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Chp. 2 - Theoretical Perspectives on Families

Family Ecology Theory

  • Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005)
  • Cornell U., Harvard U., U. of Michigan
  • Letchworth Village, Haverstraw, NY

Family Ecology Theory

  • How the environment affects the family and vice versa and how the family adapts to the envir.
  • What environments do families encounter?

- microsystems – immediate influences (family, peers, etc.)

- mesosystems – microsystem interconnections

- exosystems – don’t participate but affect you (parents work affects children)

- macrosystems - culture

Structural Functionalism

  • Sees society as a large structure with subsystems (and family is one subsystem)

Structural Functionalism

  • Looks at the family within the context of society
  • Examines functions the family serves for society
  • Examines the functions the family members serve for their own family
  • Looks at the needs the family meets for individual members of the family
  • When needs not being met or functions not properly performed can cause dysfunction

Structural Functionalism

  • Influenced by biology
  • Sees society as a living organism with parts (subsystems); each part has functions
  • Sees groups (the family) and individuals in the family as a part with their own functions
  • Analyze functions
  • When can dysfunction be functional?

Family Systems Theory

  • Also sees family as structure of related parts or subsystems
  • Subsystems should maintain boundaries
  • Structure can be seen in family’s interactions
  • Resists change but succumbs to it
  • Statuses and roles

Symbolic Interactionism

  • Ernest Burgess (1886-1966)
  • U. of Chicago
  • Defined family as “unity of

interacting personalities”

  • These then defined the

nature of the family

(i.e., happy family, etc.)

Symbolic Interactionism

  • Looks at interactions in relationships
  • Verbal, non-verbal interactions/symbols (not just what you say but how you say it)

Interactions Lead to Formation of the “Self”

  • Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)
  • Taught at U. of Michigan
  • “Looking glass self” –
  • 1) we picture our appearance of ourselves, traits and personalities.
  • 2) We then use the reactions of others to interpret how others visualize us.
  • 3) We develop our own Self-concept, based on our interpretations. Our Self-concept can be enhanced or diminished by our conclusions.

The Self

  • So, we see ourselves as others see us
  • Sense of self is first taught and maintained by the family

Conflict Theory

  • Looks at power and conflict in relationships
  • Natural part of family life
  • Frequency, degree of conflict issues

Origin of Conflict Theory

  • Karl Marx (1818-1883)
  • Frederich Engels (1820-1895)
  • The Communist Manifesto

(1848)

  • Social class
  • Bourgeoisie v. Proletariat
  • Men/Women; Parents/Children
  • Struggle for?
  • Resources, power

Sources of Power/Conflict

  • Money
  • Children
  • Sex
  • Physical coercion
  • Levels of love and commitment
  • Legitimacy
  • Division of labor

Conflict Theory Assumptions

  • People in relationships are motivated by self-interests, competition
  • Differences lead to conflict
  • Conflict not easily measured or evaluated
  • Much conflict is private

Consequences of Not Resolving Power & Control Issues

  • Resentments
  • Anger
  • Low Self-Esteem
  • Domestic Violence
  • Child Abuse

Social Exchange Theory

  • See relationships from a cost-benefit basis
  • Reward – Cost = Outcome
  • Rewards and costs not always tangible

(not necessarily measurable or seen)

  • Ever ask, “What does he/she see in that person!!”

Equity

  • Exchanges should be fair, to balance out
  • Deprived partners feel angry, resentful
  • Methods to restore equity:

- seek balance over time, not daily

- convince oneself and others that unfair relationship is really fair

- end the relationship

Putting Theories Into Practice

  • Virginia Satir (1916-1988)
  • Milwaukee State Teacher’s College, U. of Chicago, IL Psychiatric Institute, Mental Health Research Institute in Menlo, CA
  • Wrote Conjoint Family Therapy (1964), The New Peoplemaking (1988)
  • Problems of low self-esteem in

relationships

*conjoint – meet with several members

of the family at the same time

Family/Marriage/Couples Therapy

  • Families are the sum of their parts
  • When parts are broken the sum can’t work
  • Therapy is designed to nurture change and development
  • Problems are seen to arise as a result of systemic interactions, rather than to be blamed on individual members
  • Family therapists focus more on how patterns of interaction maintain the problem, instead of finding cause, as that assigns blame

Family Therapists

  • Most therapists are eclectic
  • Must be degreed, certified and licensed
  • M.S.W., M.A., Ph.D. – usually in Social Work or Psychology
  • MFT – Marriage & Family Therapy Certification