Survey Shows Public Split on Changed Family Structure: Where Do You Stand?

Unmarried couples raising children. Mothers of young children working outside of the home. People of different races marrying each other.

These all represent trends many might say changed the traditional American family structure in the past half century.

The Pew Research Center found a split in the American public's opinions on the changes that have unfolded in the past 50 years.

A sample of 2,691 adults were asked their opinions on seven trends, whether they believed them to be good, bad or of no consequence to society:

• More unmarried couples raising children
• More gay and lesbian couples raising children
• More single women having children without a male partner to help raise them
• More people living together without getting married
• More mothers of young children working outside the home
• More people of different races marrying each other
• More women not ever having children

About one third of those surveyed were "accepters," according to Pew's findings. Anywhere from half to two-thirds of this group say these trends make no difference to society.

Likely to be represented in this group are women, Hispanics, East Coast residents and adults who rarely or never attend religious services.

"Rejecters" made up 32 percent of those surveyed and reject "virtually every trend that the Accepters tolerate or endorse," according to the report. The majority of this group (61 percent) say it is harmful for mothers of small children to work outside the home.

Overrepresented in this group are whites, older adults, Republicans, the religiously observant and married adults.

The final group, "skeptics," made up 37 percent. This group shared much of the same views as the accepters, according to the Pew results. Most all skeptics say mothers having children without male partners to help raise them is bad for society.

More likely to be in this group are Democrats, young people, political independents, and minorities.

Where do you stand on these trends? In which group would you place yourself? Do you think the survey results are representative of the American public as a whole?

Would you be welcoming of these types of families in Rancho Palos Verdes?