Family Theories 1 General Family Systems Content Human interaction is viewed as a market place different markets for different relationships Principe of economic transaction are applied to interpersonal behavior Key Terms Reward interpersonal behavior we define as attractive will help the market value value to us the action becomes be Cost negative interpersonal behavior or features that reduce market Profit reward minus the cost if cost exceeds rewards you wouldn t do Comparison level Comparison level to alternatives Satiation more of a reward we have received the less valuable it 1 When the behavior is repeated the more costly its productions will 2 The more scarce something is the more valuable and rewarding Assumptions each unit is Humans are hedonistic and logical will always want to maximize rewards and minimize costs 1 All about us always want the best profit for ourselves all relationship dynamics are about people getting what they want Aspect s of others behaviors associated with reward punishment will acquire reward punishment value to us We select partners and behaviors that have given us favorable outcomes As the same behaviors are repeated over time the reward value of each Power and dependence whoever depends less on the other partner has in the past unit behavior decreases more power 1 A person will leave the relationship if it is not above the comparison level of alternatives of another relationship or situation 2 Relative dependence is the distance each partner is above the comparison of alternatives 3 The person who has better alternatives will have more power 2 Social Exchange Content Molecular analogy family systems consist of smaller interacting elements in a particular social historical context Rigid Boundary strict boundaries where only some have power Semi Permeable boundary more people can come in and out Loose Boundary no real boundaries Key Terms Characteristics of systems o Boundaries all families have boundaries o Organization defined roles when families aren t working well its because the roles are not being fulfilled correctly o Hierarchy power assigned to roles o Feed back loops used to obtain balance and change Transactions moment to moment interactions in families Assumptions Family systems are o Interdependent everyone affects everyone else o Each member influences others and vice versa Behavior is purposeful Systems adapt based on feedback from environment o Systems is always managing the balance of stability Molecular process of family transactions LGBT families Over 600 000 same sex partner households in more than 99 of the US counties Estimates of children being raised by gay lesbian partners range from 1 16 million census Undercount of same sex couples and families i Many same sex cohabiting couples did not reveal themselves on the ii Not all committed couples live together living apart together iii Measurement issues longevity of relationship difficult to assess due to lack of official beginning and end markers South has the highest of same sex couples raising children followed by Partnerships without children more evenly distributed across the country More likely than heterosexual married couples to live in ethnically diverse Midwest communities General Findings marriages i No difference in relationship satisfaction and the love in heterosexual ii Power balance on income as with heterosexual couples one who makes more money has more power iii Gay and lesbian couples use fewer controlling hostile and emotional conflict tactics and take negative comments less personally than heterosexual couples iv High rates of family choice v Longevity of relationship difficult to assess due to lack of official beginning and end markers Gay male couple research i Less is known about this group ii Less monogamous than heterosexuals or lesbians iii Conflict can be harder to repair than in other relationships iv Most frequent meeting place is a gay bar probably because it s a safe place Same sex couples with kids i At least 1 3 lesbian couples and 1 5 gay couples have children ii Gay lesbian unmarried parents 14 are twice as likely as heterosexual unmarried parents 20 to be in long term relationships 5 years 1 More marriage like unions maybe because they cannot marry in certain areas at this time iii Living in 96 of all counties in the US Family Patterns i Same sex couples 6 more likely to adopt children than married 5 or unmarried heterosexual couples 3 ii Same sex parents are more likely to be raising children with disabilities than married heterosexual parents 1 More flexible ideas of what you are willing to do when already in a marginal group Lesbian Parenting i Research on Lesbian mothers 1 Samples limited to white well educated participants ii Children of lesbian parents are similar to children of heterosexual parents behavior and educational performance iii Parenting in lesbian households most equitable mothers share responsibilities more equally Divorced Lesbians i Had more fear of losing their children than heterosexual mothers ii More child centered and flexible about rules than heterosexual mothers iii Were slightly more likely than heterosexual mothers to have fathers who maintained contact with the children iv More likely to live with romantic partner than heterosexual divorced mothers Lesbian Mothers by Choice partnered off i Probably had to go to sperm bank or get it from a friend may not be ii More equality in child care arrangements than heterosexual couples household work isn t gendered they have to have conscious discussions about how to divide it up iii Biological mothers did slightly more childcare in the first 12 months iv Non biological lesbian mothers reported the parenting role was more central to their identity than did heterosexual fathers v Biological lesbian mothers reported the parenting role as more central to their lives than did heterosexual mothers vi Make conscious effort to have consistent male figure on child s life When Same sex couples break up i Vermont civil union couples 1 had broken up after a year group of people who should have never gotten married many issues ii 4 year study of cohabiters 1 19 dissolution rate 2 Typically occurred after 6 11 years couples grow apart iii Longitudinal study of lesbian parents 1 31 separated by the time child was 5 2 Together for average of 8 years iv Lesbian and gay couples 10 year mark significant for relationship longevity together more than 10 years less likely to break up v