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Summary
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| Quiz
Yourself
Rural Communities
Studies of rural life have uncovered a number of characteristics that
may distinguish rural communities from urban ones. These characteristics
include:
- A more personal social climate.
- Likelihood of residents knowing each other and each other’s business.
- Likelihood of residents being related to one another.
- A more powerful “collective conscience” - most community members share the same values and opinions.
- More active social control mechanisms such as gossip and shame.
- A dislike of government intervention & mistrust of outsiders.
- Greater commitment to religious values.
- Greater traditionalism with respect to the gender roles of men and women.
- Geographic isolation.
- More pronounced poverty levels.
- Lower education levels of residents.
The similarities among members of rural communities do not ensure that rural life is more harmonious than urban family life. During the past two decades, rural America has undergone a period of economic stagnation and decline resulting in communities that are too often marked by higher crime rates, substance abuse, and continued poverty. These elements pose an increased risk for domestic violence.