for marriage- this type of couple lives together.  They share a living space to see if they are compatible roommates and can work well together under one roof.  Working-women use this advantage of cohabitation to see if their partner will share the housework equally with them. 

3.  A alternative to marriage- This is a couple that has children together but is not legally married, and decided to stay unmarried, even after the couple bears a child.  This is especially common in racial/ethnic groups.     

3) Would you consider cohabitation? Why or why not? If you would consider cohabiting, which of these meanings coincides with how you might view your own cohabiting relationship.

I would defiantly consider cohabitation because I think it is a smart choice to live with your future partner, to see if you are capable of getting along under one roof, and each being mature adults and taking equal responsibility for the up-keep and finances of the living situation.  A testing ground for marriage coincides with how I would view my cohabitating relationship.  I personally think it is not smart to just get married and live with someone you have never lived with before, because it changes the dynamic of the relationship because you are together more often, being that they live under one roof.  It also tests each partner to see how well they can negotiate as a couple, with certain tasks and duties that are to be shared between the two partners.   

4) After reading the boxed section on Domestic Partnerships on pages 228-29 in Chap 7 of your textbook, and going over the PowerPoint slides, list 4 of the rights that married couples receive that cohabiting couples want?

1.  They can include each other as beneficiaries on pension and annuity plans offered by their employers, and they can purchase health insurance for each other through their employers. 

2.  They can file a joint income tax return, which may reduce their tax liability. 

3.  They can adapt a child together.

4.  In the event of a divorce, they are both normally entitled to either custody or visitation rights. 

5) Do you believe that cohabiting heterosexual couples should have the same rights as married couples? Why or why not? What if the couple is the same-sex and cannot marry in their state, should they receive the same benefits of married people. Why or why not?

I personally believe that cohabitating heterosexual couples should not have the same rights as married couples because if they are not a legal couple, then they should not have the same legal rights as a married couple has.  I believe that it would allow a cohabitating couple to not take responsibility for any legal matters, and if the couple was to ever separate, they would still be benefitting from certain rights that married couple have, even when they aren’t together.  Although I personally support same-sex marriage, I believe that any legal matters that benefit married couples should stay as marriage benefits.  If cohabitating couples were able to receive the same benefits as married couples, I believe that it would decrease the rate in marriage, and more children would wind up in single parent households.  I believe that marriage should have some separate benefits from cohabitating couples, because couples that are committed to each other in that way are suitable and acceptable of receiving certain benefits.  

Assignment 5


1. According to the slides how do we define power, prestige, and privileges and give an example of each.

We define power, prestige, and privileges by social stratification.  An example of privileges would be a person’s social status in society.  Social statuses are the social positions people occupy and the privileges and constraints that are attached to these positions.  An example of prestige would be a status group.  A status group is a group of people who share a common style of life and often identify with each other.  They are distinguished by prestige, which is the honor, and status a person receives.  People of prestige also have access to some special advantages.  Social stratification is based on race/ethnicity, education, income, and gender.  

2. Also, what three variables do Sociologists use to define social class? How would you define your social class and why?

The three variables that Sociologist uses to define social class are income/wealth, life chances, and status group.  I would define my social class as middle-class because my family has a secure income and allows us to live well above a subsistence level.  My parents have college degrees, and have an advantage of receiving a fair paying job.  These hierarchies in the U.S. are often based on race/ethnicity, education, income, and gender.

3.Think about how your race/ethnicity or gender or age has blocked you’re from an opportunity or given you an advantage.

My race/ethnicity has lowered my chances of applying to certain schools, because they were looking to has more diversity within their school.  My age use to prevent me from applying to a certain job I was interested in.  My gender has given me an advantage in the major I am studying which is elementary education.  Today, it is more popular for women to become elementary school teachers then men.  



4. Please identify your age, or gender of race/ethnicity and then tell me your story.

I am 20 years old, female, and I am mostly Czechoslovakian, and Sicilian.  I am also polish and German.  I grew up in Perth Amboy, and attended Holy Spirit Catholic School.  Being that I lived in a very Hispanic area, I was one of the few Caucasians in my class.  Although this did not bother me, some of the kids would speak Spanish to each other in the classroom, and I did not understand, and could not join in the conversation.  After my family moved out to Monroe, I found out that I lived in a more Caucasian area, and was now the majority in my new school.    

Assignment 4

1) What does Cherlin mean when he argues that gender differences are built into the system i.e. "society." Give an example from the text of how gender is systematic.

What Cherlin means are inequalities between women and men are said to be built into their social systems through patriarchy.  Patriarchy is a social order based on the domination of women by men.  The readings suggest that women are seen by society to be responsible for two roles, the stay at home mom, who is in charge of the children and cleaning and cooking, and the powerful business women.  How they live their home lives, is influenced by the power and influence that women have in their national political and economic systems.  An example of how gender is systematic is that western societies are organized so that men have access to more money then women.    


2) Give an example of "doing gender" from your own life. Had you ever thought about this idea before?

An example of "doing gender" from my life would be, that I am studying to be a teacher, because ever since I was little I was told that a teacher is a perfect job for when you have children because you have the same hours as your children in school, and you have the summers off, to spend that time when you have kids.  I have never thought about this before, but now that I have read about it, I wish my parents would have encouraged me to keep my options open for other successful jobs.  

3) From chapters 3 & 6 in the Cherlin text: define sexual identity in your own words. You may paraphrase/summarize Cherlin, but do not directly copy his words.

I think sexual identity is knowing and understanding your own sexual desires to the opposite, same, or both sexes.  It is identifying what pleases you as an individual, despite what society has labeled "right", and "wrong".  It is defining your self sexually as an individual, and discovering what sex or sexes you are personally attracted too.  


4) Next give one reasons why social constructionists argue that sexual identity or gender are socially constructed.

Social constructionists argue that sexual identity or gender are socially constructed because children are socialized, in part, thought playing games and sports in same-sex, school age peer groups.  In these groups, children learn the behaviors expected of them, try out these behaviors with their peers, get feedback on how well they are performing and try again.  Sociologists have studied how this interactive process produces and reinforces different behavior patterns in boys and girls.  


5) Last, why is it difficult to find accurate data on sexuality as a researcher? If you were asked to participate in a study on sexuality would you answer truthfully? Would you participate at all? What kinds of things would you want to hear from the researcher about how your privacy would be protected if you did participate?

It is difficult to find accurate data on sexuality because some scholars take the position that sexual identities are completely determined by society, and others take the position that biological influences may also play a significant role in determining people's sexual identities.  I would participate, and answer truthfully, and what I would like to hear on how to protected my privacy, is how I would be able to trust my partner, or what signs I should look for, if I did suspect something shady from my partner.  

Assignment 3

I am a Caucasian with an ethnic background that consists of American, Italian, Czechoslovakian, Polish, and German.  I was born in Perth Amboy, NJ, where my mother was also born.  My father was born in Fords, NJ.  My Grandfather on my mother's side was born in Sicily, and my Grandmother was born in Czechoslovakia.  On my dad's side, my Grandmother was born in Poland, and my Grandfather was also born in Sicily.

On question number 8 on the Census I would answer that as "No, I am not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin".  For question 9 on the Census I would answer that as "White". 

What struck me the most about this video was that even the black children would automatically choose the white doll, without even considering that they were the same color as the black doll.  What also struck me was that 15 out of 21 children chose the white doll over the black, and the majority of the babies choosing were black themselves.  I think the children choose the dolls the way they do because it is only natural for people to relate "white" and light colors to "good", and dark, and "black" colors to bad. The larger social factor that influence the children's doll choice is that society tends too relate "good" things to white, and "bad" things to dark. For example when a commercial comes on television and they show the devil and angel on a persons shoulders, the angel is always dressed in white, and the devil is always dressed in black or red, but a darker color then the angel.  I believe that relating good and bad to white and black is a norm that our society follows.  

Assignment 2

1.  According to the functionalist theory, the definition of the instrumental leader is the person who led the group discussion about how to accomplish the task they had been assigned. The definition of an expressive leader was the person who kept up the group's spirit with warm, supportive remarks and jokes.  The family role of the husband was the instrumental leader because his labor provided the financial support for the family.  The stay-at-home wife was the expressive leader because she provided emotional support for her husband and children.  

2. The main demographic change that led theorists to be critical of the functionalist perspective was the growing body of sociological research that was influenced by the resurgence of the feminist movement in the 1960's. 


3. The main theme of conflict theory is inequality, power, and social change. Conflict theorist’s study how individuals, or groups of individuals, come to dominate others and the circumstances under which those who are dominated are able to reduce or eliminate the disadvantages they face.  


4. Social exchange theory is based on the ideas of human behavior.  People are viewed as rational beings that decide whether to exchange goods or services by considering the benefits they will receive, the costs they will incur, and the benefits they might receive if they chose an alternative course of action.  Exchange theorists believe that the degree of dependency is greater the more highly person A values the goods and services of person B, and the fewer alternative sources person A has. Also, the more dependent person A is on person B, the more power person B has. When one person is more powerful then the other, he or she may be able to shape the exchange so that he or she receives greater benefits and incurs fewer costs then the other person.  Husbands are in stronger bargaining positions when they are the sole earner in their family, because their wives have fewer alternative sources of income.  


5. Gender/Feminist theory is based on the main idea of the inequalities between men and women.  The central concept is gender and how the gender differences we see in the roles of men and women are of cultural origin and has been socially constructed. By socially constructed, they mean arising not from biological differences but rather from culturally accepted rules, from relationships of power and authority, and from differences in economic opportunities


6.  Yes, the power of wives versus husbands is changing, because women are becoming more powerful in today’s society, and are growing to become equally capable to men, to achieve the same goals. Women are gaining more recognition in society.  A demographic that has changed the power women have to men in society is that women are having less and less children, so they can work and have a career.  Today, more women in there 40’s are childless, when in 1970 only 1 in 10 women were.  

About me

My name is Amanda, but everyone calls me Mandi, I just turned 20 a couple weeks ago. I cheer for the MSU cheer team, and live off campus with my sister Becky, who also goes to MSU. I am a FCST major, and am still deciding on my concentration. My career plans for after graduation is to hopefully get an elementary school teaching job, I personally would choose either 1st or 2nd grade to teach. I am originally from Monroe, NJ which is central jersey, and when im not in school i live with my mom, dad, and sister, and we have a kitten, Darla.
Two topics that interest me in the syllabus are the child trends document, and how child interact with their families. I am interested in learning about these topics in detail and getting and real understanding of childs interactions with different things. I personally am not good at learning how a new website works, but i didnt have as much trouble with the wiki as i thought i would. the video was simple and helped me understand the purpose of a wiki. Overall i think the wiki will be easy to use and access.