Lecture Three Theories of Family Interaction North Seattle Community College CMN 145

3 Different Views 1. Systems Perspective 2. Symbolic Interaction 3. Dialectic Theory

1. Systems Perspective  In a systems perspective of families, persons are considered as part of an overall context, not as individuals.  Communication is central to understanding a family as a system (relationships are established, maintained, and changed by communication)

1. Systems Perspective  Characteristics: 1. Interdependence 2. Wholeness (sum is greater than parts) 3. Patterns (communication patterns that make life predictable, i.e, rules) 4. Interactive Complexity

1. Systems Perspective  Characteristics: 1. Interactive Complexity (each act triggers new behavior as well as responds to previous behaviors – thus it is impossible to assign blame to one person) 2. Complex relationships – challenges hierarchical understanding

1. Systems Perspective  Characteristics: 1. Equifinality – “A particular final state may be accomplished in different ways and from different starting points” (Littlejohn, 2002). 2. Communication – family systems are constituted by the communication process

1. Systems Perspective  Limitations: 1. Gender Issues – systems theory has been criticized for ignoring the historical inequality between males and females in families. Certain feminist scholars argue that the patriarchal nature of family life goes unchallenged, and an assumed equality of marital power is misleading. (A systems theory assumes the victim shares equal responsibility for the abuse)

1. Systems Perspective  Limitations: 1. Individual Concerns – Systems theory tends to overlook the individual, or psychobiological issues (genetic components of disease). This resulted in inappropriate responsibility being assigned to family members for actions of individuals suffering from illnesses.

1. Systems Perspective  Limitations: 1. Contextual Issues – Cultural differences may not be recognized if patterns focused only on the nuclear family are examined.

2. Symbolic Interaction  Symbolic interaction is a meaning- centered theory which states that human beings act according to the meanings they attribute to their actions and context.  Meaning arises out of the process of interaction between people.  Meanings are handled through an interpretive process

3. Dialectic Theory  Relationships are shaped and maintained by the ways members manage contradictions and tensions both between family members and the family and the ecosystem (openness-closedness, predictability – novelty)

 Lecture material excerpted from Family Communication, Kathleen Galvin et al., Chapter 3.