Annual Editions the Family 03-04

UNIT 1. Varied Perspectives on the Family 1. The American Family, Stephanie Coontz, Life , November 1999 Many assumptions exist about the family as it existed in the past. Stephanie Coontz, a family historian, discusses the fallacy of many of our beliefs about families in the "good old days." 2. The Myth of the "Normal" Family, Louise B. Silverstein and Carl F. Auerbach, USA Today Magazine (Society for the Advancement of Education) , January 2001 Rather than looking for a single "perfect" family form, parents are encouraged to be flexible and creative in finding strategies that work for their particular family. 3. Weighing the Price of 'Perfect' in Family Life, Marilyn Gardner, The Christian Science Monitor , January 23, 2002 Parents and children face enormous pressure to have the children participate in many activities, often at the expense of "family time." Yet families can reclaim a more balanced approach to family life, as this article attests. 4. American Families Are Drifting Apart, Barbara LeBey, USA Today Magazine (Society for the Advancement of Education) , September 2001 Social scientists are examining the decline of the American family. From mobile family members living far from their relatives to those engaged in our and out familial conflict, fewer American families remain intact. This article provides both anecdotal and statistical evidence to explore this issue and its myriad causes. UNIT 2. Exploring and Establishing Relationships Part A. Gender and Our View of the World 5. Sex Differences in the Brain, Doreen Kimura, Scientific American Presents , Summer 1999 Even before they are born, boys and girls experience hormonal influences on brain activity and these may later influence behavior and attitudes. 6. The New Woman: Daring to Be Less Than Perfect, Eric Lin, Sinorama , April 1999 In this article, Taiwan is described as being "at the intersection of old and new value systems." The role of women and the nature of male-female relationships retain remnants of traditional self-sacrificing, family-centered definitions; however, a "new good woman" with greater independence is evolving. 7. The Feminization of American Culture, Leonard Sax, The World & I , October 2001 Emotional maturity is equated with expressing feelings in contemporary culture. In 50 years, gender stereotypes have reversed: women are now being considered more mature than men. School girls are 3 years ahead of boys in language skills. Male self-esteem is plummeting. Are males' genetic traits being feminized by estrogen-like modern chemicals? The author explores this possibility. Part B. Emotions, Relating, and Mating 8. Can Men and Women Be Friends?, Camille Chatterjee, Psychology Today , September/October 2001 Contrary to the common belief that men and women cannot be real friends, this author argues that sexual tensions are not a given and that male-female relationships are not inevitably romantic. 9. What's Your Love Story?, Robert J. Sternberg, Psychology Today , July/August 2000 Interpersonal relationships are formed in theGilbert, Kathleen R. is the author of 'Annual Editions the Family 03-04', published 2003 under ISBN 9780072838657 and ISBN 0072838655.