Please avoid coming late to class. Excess tardiness (more than two times) will count as an absence. If more than four, two absences will result, etc.

Thanksgiving Project

Everyone in Marriage and Family is expected to do a Thanksgiving Project to involve your spouse, boy/girl friend, significant other, children, or parents.

Be creative in giving to someone you care about to demonstrate your love

or feelings. It does not have to be expensive; only thoughtful. If possible, the recipient of the project should be surprised.

Do not tell them, “this is a required project otherwise I would not have given you anything.”

You will be responsible for preparing a reaction paper describing:

(1)   the project itself;

(2)   how did giving make you feel; and,

(3)   how did the recipient react.

Due: December 1(MW) or December 3(TR), 2008

Genogram Project

Each student will diagram a three-generational genogram. A genogram is a diagram of family relationships and characteristics. This project may require consulting older family members for names of extended family members and their respective attitudes and beliefs. Identify any heredity health problems, etc. Your instructor will teach you the diagram process.

Each project will be worth 50 points, together equaling one test grade.

Due: TBA

You may elect to do one optional project for extra credit points. First hand experience in applying sociological knowledge is an important part of professional training. The project must be relevant to marriage or family and must be approved in advance by the instructor. Projects will be given orally to your classmates so that they can benefit from your research.

Due Date: Your project must be approved one week before the end of the semester and will be presented in the last regular class.

The extra credit project is designed to help the student with a border line point

total.  For example if you were looking at a high point total in the B category,

extra credit points could get you into the A range of 495 or higher.

The Academic Success Center offers tutoring free of charge for all students enrolled at Columbia State Community College.  Assistance is available for all writing assignments, for most math courses, and some science courses, as well as for specific courses as the need arises.  Tutors are available at all five campuses, and online tutoring using, Smarthinking.com, is offered as well.  The Academic Success Center is located on the main campus in Warf 237 and the Franklin campus next to the library.  For more information or to schedule appointments, call 931-540-1302 at the main campus and 615-790-5671 at the Franklin campus.  Walk-in visits are welcome, but to ensure prompt service, students should schedule an appointment.

Please visit our web page  www.academicsupport.columbiastate.edu for any information regarding staff, hours, tutoring, etc.

Also see Characteristics of a Successful Student at the following website : http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/201.HTM 

Professor reserves the right to change syllabus and course outline

Course: This course examines the family as a social institution with an emphasis

              on both men's and women's changing roles in the American family.

              Topics will include: family background, mate selection, sexuality, family

              finances, effective relationship communication, parenthood, marital

              conflict, and issues concerning stepfamilies.

Text:      Benokraitis, Nijole V. Marriages and Families; Changes, Choices, and

                    Constraints. 2008. Sixth Edition. Pearson Prentice Hall.

Course in Detail

I. The Changing Family

    A. Defining Marriage and Family

    B. Family Structure and Function

        1. Regulation of Sexual Activity

        2. Procreation

        3. Socialization of Children

        4. Economic Security

        5. Emotional Support

        6. Social Class

    C. Diversity in Family

        1. Types of Marriage

        2. Residential Patterns

    D. Perspectives on the Changing Family

    E. Trends in Changing Families

II. Theoretical Perspectives of the Family

    A. Critical Thinking in Studying the Family

       1. Ecological Perspective

       2. Structural-Functional Perspective

       3. Conflict Perspective

       4. Feminist Perspective

       5. Symbolic - Interaction Perspective

       6. Social Exchange Perspective

       7. Family Life Course Developmental Perspective

       8. The Family Systems Perspective

    B. Methods in Family Research

       1. Surveys ( Interviewing and Questionnaires )

       2. Clinical Research

       3. Field Research

       4. Experiments

       5. Evaluation Research

    C. Ethical Issues in Research

III. Gender Roles and Socialization

      A. Nature vs. Nurture

      B. Learning Gender Roles

          1. Social Learning Theory

          2. Cognitive Developmental Theory

          3. Feminist Perspective

      C. Agents of Gender Socialization

          1. Parents and Peers

          2. Teachers and Schools

          3. Books

          4. Popular Culture and the Media

       D. Examination of Gender Roles

          1. Traditional Views

          2. Contemporary Views

          3. Changes and Limitations

          4. Variation in Global Perspective

Exam One

IV. Sexuality

     A. Sexual Identity, Orientation, and Scripts

     B. Having and Learning About Sex

     C. Sexual Behaviors

         1. Autoeroticism

         2. Petting

         3. Oral Sex

         4. Sexual Intercourse

     D. Sexuality Over the Life Course

     E. Sexual Infidelity

     F. Homosexuality and Bisexual Activity

     G. Sexually Transmitted Diseases

     H. Sexual Physiology ( Appendix A )

     I. Sexual Dysfunction and Treatment ( Appendix B )

V. Choosing a Mate

     A. Functions of Dating

         1. Manifest Function

         2. Latent Function

     B. Meeting Potential Mates

         1. Classified Ads

         2. Mail Order Brides

         3. Professional Matchmakers

         4. Speed Dating

         5. Cyperdating

     C. Homogamy and Filter Theory

     D. Mate Selection Theories

     E. Global View: Desirable Characteristics

     F. Dating Violence

         1. Power and Control

         2. Aggression and Violence

         3. Date Rape

      G. Process of Breaking Up

VI.  Single Life and Cohabitation

      A. The Single Option

      B. Trend: Staying Single Longer

         1. Postponing Marriage

         2. Individual Choices

         3. Constraints

     C. Influences on Singlehood

         1. Demographic

         2. Macro-Level Perspective

         3. Racial and Ethnic Single Life

    D. Myths and Realities

    E. Cohabitation

       1. Trends and Characteristics

       2. Cohabitation and Law

       3. Global View

    F. Gay and Lesbian Relationships

    G. Communal Living

Exam Two

VII Marriage and Communication

   A. Reasons to Marry

   B. Types of Marriage

        1. Cuber and Haroff’s five marriage types

            a. conflict-habituated marriage

            b. devitalized marriage

            c. passive-congenial marriage

            d. vital marriage

            e. total marriage

   C. Happiness, Health, and Marital Quality

   D. Curvilinear Change in Marriage over the Life Course

   E.  Communication

       1. Essentials of Good Communication

       2. Communication Barriers

       3. Power and Conflict

   F. Marital Conflicts

       1. Gender Roles

       2. Fidelity

       3. Sex

       4. Money

       5. Power

       6. Privacy

       7. Children

    G. Improving Communication

       1. Men and Women Speak Different Languages

       2. Learning to Speak Their Language

       3. Emotional Word Pictures

VIII.  Raising Children - An Awesome Responsibility

    A. Parental Roles

    B. Theoretical Perspectives of Child Development

        1. Mead and the Social Self

        2. Piaget and Cognitive Development

        3. Erikson's Socio-Psychological Stages of Development

    C. Parenting Styles and Discipline

    D. Changing  Parental  Styles over the Life Course

    E. Gay and Lesbian Parenting

    G. Child Care

         1. Absence Fathers

         2. Latchkey Children

         3. High Quality Day Care

         4. Foster Care

IX.  Working Families

    A. Economic Challenges

        1. Unequal Income Distribution

        2. Poverty

        3. Homeless Families

        4. Adaptation to Economic Changes

    B. Women in the Workplace

    C. Roles in the Working Environment

        1. Two-Person Single Career

        2. Stay-at-Home Dads

        3. Dual-Earner and Dual-Career Families

        4. Trailing Spouses

        5. Commuter Marriages

     D. Work and Family Dynamics

        1. Marital Quality

        2. Men and Household Chores

        3. Effects on Children

        4. Gender Gap in Wages

    E. Sexual Harassment

Exam Three

X. Budgeting and Making Ends Meet

    A. Budgeting- A Continuous Process

         1. Examining your Values on Spending

         2. Dollars and Sense in Shopping

         3. Live Better – Spend Less     

    B. Saving – Always an Advantage

         1. Guidelines for Saving 10-20%

         2. Saving Tips that Work

    C. Credit

        1. Credit Card Trap

        2. Advantages of Credit Cards

        3. Disadvantages of Credit Cards

        4. 20% Rule for Short-Term Debt

    D. Purchasing a Home or Renting

    E. Bankruptcy and Debt

        1. Strategies to Avoid Bankruptcy

XI Separation and Divorce

         A. Phases of Separation

         B. Process of Divorce

             1. Emotional

             2. Legal Aspects

             3. Economic Aspects

             4. Co-parental Divorce

             5. Community Divorce

             6. Psychic Divorce

         C. Reasons for Divorce

             1. Macro-Level Perspective

             2. Demographic Variables

             3. Interpersonal Reasons

         D. Effects of Divorce

             1. Physical, Emotional, and Psychological Effects

             2. Financial Effects

             3. Custody and Child Custody            

         E. Children of Divorce

             1. Absent Fathers

             2. Adjusting to Divorce

             3. Helping Children Cope

         F. Counseling and Divorce Mediation

XII. Remarriage and Stepfamilies

        A. Defining a Stepfamily

        B. Characteristics of Remarried Families

        C. Remarriage Process

        D. Remarriage Dynamics

             1. Myths about Remarriage

             2. Marital Dynamics, Quality, and Stability

             3. Effects on Children

        E. Stepfamilies: Merging of Corporations

             1. Types of  Stepfamilies

             2. Parenting in Stepfamilies

             3. Stereotypes

             4. Parenting in Stepfamilies

         F. Characteristics of Successful Remarriages

Final Exam

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