Know the difference between modern and post-modern definitions of the family.

It has changed; its expansive definition with extended family, vicked kin, pets, those who you believe are in part of your ‘family’

Know the reasons it is important to study families.

• Families are our natural social context…everybody has one, whether they like it or not! (Once married, we live in at least three at the same time: family of origin, family of procreation, extended family and others fictive family…
• Family relationships are central to and influence individual functioning in many areas of our lives.
• Understanding how families function, gives you a better idea of how problems are both maintained and solved.

How do families create a place to belong?

• By creating both physical and psychological boundaries between themselves and the rest of the world.  How do they do this?
• By performing archival functions that create, store, preserve or pass on objects, events, or rituals members consider to be relevant to their individual and family identities.

What is the definition of a “healthy family” as we discussed in lecture?

Good communication, physical/emotional safety, stability

Know the difference between choosing knowledgably vs choosing by default.

• Choosing by default: “Letting choices happen” = “SLIDING”
• Making  decisions without awareness of all the alternatives
• Choosing the easiest options, path of least resistance
• Making unconscious decisions, without awareness of the consequences Positive and negative
• Choosing knowledgably: “DECIDING”
• Rational consideration of many alternatives and the recognition of the social pressures that influence choices
• Has respect for personal feelings and includes regular testing of decisions against those feelings (as well as changes in the social environment.)

Know the difference between individualism and familism.

• Individualism: Placing individual needs over families;
• Familism: Placing needs of family over individuals

Understand Irving Goffman’s ideas about the family and presentation of individuals

He used the terminology of the theater to convey concepts of social interaction.

"Frontstange": is what we show in public.

"Backstage": is in the private sphere, where we can be informal, relaxed, and authentic.

Families do the same: they may eat funny things that may not be accepted in society or may make up house rules for games and sports. They may quarrel but quickly cover up their anger if any outsider arrives

Understand Historical events that have shaped families

-17^th Century Families Probably the most similarities in terms of diversity of family form compared with present postmodern trend.  Reasons: Mortality rate was very high for both children and adults. 1 in 4 children died before first birthday, one half of all marriages ended before the 7^th anniversary because of the death of a partner. Young widows typically married quickly, and sometimes extended families or people in the community had to take on surviving children when both parents died. This meant that there were families made up of step-parents, step-children, half-siblings, foster parents/kids, legal guardians…

            -18^th Century Families “It takes a village…” (People groups, clans, family, household)...The idea that people outside immediate family could take on significant roles in helping raise children.

-Depression Era Families Couples delayed marriage and parenthood and had fewer children than they wanted

            -1950’s Era Families Family life was not so overshadowed by national crisis (typical nuclear family existed, with father as breadwinner, mother staying home to raise children.)

-1960’s and 1970’s Era Families Marriage rates declined and divorce rates increased dramatically.  Reasons include the Civil Rights Movement, women’s liberation, etc.

-Present Family Present historical movement is one of adaptation to profound cultural changes and to economic ups and downs, much affected by globalization of the economy.

Understand how age structure has influenced families.

1) Longevity, 2) Approach to aging has changed;

3) Changing demography will profoundly affect family life

Understand the difference between race, ethnicity and minority

• Race Race is a group or category that is thought of as representing a distinct biological heritage.  In reality, there is only one human race, the differences are socially constructed because in reality there is not much difference in biological make-up.
• Ethnicity -Ethnicity has no biological connotations, but refers to culture: language, customs, religion and history.

What is the current percent of minority representation in the US

Minority Representation- United States has become increasingly diverse nation, Minorities as a group now account for 1/3 of the population (34%).

Understand what is meant by “immigrant ethos."

The idea that immigrants bring many strengths to this country. They have high aspirations to succeed. Work hard, and achieve goals. Children in immigration families put more time into studying and have higher GPA’s than the U.S. average. Low crime rates, and are respectful to family and community

Understand how economy and social class influences families.

-Social class is as important as race/ethnicity in affecting people’s choices

-Income and class affects access to important areas of society (education, technology, medical care, etc…)

-In examining social class, social scientists often compare “blue collar” and “white collar” workers in terms of values and lifestyles:

            “Blue collar” Stronger emphasis on traditional gender role distribution of household responsibilities.  Marriage more focused on practical considerations for keeping the household running and parenting.  Parenting tends to be more authoritarian with an emphasis on obedience and conformity.  Kids do tend to have more contact with extended family on a regular basis, more interaction with cousins and elderly family members.

            “White collar” Less emphasis on traditional gender roles, more emphasis on companionship and communication.  While still imposing boundaries and utilizing discipline with children, there is more emphasis on facilitating creativity, curiosity and independence.  More access to technology, recreational activities, but sometimes can result in overscheduled lives and “burnout.”

Understand idea of “white privilege”

White Privilege is that white people have a lot of privileges that go unnoticed to them (no idea of their own culture, its ignorance of sorts)

Know how “globalization” influences families

We have to look at family problems at a global scale. Poor Americans have a better living than poor people in other countries. Global economic inequality will affect all of us in the future.

Know the basic concepts around each and be able to distinguish between each of the following theories from Chapter 3:  Family Ecology theory, Family Developmental Perspective, Exchange Theory, and Family Systems theory.

Family Ecology Perspective:

            -Reciprocal relationship between families and their environments

            -focus on how government policies-as part of the socio-cultural environment effect families and how families affect them

            -Concerned with family policy (procedures, regulations, attitudes, and goals of        government that affect families

Family Developmental Perspective

            -Focuses on a series of family developmental stages (Family Life Cycle)

-Perceives a set of tasks that must be successfully accomplished in order to transition successfully to the next stage

-Some argue that it does not appreciate “diverse” family situations.

Exchange Theory

            -Focuses on exchange of resources between family members (rewards/costs).

            -It examines how resource transactions form and stabilize relationships.

            -It proposes that relationships will thrive when they are based on equitable exchanges and will suffer when they are one-sided.

            -Criticized for its failure to recognize families in emotional terms.

Family Systems Theory

            -Views family as a whole that is more than the sum of its parts

            -Families seek to maintain equilibrium (serve to maintain and solve problems)

            -Change in one part of the system (or family member) affects other parts of the system

            -Physical/psychological boundaries define who is “in” and who is “out”, and             regulates the flow of information in and out of the system

With regard to studying families, understand the idea of generalization and randomization

Generalization: When people want to study a specific portion of the population (i.e. only people 20-25 years old)

Randomization: used in order to receive a better understanding of the generalization

EX: You may use a generalized study if you want to find out the affects on a young, white, middle class boy. A randomized study will incorporate all boys young/rich, short/tall… in order to validity represent the entire US population

Understand the three approaches to dealing with researcher bias when studying ethnic minority families (cultural equivalent, cultural deviant, and cultural variant)

Cultural Equivalent: An approach that emphasized those features through racial/ethnic minority families have in common with mainstream white families. EX: Finding that middle-class black parents treat their children much the same way as middle class white parents.

Cultural Deviant: This approach views the qualities that distinguish minority families from mainstream families as negative or pathological. EX: Blacks compared to non-Hispanic whites/Asians

Cultural Variant: Approach that calls for making culturally and continually relevant interpretations of minority family lives. EX: A substantial proportions of single-mother households contain other adults who take part in rearing the children

Know and understand the difference between the following types of research: Laboratory experiments and observation, Naturalistic Observation, Clinician’s Case Studies and Longitudinal Studies

Naturalistic Observation: The reasercher spends extensive time with lives with a family or social group while carefully recording their activities, conversations, gestures and other aspects of everyday life.

Clinician's Case Studies:This is counseling. The counselor sees individuals, couples, or whole families. Clinicians offer us knowledge about family behavior and attitudes by describing cases to us or by telling us about their conclusions based on a series of cases.

Know the difference between sex and gender.

Sex is the physiological characteristics (puberty, body parts, etc)

Gender is what society expects of what it means to be a female/male

Know the impact of industrialization on roles of men/women in middle and upper class

The states of women declined further as industrialization separated work from home and family life, transferring work traditionally done by women from homes to factories. Men seen as breadwinner/worker, women seen as housewife/cook/child bearer

Cultural messages concerning men’s and women’s gender roles—David and Brannon typologies

Masculinities:

--“No Sissy Stuff”-expectations to distance from feminine things

--“Big Wheel”-expectation to be occupationally successful

--“Sturdy Oak” expected to be tough, confident, self-reliant

--“Give em Hell” expected to defeat, humiliate and seek adventure

--"Liberated Male”-starting in 1980’s, new option allows men to be more emotionally sensitive and expressive

Femininities-

--“His Helpmate”-women expected to be attentive, good listeners, facilitators for their husband’s accomplishments.

--“Good Mother”- expected to put family, children’s need ahead of their own

--“Professional Woman”- emerging over past 20 years, women are expected to be independent, ambitious and confident.

--“Superwoman”-recent expectations are that women should be great mothers and also attain career success

--“Satisfied Single”-emerging option for women to be happy being single

Gender traits in men and women

            -Gender expectations/scripts are socially constructed

            -Male traits are often thought to be agentic/instrumental-which means they lead toward accomplishment of tasks or goals (independent, competitive, assertive, achievement oriented)

            -Female traits are thought to be communal or expressive—aimed at the accomplishment of improved relationships (warm, tender sensitive, empathetic…)

Understand the socialization of gender

            -Socialization is process by which society influences members to internalize attitudes and expectations

            -Language accentuates male and female differences through names, titles, and adjectives

            -Media promotes gendered expectations

            -Fathers have stronger expectations toward gender than mothers.

            -As babies, children, children learn gender roles in the way they are handled physically, talked to, the toys they are given, household chores, etc.

            -In schools, most positions of power are men, and positions of service are more female oriented, boys are often given more attention, encouragement, and are called on more often.  At the college and university level less woman are in positions of power.

Understand the features of romantic love that we discussed in class

--Deep and vital emotion (feeling—promotes action)

--Intimacy- this involves a basic level of trust (Psychic- being able to accept each other and share with each other. This involves respect, trust and safety with regard to sharing thoughts and feelings with one another. Physical: being able to express affection physically. Sexual: being able to share affection sexually.)

--Satisfied needs (mutual support)

--Caring (concern for your partner’s personal/emotional growth)

Understand the three components of Sternberg’s triangular love theory that comprise consummate love.

Passion --> Commitment --> Intimacy/Friendship

Understand the difference between legitimate needs and illegitimate needs

Illegitimate Needs: “Deficiency needs”: Arise from feelings of self-doubt, unworthiness, and inadequacy. Often people who feel deficient count on others to convince them they are worthwhile (low self-esteem).

Legitimate Needs: “Being Needs”: Ares in the present rather than out of deficits accumulated in the past. Ongoing social and emotional support is certainly a legitimate human need. People’s legitimate needs in loving becomes the desire the share themselves with loved ones to enrich their – and their loved ones’— lives

Understand the influence of self-esteem on love relationships as discussed in class and its relationship to the concepts of martyring, manipulating, and symbiotic relationships

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF WORTH IN RELATIONSHIPS: 

If a person does not feel lovable or worthy, he or she tends not to trust a partner’s love, so they may do one of several unhealthy things including:

-Hiding the “real” them behind a mask:  In doing so, they are never able to fully be themselves, they may try to be somebody else and this takes its toll emotionally by first interfering with intimacy, and second by reinforcing that it is not really you the person loves, but the “artificial you” you have created. 

-Testing the love:  These  people employ passive/aggressive acts to “see if they really love me.”  It may include underfunctioning and seeing if the person will rescue them, trying to get to partner to “prove” that they love you by being unreasonable, unfair, obnoxious and asking them to forgive or overlook bad behavior.  This relates to the concept of manipulating in the text.

-Acquiesce and accept all the tension or accept the blame for everything:  These people figure that anything that goes wrong must be their fault and therefore their responsibility to fix it.  They often times overlook bad behavior in their partner.  This relates to the concept of martyring in the text.

-Find someone “crippled” or deficient in some way: Choosing a person that desperately needs you or choose somebody you think is actually “worse” in someway than you.  These relationships are based on mutual unhealthy dependency (both usually have low self-worth) This relates to concept of symbiotic relationships in the text.

Understand A-frame, H-frame, and M-frame relationships, attachment styles, and the influence of attachment styles on these relationships