FAS 370 1st Edition Lecture 6Outline of Last LectureI. Comparative ResearchA. Cross CulturalB. Cross SocietalC. Cross NationalOutline of Current LectureI. TheoriesA. Fact vs. TheoryB. Significance of TheoriesII. Systems TheoryA. DescriptionB. ConceptsC. CriticismsIII. Social Exchange TheoryA. DescriptionB. ConceptsC. PremisesIV. Symbolic Interaction TheoryA. DescriptionB. ConceptsV. Conflict TheoryA. DescriptionB. Elements of ConflictC. CriticismsVI. Feminist TheoriesA. DescriptionB. FactorsVII. ConclusionToday’s LectureI. TheoriesA. Fact vs. Theory- Fact: An observation based statement that many people would support and be in agreement with.- Theory: An attempt to arrange and explain facts. **Whenever you see the word BECAUSE, it is almost always a theory.B. Significance of Theories- They aid in making sense of facts- They direct research- They influence how you go about dealing with the fact- They allow you to think about things in a new light, but could also limit your perspective.II. Systems TheoryA. Description- The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.- The parts in a system are interrelated.- Parts have an influence on the whole, and the whole has an influence on its part. (Multidirectional influence)B. Basic Concepts- System- An ongoing process- Subsystem- A system inside of a system. Ex. The kids are a subsystem of the parents.- Boundaries- two systems unite (this can be emotional or physical).NOT STATIC. IT CAN CHANGE. ****This statement is true of all culture****- Interdependence: Each part affects the other- Equifinality: Different paths can lead to the same outcome- Equipotentiality: The same path can lead to different outcomes.The Family System focuses on what and How instead of Why.C. Criticisms- Vague- Difficult to agree upon - Difficult to assess- This theory is made up by assumptions- The theory looks at all the parts as equal when in reality some parts can have more power than others.III. Social Exchange TheoryA. Description- Interactions thrive off of the trading of different resources- Keys in on how people exchange one resource for another- We want more rewards from our interactions than costs.- Very rationalB. Concepts- Resource- Material (money) or Symbolic (gesture, expression)- Exchange- The process of giving and taking- Reward: Action that results in the getting of a resource- Cost: Action that results in the loss of a resource- Outcome- Rewards minus costs- Profit- Rewards exceed costs- Equity- balance of rewards and costs- Nonequity- Unbalanced rewards and costs; one person benefits more than the other or vice versa.C. PremisesIndividual Behavior- We seek to have the least amount of costs and the most rewards.- What we see as rewards and costs varies between individualsRelationship- Stability in a relationship is linked with equity*Women who are victims of violence are more likely to leave the relationship if they are employed, have personal, resources, new to the relationship, and less invested.III. Symbolic Interaction TheoryA. Description- Perception influences behavior based on how situations are seen and understood.B. Concepts- Definition of situation- varies from individual to individual- Role taking- Imagining the perspective of another person- Imaginative rehearsal- Imagining the perspective of another person to consider how they wouldrespond to something- Constructed reality- A person’s sense of reality, what they believe is true. *Nothing is inherently real, we assign meaning to things.- Self- Your perception of the person that you are which is influenced by other people and what they say that you are.IV. Conflict TheoryA. Description- Conflict is a normal part of everyday life.- Conflict has been around since the beginning of human interaction but not until recently did it show up in family studies in the late 60’s, early 70’s. This may be because conflict was thought of as irregular andwrong, so it was ignored.B. Elements of Conflict- Conflict is derived from two possibilities:1. Different people or groups want different things2. Different people or groups want the same thing that is scarce.- Conflict is normal; harmony is PROBLEMATIC*Research should examine how families deal with conflictC. Criticisms- Assumes that all the person in conflict is interested in is winning- Strives for social change- Most researchers believe this theory no longer has an impact on the field. It has “peaked and evolved.”V. Feminist TheoriesA. Description- Feminism is a framework for viewing culture but usually is referred to as a label-Feminist theories tend to be…- Women centered, including the viewpoints of women and how to raise the status of womenB. Seeks the answer to two questions1. Where are women?2. Why is their situation the way it is?- Feminist theories ask big, overarching questions.- Feminist theories are biased because they disregard the male perspective.- Feminist theories focus on white, middle-class women- Feminist theories have contributed significantly to research and public policy.VI. Conclusion- Theories can be used individually or in combination with other theories- No one theory totally explains family. All are useful when trying to understand