Knocked Up and Walking the Walk: Single Mother Status, Stigma, and Behavior

• In Event: 220 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 17. Maternal Behaviors and Identity

Abstract

Individual perception of role and social expectations can impact the way people perceive themselves. Single mothers, in particular, are prone to such expectations as they try to identify themselves as mothers, especially good, responsible mothers. Due to institutionalized expectations of the nuclear family form, single mothers may not be viewed in a favorable light. After all, their single mother status can be seen as deviating from the nuclear family form. Such societal perspective can also influence an individual’s self-perception, identification, and expression. The individual’s social network may either reinforce or alleviate this expected image. A study on two different programs within a single parent support organization reveals that single mothers are concerned about their single mother status and meeting social expectations about mothering behavior. Social networks formed within the organization had an effect on how single mothers presented their single mother status and mothering behavior.

Author

• June H Sun, University of Southern California