Theories of the Family

This week in class, we discussed the different theories of the function of the family.  Which of these most applies to your family?

-Systems Theory: View as a whole. Each person influences each other. Your role in your family has an effect on your other siblings and even your parents and the function of your family. Everyone functions by rules as well. “Certain things aren’t talked about.”  Together the family is like a machine. When one piece moves, the other pieces move. However, the machine cannot function with a missing piece.  Feedback loops.

-Exchange Theory: Costs are lower than rewards. People are always weighing out what they get out of a relationship and they feel if they do not receive what they invest, they are likely to become overwhelmed and divorce. BALANCE

-Symbolic Interaction Theory: It has to do with what it means to you. What you value. People create meaning out of experiences.  The way you view behaviors.  Everything you do, means something different to someone else.

-Conflict Theory: Two cars colliding. There are only so many resources, those who have the ability will get the resources. This idea “somehow you have two people who are intelligent, they are going to have differences of opinion and they’re having to work it out. Sometimes they collide, but they find subtle ways to influence each other and make it work. Power maybe overt or subtle, but all couples/families find ways to resolve differences.

I found that my family is most likely to be in the Systems Theory.  We all work together as a team to make our family work.  However, there are certain parts of each theory in my family.  One just seems to be more predominant than others. Where do you fit?