HD 204 1st Edition Lecture 4Outline of Last Lecture I. Family ImagesII. Family ThemesIII. BoundariesIV. Biosocial issuesV. Intergenerational influencesVI. GenogramsOutline of Current Lecture I. Theories of Family CommunicationII. Social ConstructionismIII. Symbolic interactionIV. RolesV. Relational DialecticsVI. Narrative TheoryVII. Family Systems TheoryVIII. Patterns/ Self regulationIX. Interactive complexity/ PunctuationX. OpennessXI. Complex relationshipsThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.XII. EquifinalityXIII. Limitations of Systems theoryCurrent LectureI. Theories of Family Communicationa. Theories of Family communication- Theories consist of a basic set of assumptions about how families function- They help explain how and why families function as they do- They help us predict when something may or may not happen (e.g. When couples might divorce)- Can help inform practice to control problems or situations in familiesII. Social Constructionisma. People actively construct a model of the world through their conversations/ interactionsb. Families are social systems created by their communicationIII. Symbolic interactiona. Interaction fosters development of self and group identityb. Behavior is based on meanings attributed to actionsc. Meanings are influenced by social and cultural contextIV. Rolesa. Shared norms about social positions:- Tell us what behavior is expected of us- Tell us what behavior we can expect from othersV. Relational Dialecticsa. Focuses on how people manage contradictions in relationships- Autonomy- connection- Autonomy meaning independence- Oppenness- closedness- Predictability- noveltyb. How do families deal with these tensions?- Selection- Segmentation- Neutralizing- Cyclic Alteration- ReframingVI. Narrative Theorya. We make sense of our worlds through story telling- Subjective process- Allows us to discover and create who we areb. Types of narratives- Recounting- AccountingVII. Family Systems Theorya. Systems characteristics- Interdependence - Changes reverberate- Wholeness- The whole is greater than the sum of its parts- Emergent propertiesVIII. Patterns/ Self regulationa. The system maintains constancy within an acceptable range of behaviorsb. Patterns of interaction, repetition and reciprocity become established in the system to keep it functioningc. Calibration  how the systems remain stabled. Regulate interaction patterns through feedback- Interactions maintain the standard and limit change- Maintenance feedback- Change- promoting feedback- Promotes change in system and creates new standards or rulesIX. Interactive complexity/ Punctuationa. Communication is circularb. ***Punctuation- Tries to place blame or trying to point out where everything startedX. Opennessa. Depends on family’s external boundariesb. Technology has made these boundaries more difficult to regulateXI. Complex relationshipsa. Subsystems- Relationships between 2-3 persons in a family- Can be defined by generation, gender, interest- Membership fluctuatesb. Coalition: when a subsystem aligns against othersc. Often in the form of triangles- Child as scapegoat- Cross-generationalXII. Equifinalitya. There are many ways to arrive at the same outcomeb. Families meet goals, share meanings in different waysc. Understanding “cause” is less valuable than understanding processXIII. Limitations of Systems theorya. Has not adequately dealt with issues of:- Gender/ power differentials- Biological predispositions for problems (e.g., alcoholism, mental illness) that affect family communication- Cultural differences in family boundaries and communication