Problem:
When Jordan was younger, they thought a "real" family meant two parents, a couple of kids, and maybe a dog. But their best friend lived with their grandma. Another friend had two moms. One classmate's parents were divorced. And now, in college, Jordan is part of a found-family group chat that feels more supportive than any relative ever has. So, what is a family? Sociologists know that family isn't just about who lives in your house or who you share DNA with. Family is a social institution-a pattern of relationships and roles that shapes our lives, identities, and opportunities. And like all institutions, it's influenced by culture, law, history, and power. Let's begin by exploring how family and marriage are defined-and redefined-across time and place. Hide Text What is one way that U.S. family life has changed over the past 50 years? Marriage and childbearing are happening later in life Most people now live in extended family households There are fewer divorces now than in the 1970s Single-parent families are now illegal in some states. Need Assignment Help?