Adaptation
Ecological theory, the processes of responding to the imposed by the
physical, social, cultural, and economic environs within which we
live.
Agrarian
Societies that developed and used sophisticated tools for agricultural
production
-Women had a lot of power
-Land was passed through the family to eldest son
Agency
Your goals/decisions
Ambiguous loss
When someone does not seem to be all there emotionally anymore.
A situation of uncertainty and unclear loss, resulting from confusion
about a family's boundaries and from not knowing who's in or out of
a particular family.
Anonymity
A state or condition requiring that no one, including the researcher
and connect particular responses to the individuals who provided
them.
Applied research
The focus of such research is more practical than theoretical. It tends
to be less concerned with formulating theories, generating concepts,
or testing hypotheses. Data is gathered in an effort to solve problems,
evaluate policies or programs, or estimate the outcome of some
proposed future change in policy.
Are sex and gender the same thing?
No.
Bias
Strong opinion that may create barriers to hearing anything
contrary to our opinion
Case study
A detailed, in-depth examination of a single unit.
Sociologists who study a particular category of people or a particular
situation. is a detailed in depth examination of a single unit. use newly
collected preexisting data like from interviews participant observation.
or existing records for in depth examination of a particular individual
group or organization. Used in research involved with issues in
marriages and families. Can provide a holistic understanding of
behaviors within a single setting.
Cenogamy
,Also know as group marriage; in which all the women and men in a
group are simultaneously married to one another.
,Clinical research
Involves in-depth examination of persons or small groups who go to
psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers with psychological or
relationship problems.
Clinical studies have been...
Beneficial in developing insights into family process
Colonial America: European colonists
1. Economic production – fur trading
2. Courtships and partnering – bundling: sleeping w/ a board in-
between you and your partner
3. Household structure – nuclear: mother–father–children
4. Relationships between husband and wife – men had more power
over the woman
5. Parenting – strict and emotionally distant
Common stereotypes related to marriages and families:
Nuclear families are best stepfamilies are unhappy lesbians and gay
men cannot be good parents women are instinctively nurturing
people who divorce are selfish
Compassionate families
Built upon mutual affection, sexual attraction, compatibility,
and person happiness
Concepts
Abstract ideas we use to represent the reality in which we are
interested.
Conceptualization
The specification and definition of concepts used by the researcher
Confidentiality
Does not reveal identities of participants
Conflict Theory
1. Macro level
2. Emphasizes issues surrounding social inequality, power, conflict,
and social change.
Holds that life involves discord and competition sources in families,
marriages and families composed of different individuals with
different ideas
Sources of Power
1. Money
2. Legitimacy
3. Physical coercion
4. Love
Everyone in the family has power- society is divided rather than
cooperative.
, Focuses on social structures and institutions in society. It’s natural and
inevitable in all human interaction, including family systems.
Conservative
Cultural moral weakening-->Family breakdown, divorce, family
decline-->Father absence, school failure, crime/drugs
Correlational studies
From clinical studies, surveys, and observational research; measure
two or more naturally occurring variables to determine their
relationship to each other but CAN’T tell us which variable causes
another.
Critique of conflict theory
Derives from politics and economics in which self-interest,
egotism, and competition are dominant.
Doesn’t often talk about power of love or bonding, yet love
and bonding distinguishes family from all other groups.
Assume differences lead to conflict differences can be tolerated,
accepted, or appreciated
Critique of family development theory
It assumes the sequential processes of intact, nuclear families. It
further assumes that all families go through the same process of
change across the same stages.
Critique of family ecology theory
Not always clear which system best accounts for the behavior we
attempt to explain or how the different systems influence each
other has been more effectively applied to individual or familial
development and growth the theory may not apply well to a range
of diverse, especially nontraditional families.
Critiques of family systems theory
Researchers can't agree on exactly what family systems theory is.
Many of the basic concepts are still in dispute. Sometimes accused of
being so abstract that it loses any real meaning.
Critiques of feminist perspective
Not a unified theory-it's a perspective. Some scholars who
conceptualize family life and work as a "calling" has taken issue with
feminists focus on power and economics.
Critiques of social exchange theory
Assumes that we are all rational, calculating individuals, weighing the
costs and rewards of our relationships and making cost-benefits
comparisons of all alternatives. Difficulty asserting the value of costs,
rewards, and resources as such values may vary considerably.
Ecological theory, the processes of responding to the imposed by the
physical, social, cultural, and economic environs within which we
live.
Agrarian
Societies that developed and used sophisticated tools for agricultural
production
-Women had a lot of power
-Land was passed through the family to eldest son
Agency
Your goals/decisions
Ambiguous loss
When someone does not seem to be all there emotionally anymore.
A situation of uncertainty and unclear loss, resulting from confusion
about a family's boundaries and from not knowing who's in or out of
a particular family.
Anonymity
A state or condition requiring that no one, including the researcher
and connect particular responses to the individuals who provided
them.
Applied research
The focus of such research is more practical than theoretical. It tends
to be less concerned with formulating theories, generating concepts,
or testing hypotheses. Data is gathered in an effort to solve problems,
evaluate policies or programs, or estimate the outcome of some
proposed future change in policy.
Are sex and gender the same thing?
No.
Bias
Strong opinion that may create barriers to hearing anything
contrary to our opinion
Case study
A detailed, in-depth examination of a single unit.
Sociologists who study a particular category of people or a particular
situation. is a detailed in depth examination of a single unit. use newly
collected preexisting data like from interviews participant observation.
or existing records for in depth examination of a particular individual
group or organization. Used in research involved with issues in
marriages and families. Can provide a holistic understanding of
behaviors within a single setting.
Cenogamy
,Also know as group marriage; in which all the women and men in a
group are simultaneously married to one another.
,Clinical research
Involves in-depth examination of persons or small groups who go to
psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers with psychological or
relationship problems.
Clinical studies have been...
Beneficial in developing insights into family process
Colonial America: European colonists
1. Economic production – fur trading
2. Courtships and partnering – bundling: sleeping w/ a board in-
between you and your partner
3. Household structure – nuclear: mother–father–children
4. Relationships between husband and wife – men had more power
over the woman
5. Parenting – strict and emotionally distant
Common stereotypes related to marriages and families:
Nuclear families are best stepfamilies are unhappy lesbians and gay
men cannot be good parents women are instinctively nurturing
people who divorce are selfish
Compassionate families
Built upon mutual affection, sexual attraction, compatibility,
and person happiness
Concepts
Abstract ideas we use to represent the reality in which we are
interested.
Conceptualization
The specification and definition of concepts used by the researcher
Confidentiality
Does not reveal identities of participants
Conflict Theory
1. Macro level
2. Emphasizes issues surrounding social inequality, power, conflict,
and social change.
Holds that life involves discord and competition sources in families,
marriages and families composed of different individuals with
different ideas
Sources of Power
1. Money
2. Legitimacy
3. Physical coercion
4. Love
Everyone in the family has power- society is divided rather than
cooperative.
, Focuses on social structures and institutions in society. It’s natural and
inevitable in all human interaction, including family systems.
Conservative
Cultural moral weakening-->Family breakdown, divorce, family
decline-->Father absence, school failure, crime/drugs
Correlational studies
From clinical studies, surveys, and observational research; measure
two or more naturally occurring variables to determine their
relationship to each other but CAN’T tell us which variable causes
another.
Critique of conflict theory
Derives from politics and economics in which self-interest,
egotism, and competition are dominant.
Doesn’t often talk about power of love or bonding, yet love
and bonding distinguishes family from all other groups.
Assume differences lead to conflict differences can be tolerated,
accepted, or appreciated
Critique of family development theory
It assumes the sequential processes of intact, nuclear families. It
further assumes that all families go through the same process of
change across the same stages.
Critique of family ecology theory
Not always clear which system best accounts for the behavior we
attempt to explain or how the different systems influence each
other has been more effectively applied to individual or familial
development and growth the theory may not apply well to a range
of diverse, especially nontraditional families.
Critiques of family systems theory
Researchers can't agree on exactly what family systems theory is.
Many of the basic concepts are still in dispute. Sometimes accused of
being so abstract that it loses any real meaning.
Critiques of feminist perspective
Not a unified theory-it's a perspective. Some scholars who
conceptualize family life and work as a "calling" has taken issue with
feminists focus on power and economics.
Critiques of social exchange theory
Assumes that we are all rational, calculating individuals, weighing the
costs and rewards of our relationships and making cost-benefits
comparisons of all alternatives. Difficulty asserting the value of costs,
rewards, and resources as such values may vary considerably.
