4020*Family Theory Exam Notes

functionalist theory critiques

assumptions are oppressive to women
out of date/irrelevant
overlooks negative aspects of nuclear families

overlooks inequalities built into social structure

ignores extended family systems

socialist feminism

argued that both capitalism and patriarchy oppressed women

third wave of feminism

recognised that no single form of feminism could represent all women's diverse experiences or address their varied needs for social change

social exchange theory assumptions

utilitarianism and individualism

social exchange theory critiques

oversimplifies role of power
assumes rationality and accuracy
studies have not kept pace with new exchange concepts

family systems theory critiques

stereotyping risk
overlooks power
limits agency

functionalist theory

views the family as a social institution that contributes to the stability and functioning of society by socialising children, maintaining societal norms, and fulfilling essential functions

life course theory

examines how individual and family life trajectories are shaped by the interplay of historical, social, and cultural contexts, as well as personal choices and timing of life events

life course stages of the family

beginning family
childbearing family
family with preschoolers
family with school children
family with teenagers
launching centre
empty nest
aging family

life course theory strengths

incorporation of context and time

ability to be combined with other theories

utility with both quantitative and qualitative research methods

theory

set of interrelated concepts, assumptions, and propositions that explain phenomena or guide understanding in various disciplines

key components of a theory

assumptions, concepts, propositions

epistemology

examines how we know about that existence (knowledge)

theory paradigms

positivism
interpretivism
social constructionism

Interpretivism

micro-level analysis; emphasizes understanding individual perspective

feminist theory

critiques traditional family structures and roles, focusing on how power dynamics, gender inequality, and societal norms shape family relationships and individual experiences

first wave of feminism

focused on suffrage, education, domestic rights, and marriage/divorce rights

second wave of feminism

focused on broader societal equality for women, including workplace rights, reproductive rights, and personal autonomy

fourth wave of feminism

continued focus on issues of reproductive rights, equal pay, and sexual assault (growth of activism in digital spaces)

feminist theory critiques

more of an ideology
difficulty measuring intersectionality

social exchange theory

explains family & social relationships through an economic perspective, where individuals aim to maximize rewards and minimize costs

family ecological theory

focuses on the interdependence between families and their environments, analysing how nested systems interact to influence family development and well-being

family ecological theory assumptions

social and physical environment shapes behaviour
resources improve well-being
individuals shaped by both genetics and environment
interactions are place-based (spacial environments)

family ecological theory strengths

comprehensive perspective
nature + nature
practical application
child-focused

family ecological theory critiques

hard to test
family overlooked
limited focus on inequalities

critical race theory assumptions

race as a construct
systemic racism
rejects colourblindedness
intersectionality
counter-storytelling

critical race theory core concepts

race
power
racism
racialization
white supremacy

critical race theory strengths

race-power clarity
historical context
proactive anti-racism

critical race theory critiques

polarising
oversimplification
challenging reflexivity

conflict theory

focuses on power dynamics and inequalities within families and society, emphasising how these conflicts shape relationships and behaviours

types of capital

economic
cultural
social
symbolic

symbolic interactionist theory assumptions

meaning is subjective
actors perspective
primacy of social interaction
intersubjective meaning
self as a social product

symbolic interactionist theory strengths

influential framework
ongoing development
integration with other theories
supports qualitative methods

symbolic interactionist theory critiques

overestimates agency
lacks unity
downplays emotion

family developmental theory

examines how families progress through a series of predictable life stages, each with unique challenges and developmental tasks (emphasizes impact of time and transitions on family functioning and adaptation)

family developmental theory critiques

too static
more conceptually useful than empirically
ignores family problems

family systems theory

views families as interconnects systems where each member influences and is influenced by others

frameworks used in family stress & resiliency theory

ABCX model
double ABCX model

family stress and resiliency theory critiques

oversimplifies responses
balancing challenges
blurs stress distinctions

queer theory strengths

depathologizes queer identities
engages queer communities
encourages interdisciplinary innovation

collective conscious

(functionalist theory)
common sense of morality that all community members believed in and upheld

dynamic density

(functionalist theory)
number of people interacting in a given societal space

family with preschoolers

oldest child is between 2.5 and 6 years old

empty nest

departure of all children until parental retirement

life course theory assumptions

there are multiple time clocks

there are multiple social contexts

human beings create meaning within social contexts

family ecosystem

(family ecological theory)
interaction between families and their environment, part of the larger human ecosystem

nestedness

(family ecological theory)
concept of systems operating at multiple levels, from smallest to largest

white supremacy

(critical race theory)
cultural system privileging whiteness over racialised identities

heteronormativity

(queer theory)
the presumption of heterosexuality as normal, with binary gender roles as natural

economic capital

(conflict theory)
material resources (wealth, land, income, etc)

Karl Marx

considered to be the father of conflict theory: saw firsthand the effects the Industrial Revolution had on the workers

functionalist theory strengths

foundation for most theories
clear family roles
emphasizes how families are crucial in socialising children
adaptability

families part of a global system

institution of the family persists through major social changes

functionalist theory key contributors

Durkheim, murdock, parsons, merton

the life course theory emphasizes the importance of

transitions, timing, and intergenerational influences in understanding development over time

positivism

macro or micro-level analysis; emphasizes prediction & accuracy through data

family systems theory assumptions

wholism
contextuality
self-reflexivity
communication
mutual influence
circular causality

family systems theory strengths

comprehensive dynamics
communication focus
interaction improvement

social integration

(functionalist theory)
the degree to which people are tied to their social groups

cultural capital

(conflict theory)
non-material goods (education level, tastes and preferences, verbal skills)
can be converted into economic capital

life course theory critiques

too static
not as empirically useful
ignores family problems

life course theory key contributors

Duvall & Hill

assumptions

fundamental beliefs that form the foundation of the theory

concepts

abstract ideas or terms central to the theory

propositions

statements that describe relationships between concepts

ontology

studies what exists (nature of reality)

social constructionism

understanding how language and culture shape knowledge and reality

first wave of feminism key milestones

women's rights convention (1848)
19th amendment (1920) granting white women the right to vote

second wave of feminism influences

civil rights movement
vietnam antiwar protests
new left student activism

radical feminism

aimed to uncover the root causes of women's oppression

liberal feminism

advocated for equality with men, often reflecting middle-class women's concerns

third wave of feminism key theoretical modifications

postmodern feminism
queer theory
global feminisms
intersectionality

feminist theory strengths

critique of power dynamics
values women & minoritized voices
adaptability

social exchange theory concepts

rational choice
power
cost-benefit analysis

social exchange theory strengths

adaptability
highly testable
bridges gap between research and practice

critical race theory

examines race and systemic racism influence individual and family experiences

conflict theory assumptions

structured inequality, class conflict, social reproduction, industrialization's impact

conflict theory strengths

macro and micro utility
positive change potential
unveils hidden processes
practical applications

conflict theory critiques

ignores family strengths
overlooks intersectionality
class simplification

symbolic interactionist theory

emphasizes role of social interactions & symbols in shaping individual behaviours and self-concept

family developmental theory strengths

incorporation of multiple dimensions of time
framework for understanding family life cycle
applicable to family life education

family systems theory key concepts

subsystems
boundaries
feedback loops
equilibrium

family stress & resiliency theory

explores how families respond to stressors and crises, focusing on capacity for resilience and adaption

family stress & resiliency theory assumptions

universal experiences
perception impacts
cumulative stress

family stress and resiliency theory strengths

clear concepts
contextual focus
positive adaptability

queer theory

challenges heteronormativity and binary gender roles, emphasising diversity of family forms and identities

queer theory assumptions

intersectionality
anti-essentialism
de-naturalization of heterosexuality
heteronormativity
power and oppression

queer theory critiques

potential overlap with feminist theory
may overlook specific feminist concerns

functionalist theory assumptions

society is ordered/structured
people are socialised into this structure
structure consists of social institutions
family is a key social institution that plays important functions in a society

moral individualism

(functionalist theory)
life based on what is good for oneself (instead of what is good for the community)

beginning family

married couple establishes home without children

childbearing family

birth of first child until that child is around 2.5 years old

family with school children

oldest child is between 6 and 13 years old

family with teenagers

oldest child is between 13 and 20 years old

launching centre

when children start leaving home for independent life

aging family

from retirement until the death of the surviving partner

rational choice

(social exchange theory)
people make decisions to maximize benefits and minimize costs

cost-benefit analysis

(social exchange theory)
initial evaluation of relationship's values in terms of rewards and costs

comparison level (CL)

the minimum standard of what behavior is acceptable from a relationship partner

cisnormativity

(queer theory)
assumption that all individuals identify with gender assigned at birth

social capital

(conflict theory)
network of contacts (circulates within defined boundaries of social space)