1. What important changes in family patterns do you see today? Do you see positive changes, negative changes, or both? What do they mean for families, in your opinion?
2. What are some examples of a personal or family problem that is at least partly a result of problems in the society?
3. Choose a magazine photo and analyze its content from one of the perspectives described in this chapter. Then analyze the photo from another theoretical perspective. How do your insights differ depending on which theoretical perspective is used?
4. Think of a research topic, then review the data-gathering techniques described in this chapter to decide which of these you might use to investigate your topic.
Policy Question. Which age group is increasing as a proportion of the U.S. population, children or the elderly? What social changes might occur as a result? What social policies do we need to maintain or develop to care for children and the elderly?