Question

Connecting the link between family life and social structure, Provide 5 examples of how society influences family life. How does this construction change over time?

Answer 1

• Society shapes our family lives in several way, three of which are: Financially,Behaviorally and Intellectually (Cognitively). Examples are as follows;
• Financially, society affects us by bombarding our families with suggestions for wants and needs that we may or may not be able to afford. These range from housing choices, to schooling choices for college, shopping options, places to go, and things to do for which we would have to invest from our budget.
• Societal changes also affects us and our family lives behaviourally as well. We are all social creatures and we all have want to communicate with others. The culture we live in,the values and norms of society all make us behave in certain ways with our family as well as with others. Respecting elders in the family,helping your parents,looking after one's family etc. are certain behaviours we all learn not only from our family members but from societal values as well.The society has certain rules, and if you want to fit in, you need to follow these rules. Pressures from the society may make you take up certain jobs to meet the societal as well family expectations of acquiring a status, financially becoming capable of looking after the needs of your family members,gender roles in the family etc.
• Intellectually or cognitively society affects us as well. Social norms affect our decision making capabilities as well. Working as family unit,understanding and following what to do and what not to do,also schools teach children the value of family and respecting one's elders.
• Societal changes throughout the world are affecting families. Because the development of children takes place in the context of both family,parents policy makers must understand the changes that are undergoing.
• Changes in the society have transformed our familiy lives. One of the biggest change has been the virtual disappearance of the male-breadwinner lifestyle and the emerging dominance of the dual-earner couple. The importance of working women in the family has increased because of the change in how society has started valuing the need for independence and freedom for women.
• Society changes are happening in terms of the technology as well. This is the age of digitalization and technology for almost everything we do.New technologies are everywhere influencing peoples lifestyles and their interpersonal relationships. In home women are freed from domestic chores, allowing them to spend more time with their children. However, they can also absorb children’s time, interfering with their opportunities for richer human exchanges. The use of internet on phones,laptops,ipads have all made children get knowledge at just a click. It has affected family structures as well since children are becoming aloof and parents negligence is increasing as well. Therefore,the technological changes happening in the society need to be taken care of by the parents by mainitaing control over its use and emphasizing upon the importance of human relationships and spending more time with children.