SOCI 2160 - Marital and Family Relationships

4.5 Credits

This course develops an understanding of the social role of relationships and families. Topics include courtship and preparation for marriage, conflict situations and adjustments between spouses, parent-child relationships, social change and acceptance of alternatives to traditional heterosexual marriages, the family within the community, and consequences of disintegration of the family unit. (Formerly Marriage and the Family)

Recommended: Reading assessment and college-level reading skills

Lecture Hours: 4.5
Lab Hours: 0.0
Internship Hours: 0.0
Clinical or Practicum Hours: 0.0

Course Objectives

1. Define marriage and family and distinguish between monogamy, polygamy, nuclear and extended families.

2. Compare major sociological theoretical perspectives of marriage and family life.

3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the American mate selection process.

4. Identify the techniques of effective communication and conflict resolution.

5. Propose factors that should be considered in choosing to have children and compare styles of child rearing.

6. Identify factors which may lead to the creation of a dysfunctional family.

7. Judge the differences that divorce and widowhood have for remarriage potential.

8. Evaluate the adjustment problems inherent in step-families.

9. Evaluate society’s efforts to prevent/ameliorate abuse in families.

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