First, you will need and are required to read Chapter 1 in our textbook.
Within Chapter 1, our authors presented a study from 2010 that the Pew Research Center conducted regarding American attitudes towards social trends changing the American family located under the heading: “Relaxed Institutional Control over Relationship Choices: “Family Decline” or “Family Change”? in chapter 1.
In this discussion, you will have the opportunity to review this exact survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2010 and then its 10-year follow-up in 2019.
2010 Report: The Public Renders a Split Verdict On Changes in Family StructureLinks to an external site.
It consisted of six questions based on how people responded to the questions about changing trends in America and were then placed in one of three groups: Acceptors, Rejectors, or Skeptics based on their responses. The questions are posed as you will see within the report (scroll down to around the halfway point of the webpage.)
If you are interested in finding out more about the data sets and research methods, you will find them available for review on the right-hand side of the report under Report Materials. Note: You will have to create an account to gain access which is why I do not require this as part of the discussion assignment.
After reading the Pew 2010 report, answer the following questions:
What did you find intriguing or stood out to you concerning American attitudes and what the Pew Research study found AND/OR did not find? DO NOT restate the findings but reflect and react to them.
Even consider which group you think you might have fallen into based on the questions posed and the options.
What were your thoughts/impressions about the findings when looking at the various national data sets from the study regarding demographic differences among the three groups? Meaning what stood out to you based on how individuals fell into groups based on their demographics?
Now, fast forward to 2019 when the study was done again, and read the follow-up report by the Pew Research Center regarding American attitudes currently:
2019 Report: As family structures change in the U.S., a growing share of Americans say it makes no differenceLinks to an external site.
After reading the Pew 2019 report, answer the following questions:
What did you find intriguing or stood out to you concerning American attitudes and what the Pew Research study found AND/OR did not find ten years later?
What do you think has caused such shifts in attitudes?
Moreover, as we learned in Chapter 1, there are two varying perspectives regarding how to view the trends and changing dynamics of the family: the “Family Decline” perspective and the “Family Change” perspective. With what you learned from chapter one, answer the following question:
Where do you think you fall regarding the Family Decline and Family Change spectrum discussed in Chapter 1 while also considering the Pew Research reports and why? Are you one or the other or maybe a little of both?
Please provide specific reasons or examples of trends that support your position with information and facts from Chapter 1 in addition to relevant personal experience and observations such as what the Pew study showed about changing attitudes