Lecture 5: Family relationships Flashcards
(41 cards)
What is the family systems approach?
Approach to understanding family functioning that emphasizes how each relationship within the family influences the family as a whole. Family comprised of network of subsystems, Subsystems can include: all dyads, all combinations of 3+ family member. Subsystems influence each other
what is disequilibrium?
Family composition and dynamics can change over time
(Change in any member or subsystem creates disequilibrium + Require adjustments to restore equilibrium). Puberty as common source of change. Parent-adolescent interactions more variable, less predictable
What is the role of parents in childhood?
Food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, warmth, safety
What rapid changes take place regarding parents role when children reach adolescence?
Basic needs still essential but also new challenges and priorities. Social interests extend beyond family unit (e.g., friends, romantic partners). Adolescents expect more autonomy, trust, influence. Can differ from parents expectations. Conflict increase
Parent-adolescent conflict
Conflict peaks in early adolescence, Particularly between mothers and daughters and Declines in late adolescence. But adolescents and parents agree on most important aspects of life (E.g., love and respect for each other). Arguments are generally (but not always) over minor issues (E.g., clothing, curfews, music, neatness, time management)
What are some sources of conflict?
Specific incidences (e.g., family structure dispositions) General influences: Changing roles and lines of authority, (Parents seem less physically imposing as adolescent grows, Increased cognitive abilities (better at arguing), Adolescent desire to have more say in decision making), Sexual issues arise, Differences in defining autonomy Differences in perceived goals and priorities
What are the parental goals for children?
1) Ensure survival to adulthood
2) Give skills and attitudes to support themselves in adulthood
3) Encourage social values
Functions as a hierarchy Being able to make a living trumps concerns about self-expression and Survival trumps economic concerns
What are the 2 dimensions of baumrind’s parenting styles?
Demandingness: degree to which parents set down rules and expectations for
behavior and require their children to comply with them Responsiveness: degree to which parents are sensitive to their children’s
needs and express love, warmth, and concern for them
What are the 4 types of parenting styles?
Authoritative (high demanding high responsiveness), permissive (responsive but undemanding), authoritarian (high demand and low responsiveness), disengaged (relatively uninvolved)
Which parenting style is associated with the most favourable outcomes?
Authoritative associated with most favourable outcomes-Balance (autonomy-responsibility, demanding-responsive)
Do parents always fit into one type of parenting style?
Parents don’t always fit exactly into one type: Differential parenting for siblings (Nonshared environmental influences among siblings), Parenting styles can change over time, Parent and adolescents differ in reports of parenting behaviour (greater difference associated with poorer adolescent functioning)
What is inconsistency between separate parents parenting style associated with?
Low self esteem and school performance
What are feedback loops?
Reciprocal (or bidirectional) effects, Adolescents may evoke certain behaviours from their parents
What is a positive feedback loop?
a system in which an increase or decrease in one factor leads to a change in the same direction in the other factor (Changes system)
What is a negative feedback loop?
a system in which an increase or decrease in one factor leads to a change in the opposite direction in the other factor (Keeps system stable)
How does parenting style differ in terms of cultural?
Desired warmth & control varies by culture
Western culture:Authoritative style more common/preferred
Non western cultures: Traditional parenting style: High in responsiveness and high in a kind of demandingness. Does not quite fit into parenting style terminology used in western cultures. Closer to authoritative
How might siblings (or the absence of them) impact the family dynamic?
Availability of resources (Financial, Parent attention/time)
Opportunity for conflict
Opportunity for learning through social interactions
Identity development
Privacy/time alone
Learning opportunities (modeling/ teaching)
What are some sibling relationship patterns?
Caregiver: one sibling serves parental functions for other
Buddy: treat each other as friends
Critical: high conflict and teasing
Rival: compete against each other, measure success against one another
Casual: not emotionally intense, little interaction
Siblings and conflict
Adolescents tend to have more conflict with siblings than anyone else. However, many have buddy relationships with siblings and feel close to them, But still rate closeness with siblings as lower than with friends and parents
What is sibling conflict like in emerging adulthood??
Decline in sibling conflict. Relationships become calmer, more distant during teen years, Fewer negative and positive interactions. Siblings who are close as children remain fairly close as adolescents
Siblings who fought a lot as children continue to fight
What is the birth order theory?
Order a child is born in his/her family. Proposed by Alfred Adler: birth order influences personality. First child is ‘dethroned’ with arrival of second child – experience loss. Last or only child are pampered and spoiled. Middle child can feel ignored/overlooked – middle child syndrome
Birth order: fact or fiction?
Sample of 20,000+ participants from US, Germany, Great Britain, Compared birth order effects within and between families, Controlled for sibship size. Did find that first borns scored higher on intelligence tests. No birth order effects on big five personality
Why didnt they find birth order theory to be true?
Confounding factors: Genetic effects (e.g., temperament), Individual/ non-shared experiences, Parenting, Gender effects, Family size, Family resources, Age spacing
So is birth order meaningless?
Not entirely, Siblings (& birth order) may have impact on other aspects of adolescent development. Risky behavior more common among middle & last borns. Educational attainment lower among later born. Identity formation more advanced among earlier borns
