Summary: These notes and flashcards review theories and their relation to family life. These theories appear throughout Unit 1 of Families In Canada. The theories that we will be reviewing are conflict theory, ecological systems, social exchange theory, feminist theory, functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and life course theory.

Conflict:

Major principles: Opposition, power, and conflict within the family and society are needed for society to develop and change

Relation to family life: Emphasizes the competing interests of familial roles including the male dominating the family and providing stability to society

Keywords: Society, Conflict, Interests, and Power

Ecological systems:

Major principles: Individuals are part of a group of concentric systems that impact their development and growth.

Relation to family life: Children are influenced by the people and environments in which they spend the most time,, as well as the greater social events, trends, and values.

Keywords: Micro, Meso, Exo, Macro, and Chronosystems.

Social exchange:

Major principles: Individuals have different strengths, resources, and weaknesses and enter into relationships via the evaluation of benefits and costs.

Relation to family life: Emphasizes the motivation for familial relationships: that each person is giving and gaining within the family.

Keywords: Costs, Benefits, Resources, and Personal Gain

Feminist theory:

Major principles: Society is structured in a way that privileges men over women; the theory works to understand and transform inequalities.

Relation to family life: This theory emphasizes the way that gender roles are constructed within the family including the socialization of children.

Keywords: Gender, Inequalities, Patriarchy, and Gender roles

Functionalism:

Major principles: Social institutions function together in order to meet individual and group needs.

Relation to family life: The family can be seen as an institution (e.g. breadwinner-homemaker family) that contributes to a harmonious society

Keywords: Social Institutions, Function, Needs, and Individual

Life course theory:

Major principles: Significant social and historical events shape the trajectories of birth cohorts and the individuals in them.

Relation to family life: Family life is impacted by large national and international events:  wars, natural disasters, pandemics, and economic depressions.  In particular, children and adolescents in a given cohort will be impacted by these events over time.

Keywords: Family, Cohort, Relation, and Events

Symbolic interactionism:

Major principles: This theory focuses on the changing nature of symbols and the ways we interact with one another based on those symbols. Humans see themselves through the eyes of others and this affects the roles they play.

Relation to family life: Changing roles and symbols affect the ways family members interact with each other and with society. Societal expectations and social constructions of fathering and mothering roles have changed over time and this interacts with the way fathers and mothers actually behave.

Keywords: Expectations, Symbols, Interaction, and Perception