L/O: To investigate the patterns of divorce in the UK and why they have changed.

Fill in the blank graph for how you would expect divorce patterns to look like from 1961 to 2001 Thousands

Years

Changing Patterns of Divorce

• Since the 1960s there has been a great increase in the number of divorces in the UK.• The number of divorces

doubled between 1961 and 1969, and doubled again by 1972.• The upward trend continued,

peaking in 1993 at 180,000.• The rate means that about

40% of all marriages will end in divorce.

Explaining Marital BreakdownMarriage is declining

Divorce is increasing

Remarriages are rising

So why are marriages breaking up?

Ranking exerciseRank the reasons for the increased divorce rate in order of importance.

Be ready to justify your thinking

1. Changes in the law•Gradually, changes in the law have made divorce easier.• Three kinds of changes:1. Equalising the legal

reasons for divorce between the sexes (1923)

2. Widening the grounds for divorce (1971)

3. Making divorce cheaper (1949)

2. Changes in the position of women.

•Women now less financially dependent on their husband.• More women in paid work.• Pay gap has been

narrowed.• Greater success in

education.• Availability of benefits.

3. Declining stigma/changing attitudes

• Stigma is a negative label/social disapproval attached to something.• In the past divorce has been

stigmatised e.g. Churches tended to condemn divorce.• As stigma declined, divorce

became more socially acceptable and couples become more willing to resort to divorce.

4. Secularisation•Decline in influence of religion in society, e.g. Church attendance rates continue to decline.• As a result, the traditional opposition of the churches to divorce carries less weight in society.

5. Rising expectations• Functionalists, Fletcher (1966) and Parsons argued that higher expectations people place on marriage today are a major cause of rising divorce rates.• Linked to idea of romantic

love.• In the past people often had

little choice in who they married; based one economic need.• Today, marriage increasingly

about personal fulfilment.

The British Attitudes Survey (2001)Marriage is still largely valued although cohabitation

is also seen as a legitimate alternative.

6. Emotional overload

Leach (1967)- The nuclear family suffers from an emotional overload which then increases the level of conflict between family members.

7. Consumer choice

Gibson (1994)-Modernity has led to the

development of increasing individual achievement. - There is emphasis on

consumer choice, this means if you don’t find satisfaction in your first partner you can seek an alternative.

Interesting fact #1

Half of divorces involve children who are under the age of 16

Interesting fact #2

Interesting fact #3

There were 13 divorces an hour in England and Wales in 2012

Interesting fact #4

It is expected that 42% of marriages will end in divorce

Interesting fact #5There are peaks in the early 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and the increase in 2010 before the slight drop

with the 2011 rate.

The common factor of those dates?

Recession.

But…

But…In 2012, 10.8 people divorced

per thousand married population, a decrease of 19% compared with 13.3 in 2002.

But…Chandler

In modern societies divorce has risen steadily, although in the 1990’s the

divorce rate was fairly stable. -Remarriages are also on the rise

PlenaryUsing at least one sociological perspective and a range of concepts, assess the following statement:

Rising divorce rates are a sign that British society is ‘unhealthy’; people are too selfish and are not committed to the vital institution of marriage.

Aim for a page and a half and finish for homework.