1. Theories for Studying Family Violence
Chapter Three
Theories for Studying Family Violence

2. Grand Theories Conflict Theory Structural-Functionalist Theory
Symbolic Interaction Theory

3. Conflict Theory Founder: Karl Marx (1818-1883) Key concepts:
Inequality is relational
Inequality is based on the relationship one has to the means of production
2 classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat

4. Structural-Functionalist Theory
Founders:
Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton
Key Concepts:
Societies are like organisms
Societies keep patterns that are functional
Social change comes only out of disfunction

5. Symbolic Interaction Theory
Founders: George Herbert Mead, Charles Horton Cooley
Key Concepts:
Everything is socially constructed
Meaning is made only in relationship
Beliefs, including stereotypes, shape attitudes and behaviors

6. Theories of the Middle Range
Feminist Theory
Race, Class, and Gender Theory

7. Feminist Theory
Cynthia Fuchs-Epstein says “The divide of biological sex constitutes a marker around which all major institutions of society are organized.  All societal institutions assign roles based on the biological sex of their members. The divisions of labor in the family, local and global labor forces, political entities, most religious systems, and nation-states are all organized according to the sexual divide” (2007, 4).

8. Race, Class, and Gender Theory

9. Theories that attempt to explain a single Phenomenon
Criminology Theories
Social Control Theory
Differential Association Theory

10. Criminology Theories Strain theory Robert K. Merton
Stress and alienation lead to strain
Individuals respond to strain often in deviant ways
Which one are you?

11. Social Control Theory
Travis Hirschi
Key Concepts:
Social Bonds function to keep people feeling connected and not engaging in deviance.
A lack of social bonds will lead to deviant behavior
“In terms of family violence, social control theorists ask what controls individuals from acting on the obvious motivations to engage in violence (Payne & Gainey 62).

12. Differential Association Theory
Edwin Sutherland
Key Concepts:
Deviance is learned through socialization
The more one is exposed to deviance the more likely one is to adopt deviant patterns of behavior

13. Theories Specific to Family Violence
Family Violence Theory
Intimate Terrorism Versus Situational Couple Violence
Psychological Theories

14. Family Violence Theory
Notable scholars: Straus and Gelles
People hit because they can
People with more power abuse those with less power

15. Intimate Terrorism Versus Situational Couple Violence
mutual combat
intimate terrorism
situation couple violence

16. Psychological Theories
Assume that deviance develops in people with (1) psychological problems, (2) mental illness or (3) mental health issues like alcoholism
Milgram demonstrated that the average person is susceptible to harming others
Watch the Milgram Experiments:

17. Theories of Elder Abuse and Child Abuse
Situational Theory
Exchange Theory
Social Learning Theory

18. Situational Theory: Elder Abuse and Child Abuse
A quick reference:

19. Exchange Theory
Incorporated into some aspects of family violence theory
Assumes that all relationships are based on rules of exchange
Violence can emerge when the person in power believes they are giving too much or not getting what they deserve (child abuse and elder abuse)

20. Social Learning Theory
Assumes that all behavior is learned
Socialization occurs in social institutions: families, churches, teams, schools
Children learn to be partners and parents from their own parents
Abusers can be resocialized!