The Spread of Single Parent Families in the United States since 1960

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The Spread of Single Parent Families in the
United States since 1960

• Christopher Jencks David Ellwood
• John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
  University
• October 2002

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A survey of the status of research on the
underlying reasons for the increase in single
parent families since 1960

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(No Transcript)
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Do economic considerations adequately explain
this phenomenon?

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Problems with Traditional Economic Model

• Economic model ignores interpersonal and power
  relationships
• Marriages are not firms
• Families have emotions
• Partners have non-economic needs within a
  marriage
• Who has power and control of family decisions and
  household labor?

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Non-Economic Explanations for the Rise in Single
Female Households

• Four possible reasons
• Gender role conflict
• Limited confidence and personal efficacy
• Altered attitudes and social norms
• Technological and legal change

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Is the Traditional Economic Model or the
Non-Economic Explanation the Answer?

• A combination of the two explanations might
  provide answers

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Ways in Which Economics/Non-economics might delay
the spread of single-parent families

• Better paying jobs for both men and women reduce
  dependency
• Better economic outlook for both groups would
  cause expectation of more marriages and delays in
  childbearing
• Having confidence, power, control, and a means
  (pill, abortion) for timing marriage and
  childbirth
• More research needs to be done