美国人的家庭生活状况

Americans believe :

That unhappy couples should not stay married just because they have children. That children actually may be better off living with one parent than with two who are constantly arguing.


Changing trends in the USA
Divorce
Divorced Americans
Average age of first marriage

male
female
Year
1970
2000
23.2
26.8
20.8
25.1
4.3 million
19.9 million

Sources: US Census; National Center for Health Statistics


The “family” looks like :
A
working father, a stay-at-home mother and two children under 18----------------------8% Two parents who are both working and one or more children under 18---------------------------------16% Married couples without children------------30% Single parents and their children-------------8% Unmarried couples------------------------------11% Living alone--------------------------------------25%
Family Types




extended family immediate family nuclear family "blended families" or "step families" "average family" (in 2002) had just 3.21 members. single-parent families same-sex marriage Amish
Family Concept
The ideal of the American family is group cooperation to help achieve the fulfillment of each individual member, and shared affection to renew each member’s emotional strength.
Marriage is a legal contract Marriage is an economic arrangement Marriage is a sexual relationship Marriage means commitment Marriage is a political arena
本章重点，要点



Family Concept Family Types The “family” looks like Family Values (“clearly traditional”) Family Values (“More expressive values”) Americans believe Family Feature Changing trends in the USA Divorces per 100 marriages at 2007 report
Divorces per 100 marriages at 2007 report




United States Sweden Denmark England Canada France Hungary Netherlands Italy
54.8 44.1 44.0 41.7 38.3 31.5 31.0 28.1 8.0
same-sex
marriage
Amish
650000 200000
Family Values (“clearly traditional”) :
Respecting one’s parents Being responsible for one’s actions Respecting authority Married to the same person for life Having faith in God Leaving the world in better shape
Children are not embarrassed to say that their parents are divorced.


Βιβλιοθήκη Baidu
Family Feature :


The emphasis on individual freedom Equality in the family The emphasis on the psychological needs

Family Values (“More expressive values”) :




Giving emotional support to other members of the family Respecting people for themselves Developing greater skill in communicating one’s feelings Respecting one’s children Living up to one’s potential as an individual