ipl-logo

Structural Functionalism, Family Systems Theory, And Ecology

922 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Family and Family Theory

The study of families has piqued the interest of social scientists and professionals, who have investigated families from various theoretical perspectives to gain a better understanding of their functioning, relationships, and dynamics. This paper will look at a family from four different theoretical perspectives: structural functionalism, family life course development, family systems theory, and family ecology. Each theory will be summarized and then applied to the family in this essay. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the various ways in which families can be viewed and analyzed, as well as to comprehend how various theories can provide unique insights into family life.
The chosen family consists of a mother, a father, and two children, …show more content…

This viewpoint emphasizes the importance of family stability and order, as well as how each member plays a distinct and important role. A structural functionalist would see the family as a functional unit, with each member responsible for specific tasks and roles. For example, the father is responsible for financial stability and the economic well-being of the family, whereas the mother's role is to maintain the home and provide emotional support to the family. Furthermore, the teenage daughter may be focused on academic achievement, peer socialization, and future career planning, whereas the young son may be focused on developing physical and social skills through activities such as soccer. Overall, structural functionalism suggests that each family member's role is critical in maintaining social stability and carrying out the functions of the …show more content…

This theory emphasizes understanding family relationships and dynamics. A professional with this viewpoint would see the family as a network of interconnected individuals, with each member influencing the others. For example, the father's successful business can have a significant impact on the family, as it can provide financial stability and security, allowing the family to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Furthermore, the father's job may require him to work long hours away from home, which can have an impact on family dynamics and relationships. The family's routines and schedules may have to be adjusted to accommodate the father's work commitments, which can cause stress and tension. On the other hand, the father's business success can benefit the family by raising their social status and reputation in the community. Overall, family systems theory emphasizes the significance of comprehending the complex interplay of individual family members as well as the impact of external factors, such as the father's business, on family dynamics and

Show More
Related
1154 Words | 5 Pages

Stone writes about three essential functions of family stories– to pass on the family’s standards, to identify family characteristics, and coping strategies. The first of the three functions is the standards of the family since the family act as the “first culture,” teaching people what their family values and their opinions on certain situations like marriage and illness, mental or physical (Stone 384). The second factor is the family’s characteristics and their traits that bind them together, which act as the family member’s confidence boost (384). Furthermore, this boost makes them value themselves more than the next family, so that the family members contently remain together (384). The third factor is influencing how families cope; these “teaching stories” tell each family how to function outside of the family (385).

Read More
678 Words | 3 Pages

The Calgary Family Assessment Model (CFAM) uses three major categories (structural, developmental, and functional) in order to assess a family and allow for a helpful resource to use within issue resolution (Wright & Leahey, 2013). Within each category there are multiple different subcategories. Structural assessments of a family may require an assessment of different aspects within the structure of the family such as internal, external, and context. The purpose of assessing the structure of the family is to understand who is in the family, what connections are present among the family members versus those that are outside of the family, and the context of the family. Developmental assessments can in tell the subcategories of stage, task, and attachment.

Read More
952 Words | 4 Pages

If the family members cannot think through their responses to relationship dilemmas, a state of chronic anxiety may be set in place. According to Brown (1999.), the primary goal of family systems therapy is to reduce constant tension by enabling knowledge and awareness of how the emotional system functions; and by improving levels of differentiation, where the aim is to make changes for the self rather than on trying to change others. As per Richardson, Gilleard, Lieberman, and Peeler (1994), The short-term goal is to foster better relationships between family members of the different generations by understanding the family system with its rules and balances of power and to mobilize the system by reconstruing these rules and having the family observe its own

Read More
1490 Words | 6 Pages

For family relationships, I will present how parent-child relationships and marital relationships are established by French parenting. Family System Theory Throughout

Read More
684 Words | 3 Pages

Family structure talks about family arrangement and composition which includes the roles and interactions (Edelman, 2014). According to Minuchin (2012), the family structural theory emphasis on the important of the family structure and its changes that occurs and how the individuals in the family relate collectively over time to put up and accept each other. Minuchin says further that a well-functioning family will choose how to solve and handle the family experience with a positive outcome. The goal of a structural family is to express the strengths in each other in critical moments, and helping each other through it. Developmental theory is the methods used as the viewpoint of family tasking and development through phases of life (Edelman, 2014).

Read More
386 Words | 2 Pages

Looking at society as a whole with individual units that work together to make society function efficiently is the structural functionalism concept. Each unit has a part and is describe as institutions such as family, religion, education, politics, economy and inequality. Because structural functionalism looks at social structure and patterns of behavior it is able to create values for society. As well as, distinguish between visible and suppressed problems within the social structures that may need to be addressed. For instance, homelessness is indication of dysfunction in structural functionalism system.

Read More
1589 Words | 7 Pages

The Family Systems Theory Family systems theory is a framework for understanding families and their strengths and dysfunctions. The strengths identified among family relations can be used to help solve existing problems. The same applies with problems identified. The family system theory is based on Bowen’s theory which argues that people cannot leave independent of each other’s network of relationships. People within a family are connected emotionally, which affects their overall well being and social relations and behaviour.

Read More
1568 Words | 7 Pages

This is seen when the understanding of femininity evolved from females being expected to stay at home and ensure the well-being of the family; to the present times, where women can be employed and contribute to the financial stability of the family (Langen, 2005). In this way social constructionism can be said to helpful in family therapy in that it recognises the different values and perceptions upheld in large cultural or ethnic groups, and how they help define a functional family relative to a specific time in history (Robideau, 2008). It also recognises that the meaning and interpretation of a reality is created and can be altered through conversation (Robideau,

Read More
2396 Words | 10 Pages

The theory looks at many aspects of the family such as atmosphere, constellation, and goals, plus, respect is given to both children and adults. In this system interventions are suggested for children and adults. The limitations of the Family Systems Theory are, too much is focused on homeostasis at the expense of change and patterns at the expense of unpredictability. Moreover, on the system at the expense of the individuals.

Read More
1039 Words | 5 Pages

One main point of the structural functionalism theory is that the erection of a family directly impacts their likelihood of living in poverty. According to Macionis et al stated that the structural-functionalist perspective, poverty, and economic inequality serve several positive functions for society (Macionis et al 2015). Davis and Moore (1945) argued that because the various occupational roles in society require various levels of ability, expertise, and knowledge, an unequal economic reward system helps to assure that the person who performs a role is the most qualified.

Read More
1356 Words | 6 Pages

The structural aspect of a family is that since laws and rights have come into fruition, it has led to an increase in couples having civil marriages and partnerships. Currently, the frequency of partners who are gay and lesbian has also increased and has therefore wilted of what was once recognised a ‘traditional family’. Parents who live on their own and taking full responsibility of their children has taken a gradual rise in and around the World, this has also the paved the way towards a lesser representation on how a traditional family would look like to a certain

Read More
1100 Words | 5 Pages

“The Changing American Family” by Natalie Angier states, “Fictive families are springing up among young people, old people, disabled people, homeless people, and may well define one of the ultimate evolutions of the family concept, maximizing, as they do, the opportunities for fulfillment of specific social and economic needs outside the constraints of biological relatedness.” The ever changing social dynamics and circumstances of this life have opened the definition of family to encompass individuals who can fill those deep-seated needs

Read More
1672 Words | 7 Pages

The family can be defined as ‘any combination of two or more persons who are bound together by ties of mutual consent, birth and/or adoption and who, together, accept responsibility for the care and maintenance of group members through procreation or adoption, the socialisation of children and social control of members’ (UN, cited in McDonald 2003:80). However, the ‘family’ is

Read More
742 Words | 3 Pages

Marriage and Family Functionalist perspective Family is a type of social institution concerned with the support, care, protection, and socialization of the children. The functionalist perspective on family focuses on the functions of the family, the functions being the socialization of children, providing love and companionship, regulation of sexual behaviour, and the occupation of various economic roles. Functionalists also look at how a family relates to the rest of society and how it helps maintain it. According to the functionalist view, the economic functions of a family include production and consumption, and the inheritance of wealth and other material assets from one generation to the other.

Read More
1429 Words | 6 Pages

Families can be regarded as the foundation of society. For Fleetwood (2012: 1), the importance of families is highlighted by the fact that it would be difficult to comprehend a society that could function without them. In addition, even though families and their compositions vary across societies and cultures, the family can be viewed as a universal social institution (Macionis & Plummer, 2012: 625. Specifically, according to Macionis and Plummer (2012: 625) and Neale (2000:1), it has the ability to unite individuals into cooperative groups via social bonds (kinship) and is ultimately experienced differently from individual to individual. However, the family can be a source of conflict, tension and inequality, which is why one of the key practices

Read More

More about Structural Functionalism, Family Systems Theory, And Ecology

Related Topics

Open Document