FAMILY AND TV / An Evolution
Family Values
Introduction
What are the predominate family structures in 2013? And how have these changed since the introduction of Television in the 50's?
Below we tackle some key points in the past 60 years that have led to a change in sensibility when it comes to how we see the 'normal' family.
The Contemporary Family
The changes that have occurred overtime have motivated many changes in family dynamics. Changes that not only affect family structure but also quality time families spend together and family values. This evolution of families occurs all over the world especially with the many developments in technology and society.
Overall, this report will discuss where family as an audience lies in television landscape. In this section, the focus will lean more towards family values and dynamics but also discussing the increase of divorce and its effect on children as well as the change in family time between parents and children. The discussions raised in this section are mainly based on peer review journals and articles relating to the topics mentioned.
According to dictionary, the meaning of 'family value' is a combination of political and social beliefs that hold the nuclear family to be the essential ethical and moral unit of society. Triandis (1994) found that individualism is one of the most important cultures in western community because each person is separate and unique; they are only responsible for her or his choices, thoughts and actions. Inherent in this relationship is the inevitability that family values change from time to time. These changes can be caused by internal or external factors surrounding the family. For example, maturity among children can become one of the most critical factors in a potential shift of this families values. So too, external factors such as development in technology and communication also become key in initiating these changes.
Fiske (1992) concluded that there are 4 key concepts with regard to family values. First, authority-ranking relationships are based on asymmetry among people who are linearly ordered along hierarchical social dimensions (Patriarch, Matriarch and so on). Second, the sense that a communal, sharing relationship should be based on a concept of a bounded group of people being equal and undifferentiated individuals. Third, equality-matching relationships are based on a concept of balance and one for one correspondence between people. Fourth, market-pricing relationships are based on profit that the person obtains from investing in that relationship.
Further, there exist the notion of 'family adolescence'. A period where changes occur in the relationship between parents and children. Reiss (1981) found that established family systems become the reference point for broader changes - changes that happen gradually and constantly. Kreppner (2001) noted that in order for a family to have a healthy adolescence it must transform their view of themselves, hence reconstructing family ideologies and allowing an increase in psychological autonomy for the next generation.
In terms of Black and White family or employees, Biernat, Vescio and Theno (1996) found that Black families were judged more negatively than White family. This happened because of the historical effect from the past. Long ago, black people were considered as a slave for white people thus such history has sometime provided such viewpoint or belief in some people.
Moreover, Vescio and Biernat study (2003) found that in society, gay man and lesbian women can be perceived as incapable of having a committed relationship. The study also found that there is a minority of society that believes these same sex couple may be corrupters of children, bad parents and anti established practices of family. Many of researchers consider that gay and lesbian violates family value. When the father in a family was gay, those who valued family security and those who were exposed to a family photograph judged him more negatively than they did to a comparable heterosexual father.
The increase in rate of divorce has undoubtedly been major influence to the changing face of what is deemed the traditional family. Around two-thirds of first time marriages are likely end in a divorce nowadays as noted by Amato and Previti (2003), who also found that this can often be the result of falling out of love, changes in personal need, lack of satisfaction and feeling of entitlement to something greater. Recently, it is clear triggers such as violence and infidelity are not the major causes cited, instead it has shifted according to changes in emotional behaviors. De Graff & Kalmijn (2006) indicated that once considered a less critical problem, relationship problems, is now of a major influence in today’s cause of divorce.
Hetherington and Kelly (2009) believed in 75% of divorced couples, at least one partner was having regrets towards their decision to divorce after 1 year. This has encouraged Hawkins, Willoughby and Doherty (2012) to conduct a research on marital conciliation as it is becoming more apparent in society. Their research concluded that 26% of the sample population indicated some level of agreement that their marriage could still be saved while 33% were interested to have reconciliation services if they were offered. This strongly suggests that reconciliation services are extremely helpful and important.
In a study conducted by Wang and Zhou (2010), it shows that both crude divorce and refined divorce in China has dramatically increased from 1979 to 2007 and that crude divorce rate is higher than refined divorce. This was due to the significant increase in the percentage of the population that is married compared to the total population during that period. They also reported that this changed in crude and refined divorces did not occur in United Stated during this period as the percentage of married population remained relatively unchanged.
Moreover Zeng and Wu (2000), could be seen as a in support of the study of Wang and Zhou (2010), whose findings suggested that divorce and remarriage across China’s 31 regions have differences based on regional history, tradition, population ethnics, culture and other characteristics. So too, the increase of China’s economy is followed by an increase of its per-capita GDP, something that can be seen as charting a similar upward trajectory as divorce rate, noting a potential link. In relation with China’s government, changes in divorce laws may have made it easier for people to divorce. The increasing effects of western culture have also put more emphasis towards individualism and freedom creating an impact on couple’s perspective towards divorce.
Essentially, a family dynamic is the pattern of interaction among the members of a family. Regarding that explanation, we will discuss more about interaction between members in the family and the changes that have taken place in recent history to where we now find ourselves.
Based on this research, this study found that the changing in family dynamic can often be caused by changing in economic factor, human behavior, technology, etc.
First, we will focus on changes in family consumption. Stanton and Herbst (2005) found that in fact it was the food industry that had been hit most squarely with changes in family dynamic. Since a long time ago, dinner and discussion at night were a staple of the family dynamic. However, this tradition is on its way towards extinction due to a higher demand and greater acceptance of both of spouses becoming providers for the household. From Gallup's (1999) study, we can conclude that it has become much too difficult to find time to prepare meal due to this increase in time spent outside the home at work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Report (2000) supports this fact by showing that 3 from 5 women now participate in the labor force. A result that is much higher than that of 1950, which showed only 1 out of 3 women participating in the labor force.
Stewart, Blisard, Bhuyan and Nayga (2004) found that the participation of women in the work force has driven the percentage of money spent on food for the home to record lows, instead, funds are dramatically increased toward buying food away from home. This finding also indicates that family members eat together less often now, suggesting 50% of people eat while working, 42% eat while watching TV, and 19% eat while in the car. Clearly, TV is not necessarily reaching families as a whole as they consume dinner, especially considering these changing eating patterns.
Because of this condition, AC Nielsen (2002) found that food marketers who have responded to a desperate call for time saving food product from consumers are making money. People depend more on prepared food and ease of food service although it often increases the cost of the food they consume. People have less time to sit down, thus this undoubtedly impacts not only on the food industry but also the TV industry.
In a study conducted by Herbst and Stanton (2007), it is noted that despite this lack of time to prepare food, eating together as a family is still a priority. From the most endorsed benefit to the least, spending quality time with family, spending less money, enjoying eating at home, eating healthier, greater control over family life quality, and feeling like a parent that is appropriately responsible were listed as benefits of eating at home (AFMA Press Release, 2004).
In the modern family, many people enjoy dinner while multi tasking, suggesting a departure from eating as a collective. Parents may enjoy dinner while reading newspaper or watching TV, just as children may do homework while they eat.
Moreover Australian Bureau of Statistic found that 40% of families have no children, a family dynamic that is becoming more and more common. Noted as a motivation for this change is a yielding to economic demand that both spouse need to work, hence a preference to not have children or have no more than 2 children.
Increasing Divorce Case
Family Dynamic
Changing Family Time Between Children and Parents
In order to better illustrate the change in time spent between parents and children, consider this example. United States researchers have observed an increase in mother's conducting extrafamilial market activity while fathers, in general, have reduced levels of commitment to traditional family structure over recent years. This has caused harm to children as they have less quality time to be spent with their parents. (Blankenhorn 1995; Hewlett 1991).
A recent study also shows that the time children spend with their parents has decreased simply due to these intrinsic changes to accepted family structures. A particular example of this is where many families are provided for by the mother due to an increase in female labor force participation. On the other hand, Sandberg and Hofferth (2001) who examined this case argued that according to their findings the time children spend in two parents families have increased from 1981 to 1997. Here, we would suggest a case by case approach.
Martin and Bumpass (1989) found that two-third of first marriages will end in a divorce, which has doubled in the last two decades. This may indicate that the most likely reason is the increase in female labor force participants. However, this has also been attributed to an increase in mother’s education, suggesting a greater ability to support the family structure. Conversely, in 1990, 18% of mothers had completed four years of college compared to in 1950 where only 5% of mothers had completed it. Better education will not only be useful for higher income but can potentially have a positive influence on a mother’s values, knowledge, experiences and perspective while taking care of their children. In a study by Bryan and Zick (1996), it is shown that maternal employment is associated with an increase in time mother's spend with children for shared housework and leisure activities.
However, many people still consider that maternal work outside home is almost always associated with a decrease in time spent by mothers in traditional childcare activities.
Thus despite the changes in family structure such as increasing single parenthood and female labor force participation leading to a perceived negative effect to children, it can also be argued that this potentially brings about change to the education of the mother, hence altering the mother's behavior potentially leading to the mother spending more time with children as shown in the findings above.
Conclusion
The evolution of family constantly occurs around the world, and will continue to occur. Family values, family dynamics, increase in divorce and a shift in family time spent between parents and children are some of the main factors in this evolution.
With regard to family values, it is clear that maturity in children has an impact on the evolution of family. This is specific, and heterogenous to each family dynamic.
So too, same sex marriage is increasing in our current society, however people still seem to be finding it difficult to accept such a situation and consider it a valid family where such individuals choose to be parents.
It is clear that one of the biggest factors that is changing family dynamics is the participation of females in the labor force. Many mothers are required to work to support their economic circumstance, thus the time that a mother is able to spend conducting household tasks may diminish. Clearly, this notion of family is in need of a reshape. With services afforded by the food industry and a shift in thinking towards who is responsible for maintaining the house, family still can spend time together but in modern ways.
Regardless, divorce rate as increased over the past few decades. Development in economy, marriage at a young age, an increase marriage rate have all been attributed as reasons for divorce.
Overwhelmingly, research conducted suggests that time spent with children is greatly reduced due to the activities mothers undertake outside the house. However, further research suggests that actually the time that a parent spends with their children has increased especially in families that have both parents. Clearly, sharing the household responsibilities becomes the key point her in increasing the time available to be spent with children.
In conclusion, the evolution in family will forever effect a plethora of industries. In particular, this is evident in the increase in demand for certain technologies and food services. More importantly, there exists an increase in demand from the TV sectors. Audiences want shows to reflect their circumstances. Thus producers must change the content of their program in order to serve the program in a more interactive ways to meet the demands in a evolving family. So how does this eventuate in the real world? Read on to find out.
References
Zeng, Y & Wu, D 2000, 'Regional analysis of divorce in China since 1980 ', Demography , vol 37, no. 2, pp. 215-219.
Wang, Q & Zhou, Q 2010, 'China's Divorce and Remarriage Rates: Trends and Regional Disparities', Journal of Divorce & Remarriage , vol 51, no. 4, pp. 257-267.
Vescio, TK & Biernat, M 2003, 'Family Values and Antipathy Toward Gay Men', Journal of Applied Social Psychology, vol 33, no. 4, pp. 833-847.
Amato, PR & Previti, D 2003, 'eople’s reasons for divorcing: Gender, social class, the life course, and adjustment ', Journal of Family Issues, vol 24, pp. 602-626.
Biernat, M, Vescio, TK & Theno, SA 1996, 'Violating America Value: A "value congruence" approach to understandingoutgroup attitudes', Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, vol 32, pp. 387-410.
Bryant, WK & Zick, CD 1996, 'An Examination of Parent- Child Shared Time ', Journal of Marriage and the Family , vol 58, no. 2, pp. 27-37.
De Graaf, PM & Kalmijin, M 2006, 'Divorce motives in a period of rising divorce ', Journal of Family Issues , vol 27, pp. 483-505.
Fiske, AP 1991, 'The four elementary forms of sociality: Framework for a unified theory ofsocial relation', Psychological Review, vol 99, pp. 689-723.
Gallup, Gallup Study of Changing Food Preparation and Eating Habits.
Hawkins, AJ, Willoughby, BJ & Doherty, WJ 2012, 'Reason for divorce and openness to mariral reconciliation', Journal divorce & remarriage, vol 53, no. 6,
pp. 453-463.
Herbst, KC & Stanton, JL 2007, 'Changes in family dynamics predict purchase and consumption', British Food Journal , vol 109, no. 8, pp. 648-655.
Hetherington, EM & Kelly, J 2002, For better or for worse: Divorce reconsidered, Norton, New York.
Hofferth, SL 2001, Women's Employment and Care of Children in the United States, Aldine de Gruyter, New York.
Kreppner, K 2001, 'Variation in children's perceived relationshipquality and change in communicatio behaviors within the familyduring the child's transition to adolescene: A differential approach', Dynamics od parenting, pp. 297-314.
Martin, TC & Bumpass, LL 1989, 'Recent Trends in Marital Disruption ', Demography, vol 26, pp. 37-51.
Sandberg, JF & Hofferth, SL 2001, 'Change in Children's time with parents: United States, 1981-1997', Demography, vol 38, no. 3, pp. 423-436.
Smith, SE & Wozniak, RH 2010, 'Family Relational Values in the Parent-Adolescent Relationship', Counseling and Values, vol 54, no. 2, pp. 187-200.
Stanton, JL & Herbst, KC 2005, 'Commodities must begin to act like branded companies: some perspectives from the United States', Journal of Marketing Management , vol 21, pp. 7-18.
Stewart, H, Blisard, WN, Bhuyan, S & Nayga, RM, 'The demand for food away from home. Full-service or fast food?', Agriculture Economic Report, p. 829.
Reiss, D, The family's construction of reality, Cambridge, MA.
Triandis, HC, Culture and social behavio, McGraw-Hill, New York.