Transformation Of American Family Configuration In Late20th Century

American family patterns are now undergoing drastic changes. Some people think of the changes as the results of urbanization and social breaking down. Some people consider those phenomena to be against traditions. However, to some people, this is a symbol of more progressive evolution, of more wealth, and of greater individual freedom and greater mobility. Obviously, American traditional family pattern is under constant change. People pay more attention to the quality of family life, so new family configuration may be the result of pursuit of the perfect marriage, because they have a strong wish to improve their life. Or, they desire to live in a harmonious family. So, diverse family patterns emerge. Generally speaking, form of family is less important than quality life. Quality is always important than the form. However,"most marriages occur today because of conflicts that would not have led to divorce only30to40years ago-a fact in itself demonstrates the influence of culture on marriage. Yet contemporary culture is ambivalent, caught between receding ’traditional’ values and the antithetic ’progressive’ values that superseded them during the Great Sexual Revolution of the1960s."(Alvin Pam2005:3) This change is due to the economic and social factors. Contemporary society often requires a highly mobile workforce. So long it can facilitate to survive or to find jobs, people don’t care where it is. People want to seize every economic opportunity that is beneficial for the development of individuals and to satisfy their desire. From time to time, they have to ignore their family relationship long established between family members. So, the need of individuals is a priority rather than family relationships and obligations. The discovery of American family patterns and problems in the past and at present can certainly provide a new perspective on the problems Chinese families face in contemporary modern society. So, in what follows, the author examines and discusses the changes that have occurred in the diversity of family or different familial structures in the United States over the past century and tried to find the causes. In America, the value of individualism and money is much stressed and accepted by the society. That is the main cause of the change. As to the whole passage, the author begins with a definition of each family form. Next, the author examines the diversity in family typology from different perspectives such as society, politics, culture, law and ideology. Finally, the author concludes with an inquiry into advantages and disadvantages of each family structure and point out that any families like American families will encounter unpredictable events and difficulties. In order to survive and improve living, families have to learn to adapt to changes.