Deck 16: Family Perspectives, Policy, and the Future

Question 1

If the direction of change continues on the mate selection continuum, society will end up at which point?

A) Completely controlled by arrangement or structure.
B) No social marriage system.
C) Restricted choice.
D) Open choice.
E) Universal, permanent availability.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

With respect to the gender role continuum, pessimists in the family decline debate see the movement toward androgyny as

A) A good start, but it has not gone far enough.
B) Desirable, but impossible to completely achieve.
C) Evidence of breakdown in the family.
D) A myth.
E) Likely to benefit children.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

With respect to the socialization continuum, family decline pessimists see the control by extrafamilial agencies as

A) An opportunity for more scientific child rearing.
B) Movement in the direction of family-kin controlled socialization.
C) Leading to orderly replacement.
D) Part of the defathering of the family.
E) An opportunity to develop more family-friendly workplace policies.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The personnel embeddedness continuum is a measure of

A) The way the family is related to other social institutions.
B) The extent that persons in a system are part of a larger family group.
C) The amount of divorce and remarriage that occurs in a society.
D) The movement toward androgyny.
E) The amount of control the government has over families.

Question 5

"Glad it changed" optimists see the direction of change on the institutional embeddedness continuum as

A) Evidence of family decline.
B) An opportunity for more structured recreational time.
C) A more efficient way to achieve a number of tasks.
D) A way for children to receive better parenting.
E) A way to get closer to extended kin.

Question 6

With respect to family policy roles, family impact analysis

A) Attempts to find out whether a particular policy or program has achieved its goal.
B) Actively supports a particular policy or point of view.
C) Looks at all possible consequences of an intended or actual policy or program.
D) Gathers data that might be used to make policy decisions.
E) Educates the general public about the latest family research.

Question 7

Generally, government regulation of marriages, families, and divorces has occurred at what level?

A) Federal government.
B) State government.
C) County government.
D) City government.
E) Precincts or census blocks.

Question 8

With respect to family policy advocacy, Nye and McDonald suggest that objective family researchers

A) Should be the most effective policy advocates.
B) Have a responsibility to get involved in directly improving families.
C) Should not get involved in advocacy work.
D) Both (a) and (b) above.
E) Both (a) and (c) above.

Question 9

If postindustrialism allowed all members of a family to stay home for work or school,

A) It would reverse the industrial influence of separating work and home.
B) It would result in a relocation of the workforce.
C) Air pollution from automobiles could be reduced.
D) All of the above.
E) Only (b) and (c) above.

Question 10

The author's conclusion is that

A) The family as we have known it is about finished.
B) Nearly all changes in the family in the last 50 years have been positive.
C) The institutions of marriage and family will remain embattled but strong into the foreseeable future.
D) Both (a) and (b) above.
E) Both (b) and (c) above.

Question 11

Review the "family decline" debate. From the book as a whole, provide evidence for both sides on the debate.

Question 12

If the direction of change continues in the way suggested by each of the five continua, what will happen to the family in the future?

Question 13

Explain the various family policy roles. Suggest some possible careers that might be possible for each roles.

Question 14

Select a family policy issue. Indicate whether you think that issue could best be handled by the private sector, federal government, or state government.

Question 15

Would you like to live in the kind of situation suggested by the future scenario in the book? Why or why not? What individualist and familistic values are revealed by your answer?