Forms of marriage:

                                                              i.      Monogamy

                                                            ii.      Polygny

                                                          iii.      Polyandry

                                                          iv.      Group marriage

monogamy - one man one women

polygny - one man many wives

polyandry - one woman many husbands

group marriage - serveral men married to serveral women

caught between 2 gens. = kids and old parents

-intergenerational relationships

-older parents and younger kids = a lot of stress at this age

-female as main link (70%) of caregiving of elderly is provided by the woman

-in us families provide =80%

go through different points in life:

leaving home new couple parents and families with childeren family with adolscents, fam @ midlife, fam@later life

the shifting sttributes that affect individual behavior/ interactions within the family, community and cultural context

what attracts us:

familiarity and similarity, consensual validation

importance of physical attraction?

depends on culture & time period

-matching hypothesis

women want: good income, ability to provide

men want: youth and physical attractiveness

both want: kind/understanding, smart, personality and health

murstein 1970

people are more likely to form long standing relationships with those who are equally phsycally attractive as they are (same as friendships)

walster 1966

provide stable enviroment for childern

family provide structure, childcare parenting styles, values

cultural differences

hindu: sacred ceremony

chinese: to become complete whole harmoniaous interaction between win(female) and male (yang)

east vs. west

marriage ideals

western cultures

-marriage = culmination of romantic love

-"happily ever after"--> but there are people who find it several times (true love)

eastern cultures

-arranged marriages = several possible mates, if they are lucky one day they will fall in love

-trust parents to make decision

-collectivist cultures = coming together & blending of two families.

actively invloved in raising grandchildren

-represent beliefs/values from diff. historicalper

-large extended families =gparents live with family

1)japan -respect honor, ritualized status perhaps eroding?

2)china - critical function in fam life, positive influence, boy>girls inportances

3)the us - changes w/fam structure and life expectancy, diverse fams.

ageism: based on stereotypes of old people, they are fighting back

aging couples: retirement alters the lifestyle, dating in old age?

grandparenting: roles & satisfaction. types: formal, fun, distant *cultural

korea: respect and care elders, no dishonor

responsibility of the child, elderly live w/ them

latino: familialism, loyalty,respect, strength in elderly, daughters provide care

african: vary by society, held high and sometimes questions old age = divine blessing, live w/family

arab: generalizing hard, extended fam valued, honor/respect for elderly, dont abandon family elders

Sudden infant death syndrome

test normal when born and are healthy for much of the first year then suddenly stop breathing and die.

little is known about the causes and no proven method of preventions

recurrent, locality - specific pattern of troubling experience that may be linked to DSM-IV believed to be illnesses or at least affictions and have local names

1. symptoms unique in different cultures

2. certain illnesses occur only in specific ethnic group

EX: china: koro (anxiety involving genitals)

japan: TKS (fear of embarassment)

korea: shin-byung (psychosomatic illness)

Nigeria: (missing genitals)

1. chemical dependency

2. diabetes

3. chirrosis of liver, kidney failure

4. cardiac & lung implications

5. fetal anomdalies

6. injuries from accidents

7. homicide

--> unprotected sex

physical ailments resulting from stress or emotional distress

- collectivist societies: told not to voice complaints --> depression seemed to be a minor illness

somatization "cry for help"

a group of severe psychological disorders characterized by distubances in thought perception and affect or emotion

-cultural variation

-core symptoms thinking aloud, poor apport, incoherent speech, widespread bizarre delusions

it occurs in nearly all cultures

-prognosis easier in developing countries, support of large exteneded family reduces some of the symtoms

Day (1987) prevalence in a countries:

-most associated w/stressful events, external forces unlike w. culture: initiated by paients themselves

symptoms seem to be similar everywhere

the process of biological agin and the health issues surrounding it ex: reduced energy vision/hearing loss, wrinkled skin, brittle bones, memory loss

*werners syndrome: begin aging in mid 20's and usually die before so

negative prejudgement of some group and its members

prejudices is an additude

belief about the attributes of a group of peopl (we generalize)

not always negative, unless we generalize or are wrong

--> negative behavior toward a group

springs from prejudice

personal vs. istitutional discrimination

ex: racism & sexism

the love lab

established love maps

nuture fondness/admiration

turn toward each other

solve solveable conflicts

overcome gridlock

create shared meaning

brigitte jordan (1978)

-focus on the study of birthing systems in different cultures (location of birth, etc.)

1. yucatach - least changes in expectant mothers surroundings father present, stay in home for one week to avoid evil

2. holland/sweden - give birth @ home (hollana) sweden = delivered in hospital + mid wife

3. the us = hospital + wider options more infant births

*understand childbirth = values/beliefs of ecocultural sys.

"shared mothering"

includes all those people who help care for a child --> mother mate, extended family, peers, neighbors

influence a childs development

found in many african tribal villages

isaelli kibutz and even american day cares

launching requires adjustment

empty nest: belief that marital satisfaction ddecreases because parents derive satisfaction from kids

- not that big a deal

-refill the nest = tame party instincts

woman: resembles pregnant woman

mother: chest w/ two breast

man: rice field illustrating work

father: stone axe symbolizing power

--> all characters comes from original chinese language = reflect ethnic & intergeneratioinal thinking about these roles within these cultures.