Title: Analyze expectations and shared responsibilities in relationships.
Course: Family Relations (19259-36) > Section: Forming Committed Relationships Across the Lifespan

Analysis should include

- recognition of shared responsibilities when forming committed relationships
- strategies for sharing responsibilities, including
  - positive communication
  - empathy
  - mutuality
  - fairness
- shifts in responsibility throughout the lifespan
- the effect of cultural patterns on expectations
- the changes in gender roles throughout history.

Process/Skill Questions:

Thinking

- How have the expectations of men and women changed in the last 50 years?
- What are some reasons why the roles of men and women have changed in the last 50 years?
- How has technology influenced the change in gender roles?

Communication

- How should married partners decide what roles are appropriate?
- Where can reliable research on roles be found?
- Why is it important to discuss roles and expectations before marriage?
- What are some consequences of not communicating expectations before getting married?

Leadership

- What leadership skills are helpful when analyzing expectations?
- What conflicts may arise when the division of tasks is inequitable?
- How can leadership skills help people avoid stereotyping in the family, in the workplace, and in the community?

Management

- How might roles in the family change as people move through the life cycle?
- How can people adjust their assumptions about roles and expectations?
- How can conflict related to the division of tasks in a relationship be prevented or managed?
- How have changes in roles and expectations affected the workforce?