Family Theories and Methods

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Family Theories and Methods

• January 17, 2008

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Structural Functionalism

• Structural Functionalism
• Emile Durkheim and Social Integration
• Mechanical and Organic Solidarity
• Mechanical solidarity is preserved by traditions,
  customs and kinship.
• Organic solidarity is grounded in a consensus on
  norms, values and behaviours.
• His assumptions
• Assumes that family is based on consensus and he
  underestimates the value of modernity.

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Durkheims Suicide

• Suicide as a social fact
• Types of suicide anomic, fatalistic, altruistic
  and Egoistic
• Handout

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More on Structural Functionalism

• In terms of family
• What are social structures?
• What is meant by function?
• Manifest and Latent Functions

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Examples of Structural Functionalist

• Deborah Dawsons study in changes in family
  structure.
• Parental structure consequences for children
• Rosemary Gartners study on child homicide
• Family Structure Child Homicide Rate

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More on Structural Functionalism

• The major point here is to identify and explain
• Salient parts of society
• Relationships between
• Functions they perform

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The Three Essential Functions

• William J. Goode and essential functions of the
  family
• Reproductive Function
• Status Placement
• Social Control

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The Major Problems

• Assuming consensus in social relationships.
• Tautology

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Conflict Theory

• The premise of power relationships within
  society.
• Family as a power centre
• Two mechanisms of power replication
• Feminist Theory
• Inequality in family?

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More on Conflict Theory

• Frederich Engels analysis of the working
  class....
• The link between race/ethnicity and
  health-implications for family also
• Sickness as having societal origins

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Systems Theory

• Developed out of biological and computer systems.
  
• The focus on groups actions, group structures,
  and group needs.
• Bounding
• Clocking

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Systems theory cont

• Feedback
• Homeostasis
• Some of the basic concepts

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Social Exchange Theory

• Social Exchange Theory
• Maximize Rewards Minimize Costs
• Humans are motivated to maximize expected
  utility.
• The five other assumptions
• The Principle of Fair Exchange
• The Principle of Least Interest

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Symbolic Interactionism

• Social symbols crucial to the formation of
  society.
• The role of language in Family.
• Taking the role of others.
• Mature Social Self and Social Identity.

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SI Cont.

• Charles Cooley and the Looking-glass self.
• The family can be viewed in symbolic terms.

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Goffmans Stigma

• Stigma in health and health care delivery
• Definition and varying types of Stigma
• Goffmans analysis on the repercussions of having
  a stigma

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Parsons Sick Role

• The Sick Role-Definition
• Four Components to the sick role
• The sick person is exempt from normal social
  roles
• The sick person is not responsible for his or her
  condition
• The sick person should try and get well
• The sick person should seek technically competent
  help and cooperate with the physician

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Criticisms of Sick role

• Depends on nature, severity and longevity of the
  sickness
• Beliefs on the second component vary
• Some illnesses are inevitable and people cannot
  be expected to recover.
• Allopathic medicine

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Developmental (Life Course) Approach

• Created specifically by sociologists for the
  study of family
• Life Stages and individual transitions
• Timing
• Consists of Five principles

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Developmental theories

• Freuds id, ego and superego
• Eriksons developmental stages
• Piagets stages of development

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Postmodernist Perspective

• Family is complex and understanding family has
  various components, but all intersect
• Nothing is taken for granted
• Finding meanings in roles and responsibilities
• Reflecting and re-examining