Chapter 12

What is Family?

Fictive Kin

• People not related by blood or marriage but are treated as part of the family

Family:

• People who IDENTIFY as Family

• Have Relational Connections

• Intend to be in eachother’s lives across time

Family Communication Patterns

-Based on 2 factors: Conversation (expectation/engagement of open discussions) & Conformity (expectation of similar beliefs, attitudes, etc.)

Consensual:

• High Conversation/High Conformity

Pluralistic:

• High Conversation/Low Conformity

Protective:

• Low Conversation/High Conformity

Laissez-faire:

• Low Conversation/Low Conformity

Attachment Theory:

-Describes the nature of the parent-child bond & its impact

-2 Factors:

• Anxiety over abandonment

• Avoidance of intimacy

Secure:

• Children trust that their caregiver will be there when they need them

Preoccupied-Anxious:

• Children are needy, jealous, and weary of threats to the relationship

Dismissing-Avoidant:

• Children rely on themselves and are uninterested in intimacy

Fearful-Disorganized:

• Children are afraid of rejection and distrust others, acting shy & suspicious

Social Support:

• Interpersonal behaviors that help people cope with challenging life events

Difficult Conversations:

Coming Out:

-Coming Out Message Production Theory

• The Salience (relevance/importance) of the 5 disclosure goals predicts coming out

RELATIONAL POWER predicts coming out

-Autonomy Support → Good Outcome

Being in a relationship family may not approve of:

• Differentiation → Integration

• Emphasize commitment to your partner

• Use conflict management

Sibling Relationships:

Facilitating Closeness:

-Openness

• Disclosure (thoughts/feelings/experiences)

-Attention

• Ask meaningful questions & listen attentively

-Involvement

• Make plans & share activities

Sibling Influence (2 Pathways):

-Social Pathway

• Younger sibling models behavior of older sibling

-Cognitive Pathway

• Older sibling impacts younger sibling’s attitudes/expectations/perception