Theoretical Frameworks The Study of Individuals, Families and Society

We use a variety of theoretical perspectives from the social science disciplines to study the lives of individuals and their families. → Disciplines are branches of learning Anthropology Sociology Psychology

ANTHROPOLOGY The study of human behaviour in societies thus, it is the study of culture (belief, habits, institutions, norms, etc) Study culture in various ways – ex. Cultural anthropologists live within a society to observe behaviour in its natural setting Studies are necessary to overcome ethnocentrism (the tendency to evaluate behaviour from the point of view of your own culture)

SOCIOLOGY Science that explains the behaviour of individuals in social groups, families and society. More concerned with the patterns of behaviour observed in large groups rather than individual behaviour Sociologists investigate social facts, the social sources of behaviour that are used to explain rates of behaviour. EX. Marketing industry has used sociological studies of adolescent behaviour and attitudes, to plan effective sales strategies targeting adolescent consumers.

PSYCHOLOGY The study of behaviour based on mental processes – how the individual thinks. Psychologist Solomon Asch studied the influence of opinions and social pressure on individuals and concluded that conformity is a major factor in human behaviour that can cause people to doubt their own thinking.

Theoretical Perspective identifies a point of view based on a specific theory. A theory is a framework for organizing and explaining observable evidence. Without facts, a theory is just a speculation or a guess and information that has been gathered by observation, experiment, or survey lacks meaning without theory to organize it. Thus, an understanding of individuals and families requires that factual evidence be organized from a specific theoretical perspective.

Theoretical Frameworks Theories from many disciplines can be used in the study of individuals and families. Social scientists ask four fundamental questions: What happens? How does it happen? Why does it happen? How can people change what happens?

Theoretical Frameworks The discipline and the theoretical perspective also determine whether the research will be: MACRO (large scale) study of society. Explains human behaviour by focusing on how societal structures, such as the law or educational systems, influence people’s lives. MICRO (small scale) study of individual cases. Explains human behaviour by focusing on interpersonal relations and individuals rather than on the structures of society.

Theoretical Frameworks Hypothetical scenario: A student notices that a number of his friends have parents who are divorced. He begins asking himself why some people get divorced. He speculates that perhaps the parents were too young when they got married, or that one of the spouses was unfaithful.

Theoretical Frameworks This student is attempting to do what scientists do: to explain facts or observations by treating these facts or observations as examples of general principles For example, people who marry when they are very young are more likely to become divorced.

Theoretical Frameworks Try and identify patterns that you have observed in families and attempt to find explanations for these patterns. When studying the family, it is impossible to generate every single idea, and therefore, the focus is on clusters of ideas, or frameworks.

Theoretical Frameworks Based on Various Assumptions Family Life Cycle (Developmental Theories) Systems Theory Structural Functionalism Social Exchange Theory Conflict Theory Symbolic Interactionism Feminist Theory