Marriage and the Family? DISCUSSION QUESTION The primary social identifier is gender:?What are some differences and different expectations of men and?women??The response must be in a narrativ

WEEK THREE: UNDERSTANDING FAMILY CULTURE

What is Family Culture?

Webster defines culture as "A particular form of civilization, especially the beliefs, customs, arts, and institutions as a society at a given time."

Family culture is the unique way a family forms itself in terms of rules, roles, habits, activities, beliefs, and other areas. The racial or ethnic culture in which a family lives may strongly influence family culture. Other families are no longer tied to the cultural norms of their ethnic or racial group. Every family is different; every family has its' own culture.

NOTE: Culture is learned, not inherited, and it derives from one's social environment, not from one's genes."

What is Cultural Competence in the area of Family Culture?

Culture is about differences – legitimate, essential differences. Cultural competence in the area of family culture occurs when we discover the family's family culture, but we appreciate the cultural differences of the family.

What are the Primary Areas of Family Culture?

If we are to be family culture competent, we need to determine how a family operates. Among others, we look at the following areas of focus:

NOTE: Family Culture is the driver for behavior and hence learning outcomes

Geert Hofstede, the leading scientist looking at culture in the workplace, states:

"Every person carries patterns of thinking, feeling, and potential acting within him or herself, which were learned throughout their lifetime. Much of it has been acquired in early childhood because a person is most susceptible to learning and assimilating. As soon as certain patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting have established themselves within a person's mind; (s)he must unlearn these before being able to learn something different, and unlearning is more difficult than learning for the first time."

DEFINITIONS

RACE A race is a distinct population of humans distinguished from other humans. The most widely observed races are those based on skin color, facial features, ancestry, and genetics. Conceptions of race and specific racial groupings are often controversial due to their impact on social identity, hence politics.

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En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race

ETHNIC An ethnic group is a human population whose members identify with each other, usually based on a presumed common genealogy or ancestry (Smith, 1986). Recognition by others as a separate ethnic group, and a specific name for the group, also contribute to defining it. Ethnic groups are usually united by certain common cultural, behavioral, linguistic, ceremonial, or religious traits. In this sense, an ethnic group is also an artistic community. Processes that result in the emergence of such a community are summarized as ethnogenesis.

CULTURE Culture (from the Latin culture stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate") generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. Different definitions of "culture" reflect other theoretical bases for understanding or criteria for evaluating human action. Anthropologists commonly use "culture" to refer to the universal human capacity to symbolically classify, codify, and communicate their experiences. This capacity has long been taken as a defining feature of humans.

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Our Gendered Identities

Sexism  Traditional sexism is the belief that women’s

roles should be confined to the family and that women are not as fit as men for certain tasks or for leadership positions.

 Modern sexism denies that gender discrimination persists and includes the belief that women are asking for too much—a situation that results in resistance to women’s demands.

Gender and Sex  Sex includes the chromosomal, hormonal, and

anatomical components of males and females.  Gender describes societal attitudes and

behaviors expected of and associated with the two sexes.

 Gender identity refers to the degree to which an individual sees herself or himself as feminine or masculine based on society’s definitions of appropriate gender roles.

Masculine “Scripts” 1. No sissy-stuff – men are expected to distance

themselves from anything feminine.

2. Big wheel – men should be occupationally or financially successful.

3. Sturdy oak – men should be confident and self- reliant.

4. Give ‘em hell -men should do what is necessary to “make it”.

Femininities  Women should offer emotional support.  Ideal woman is attractive, not too

competitive, a good listener and adaptable.

 Women are expected to be good mothers and put the needs of others first.

 Superwoman – successful at a career and a good wife/mother.

Male Dominance  A situation in which males assume

authority over the female.  On the societal level, male dominance is

the assignment to men of greater control and influence over society’s institutions.

 There are no known societies where women dominate men.

Male Dominance  Research shows that:

 On an interpersonal level, males in groups tend to dominate verbally.

 Men talk louder and longer, interrupt other speakers, and control conversational topics more than women.

 Females restrict themselves more in claiming personal space, smile more when smiling is not related to happiness, and touch others less in groups, but are touched more.

Male Dominance In Politics  Before 1992, there had never been more than

two women among our 100 U.S. senators.  As of 2001, there were 13 women in the Senate

and 62 in the House of Representatives; women compose 14% of Congress.

 Surveys report that 92% of the public say they would be willing to vote for a woman for president, compared to 53% thirty years earlier.

Male Dominance In Religion  Most U.S. congregations have more female

than male participants, yet men hold more positions of authority.

 Women are prohibited from holding Catholic clerical or lay deacon positions.

 A majority of U.S. Catholic laypeople and theologians believe the Catholic church should ordain women priests, the Vatican disagrees.

Male Dominance In The Economy  In 2002, women who were employed full time

earned 77% of what men earned.  In 2000 in the highest paying occupation, that of

physician, women made $80,000 while men earned $140,000 on average.

 Female professionals generally made 67% of what their male counterparts did in their longest held job.

 Women’s earnings in managerial occupations were 65% of men’s.

Male Dominance In The Economy  Men dominate corporate America.  In 2000, 5.2% of the highest-earning executives

in Fortune 500 companies were women.  Racism blocks the path to management for

nonwhite or Hispanic men, both racism and sexism block the path for nonwhite and Hispanic women, who hold only 1.3% of executive positions.

 Asian American women are most likely to have management or professional roles.

Biological Theories of Gender  In order to continue their genes, individuals

maximize their own and their close kin’s reproduction.

 Men and women have different adaptive strategies and skills encoded in the genes.

 Male and female brains differ due to greater amounts of testosterone secreted by a male fetus.

Biosocial Theories of Gender Stratification  Biosocial theorists point to evolution, hormones,

and behavioral genetics as influences on family-related behavior.

 Studies suggest that men with higher testosterone levels may be less likely to marry.  If they marry, they may experience a lower

quality of spousal interaction, be more likely to report hitting their wives, be more likely to have extramarital sex, and be more likely to divorce.

Interaction of Culture and Biology  Biology and society probably interact to

create gender-linked characteristics and roles.

 What’s happening in one’s environment may influence hormone secretion levels.

Theories of Socialization  Social Learning Theory

 Children learn gender roles as they are taught by parents, schools and the media.

 Self-identification theory  Children categorize themselves by age 3 and

identify behaviors in their families, the media and elsewhere that are appropriate to their sex and adopt these behaviors.

Theories of Socialization  Gender Schema Theory

 Children develop a frame of knowledge about what girls and boys typically do.

 Children's Theory of Gender  Infants develop a primary identification with

their primary caregiver and must differentiate psychologically and emotionally between themselves and their primary caregiver.

Girls and Boys in the Family  Parents handle infant sons more roughly

and respond more quickly to baby girls.  Most parents discourage their children

from playing with other sex toys.  Parents allocate household chores

according to the child’s sex.

Socialization in School's  More men are in positions of authority

(principals) and women are in positions of service (teachers and secretaries).

 Teachers pay more attention to males than to females.

 Males tend to dominate learning environments from nursery school to college.

Gender and Stress: Women  Women are oriented to others at the

expense of self, leading to depression, boredom, and dissatisfaction.

 Suicide attempts are more common among women than men.

 Women have higher rates of mental illness and eating disorders.

Gender and Stress: Men  Overemphasis on production, competition and

achievement create anxiety and stress which may contribute to shorter life expectancy.

 Physically dangerous behaviors (smoking, unsafe driving, drug use, violence) shorten men’s lives.

 Hiding their feelings can lead to hidden depression and isolation.