families in contemporary canadian society Flashcards
quantitative research
– Information presented in form of numbers that are analyzed using statistical techniques
-– Typical quantitative methods are surveys and experiments
– Once researchers have gathered data, statistical analysis is performed on this data (E.g. correlations, cross sectional analysis)
qualitative
– Concerned with verbal descriptions of behaviour based on reports from people being studied, on observation, and on the analysis of patterns
– Qualitative methods include in-depth interviews, direct observation, focus groups, and content analysis
A researcher comes to a family home to conduct a survey. Why might the person answering the survey questions not be willing or able to provide accurate information?
-private, legally cant say, don’t know what they do with information, strangers/no trust
Limitations To Researching Families
(Survey Methods)
1. Definitions – surveyor and surveyee may have different definitions
2. Reliance on retrospective accounts – human memory isn’t perfect, may gve inaccurate accounts of the past
3. Cannot gain understanding of family dynamics/meanings – surveyor may not understand the why behind most answers
4. People may give socially desirable responses – respond in the way surveyor wants tp hear – people on best behavior
5. Interviewer/participant barriers – cultural differences, language barriers – don’t understand question, gender barriers (i.e. some questions men shouldn’t ask women)
6. Personal factors (e.g., illness, fatigue, time) -people may be busy – don’t give much thought
Our access to life in “other” families is limited. -
“Expert’s” (researchers) access to life in “other” families is also limited.
We need to be cautious about what we think we “know”.
structional functionalism - macro
Society is made up of various “structures” or institutions that carry out functions to serve each other and the society. Society is made up of many parts that depend on each other.
Structural functional theory views the family as an institution with important societal functions
E.g. Reproduction, socialization, social placement, economic support, emotional support
Within the family structure, individuals are viewed in
terms of the roles they play.
E.g. Male – Breadwinner
Female – Homemaker
– Role specialization increases efficiency of family
functioning.
Social stability results when family performs all thesefunctions well. Everyone follows role expectations because they want to abide by social norms which are taught through socialization.
-role of families to teach children social norms to conform to
Changing roles of women affects our society
Macro – bigger picture – influence
micro
interactions withing the family system
systems theory
Originated as a biological theory
The family is viewed as a system of relationships and interactions. The family is a subsystem of the larger social order and is also a system in itself.
Family members are interdependent – what happens to one impacts all.
“The Whole is Greater than the sum of its parts”.
family characteristics
Boundaries – indicate who is and isn’t inclluded
Permeability – how open or closed boundaries are
Input – input from the environment – something happens from external (ie economy) or internal environment (ie death of a loved one) -
Output – how family responds to input -
Feedback – response feeds back into family itself and eternal environment
ecology of human developmen (all the system that effect the individual
individual -> micro system -> mesosystem -> exosystem -> macrosystem -> chronosystem ->
ecological theory facts
Ecological theory looks at the relationship between family and society
Introduced by Bronfenbrenner (1979)
Sees families
ecological system explanations
Microsystem
Consists of small groups in which people interact face-to-face
Mesosystem
Is made up of the relationships between two or more microsystems of which the individual is a member
For a child, a mesosystem might consist of the relationship between parents and the daycare centre
Exosystem
A setting in which individuals do not take an active part, but which has an effect on them through the mesosystem or microsystem
For parents, includes the board of a daycare, school board or extended work hours
Macrosystem
Consists of a society’s ideology and culture, where shared beliefs are the basis for policy decisions
Chronosystem
Includes dimension of time as it relates to the social environment
External influences refer to historical periods and cohorts
Internal influences refer to changes that occur as an individual matures
social exchange theory
-Humans make choices based on perceived rewards and costs.
Humans are rationale beings who attempt to minimize costs and maximize rewards.
We will repeat behaviour that is rewarded and when we make decisions or choices, we will choose the alternative that is least costly.
Family life and behaviour can be viewed in terms of costs and benefits
Key Concepts:
Rewards – compliments, support, income,
Costs – financial cots, withholding of complients etc
Profit – if the rewards outway the profit
Level of Alternatives – if nothing else is available, then even if something isn’t perfect people will deal with it and chooseit anyway…. Ie stay in unhappy relationships because they don’t think theres anyone ele out there
Reciprocity – need to receive rewards – getting back, or from the other perspective giving back – cannot be only giving, or only receiving, must do both
family development theory
-Focuses exclusively on family life and family change over time.
Major assumption is that family life cannot be understood apart from human development.
Key concepts: family life cycle: a set of stages that a typical family can be expected to pass through over the life course
- developmental tasks: a task that a family is expected to achieve at a particular stage (if they do not accomplish this task, next stage more difficult)… i.e. if a baby is born, parents need to care for infant, if they don’t next stage more difficult
- role sequence: how roles change over time (i.e. parenting role – parenting an infant different than an adolescent) families not static, but they are dynamic (changing)
- typical family considered typical nuclear family – family development theory does not adapt to different family structures (i.e. death in family, divorce), however other theories developed
- used to study changes in the family life cycle over time
- phenomenology – humans create social reality by sharing meaning about the world. They do this through communication and conversation
- -Through socialization, the family communicates their knowledge of the world to their children who in turn use this “knowledge” and “truth” as they develop their own subjective reality.
- When new partner relationships are formed the two socialized individuals bring their own individual biographies/realities to the relationship
- Through communication and intimate exchanges, the partners create a new shared reality (the separate realities are merged).
- Much of what we “do” in our relationships is based on our past experience and learning.
- Individual and family behaviour can only be explained by understanding the reality people perceive and act towards.
- -
symbolic interaction theory (textbook)
the study of the social construction of knowledge and social reality
Humans live in a symbolic environment and use complex symbols.
They interpret symbols to give meaning to other people’s words and actions. This in turn impacts how they behave.
Family members interpret meaning of the words and actions of people around them.
– Accordingly, individuals develop sense of self, status, and role through the attitudes and relationship of others, and they develop a sense of the roles they are expected to fulfill
Symbolic interactionism
Key Concepts:
Status – a social position that carries expectations for behaviour
Roles – the behaviour expected of a person who has a particular status
Role taking – putting oneself in another’s place
Role strain – a sense of discomfort or tension felt by one who has difficulty meeting role expectations
The family is seen as a system of interacting roles (members).
A main source of our learning about the self, the world, and everything in it occurs through interaction with family members.
We first learn about and acquire roles within our family system.
Phenomenology/Social Constructionism
The study of the social construction of knowledge and social reality.
Human beings create knowledge and reality - reality is subjective
feminist theories
Type of conflict theory
In all types of feminist theories:
The main focus is gender
Women are seen as subordinate to men
The subordination is socially constructed (not natural)
Family relations (and society as a whole) are based on a system called patriarchy
Patriarchy is the social system based on the power and authority of men
Feminists views society in terms of a hierarchical social structure
Not anti-family
Anti-patriarchy
Traditional patriarchal family is an avenue for domination and control
Feminist theorists criticize traditional family values that support socialization into stereotypical gender roles. Gender is seen as being socially constructed.
Give male and female equal and independent choices.
Boys and girls are taught to be a certain way, and when they grow up it is viewed as their specific gender naturally being that way, when in reality it was taught
Change and equal access to all roles will be positive for all family members.
(test: identify different theories)
family theories
Specific theories can be thought of as different “lenses” through which family life can be observed.
The particular theoretical lens worn by the researcher can have an important influence on the topic that is studied and the questions that are asked.
The questions that are asked should guide the research methods that are used in a particular study.
gender and family relationships gender terms: sex gender gender roles gender identity androgyny gender socialization
- Sex - physiological state of being male or female (innate/biology)
- Gender – distinctions between males and females based on social and cultural factors rather than biology
- Gender Roles - cultural expectations for appropriate male and female behaviour or masculinity and femininity (learned)
- Gender Identity - psychological sense of being male or female
- Androgyny - possessing both stereotypical masculine and stereotypical feminine traits
- Gender Socialization - the process by which individuals learn the socially defined behaviour appropriate for males and females by means of information, rewards and punishments
gender role socialization in north america
The ideal of the modern, post-industrial nuclear family is based on specific gender expectations
for men and women.
Dichotomy of:
Males →→→→→→→→ Instrumental Roles (being the provider, through money, being competitive, ambitious, somewhat aggressive, emotional)
Females →→→→→→→ Expressive Roles (being at home, dometic support, care for children, caregiver, warm, sensitive, non competitive, focus relationships, being emotional, physical appearance)
Socialization experiences in play, games, school and the influence of family and friends and the media reinforced these expectations
