Chapter 1 introduction to the family

1. Introduction to
the Family
HDFS 444: Spring, 2011

2. What is Family?
Our text defines family as
“networks of people who share their lives over
long periods of time bound by ties of marriage,
blood, law, or commitment, legal or otherwise, who
consider themselves as family and who share a
significant history and anticipated future of
functioning in a family relationship.”

3. How Do You Define Family?

4. Common Definitions
A fundamental social group in society typically
consisting of one or two parents and their
children.
Two or more people who share goals and
values, have long-term commitments to one
another, and reside usually in the same
dwelling place.
All the members of a household under one
roof.
A group of persons sharing common ancestry.

5. Other Definitions of Family
Wamboldt and Reiss (1989) developed
a process definition of family as “a
group of intimates who generate a
sense of home and group identity;
complete with strong ties of loyalty and
emotion, and experience history and
future.”

6. Other Definitions of Family
In her essay on redefining families,
Martha Minow (1998) argues that it is not
important whether a group fits a formal
legal definition; instead what is important is
“whether the group of people function as a
family: do they share affection and
resources, think of one another as family
members, and present themselves as
such to neighbors and others?”

7. The “Whole” Picture
In this course we
will be examining
aspects of family
and relationships
from an
ecosystems
perspective.

8. What’s an Ecosystem?
American Heritage Dictionary:
Ecosystem: a collection of living things
and the environment in which they live.

10. Family & Ecosystems
The concept of family can't be
explained by a single definition
or idea - but rather by a
complex system.

11. So - why is theory important?
Theories of human
interaction should
provide a way of making
sense of events that
have happened in the
past, and then allow us
to make predictions
about what may happen
in the future.

12. Human Ecological Theory
Bubolz & Sontag (1993)
“A human ecosystem includes human
beings existing in interaction with the
total environment.”
–(Bubolz, Eichler & Sontag, 1979))
Biological, social, and physical aspects
of the organism are considered within
the context of their environments.

13. Human Ecological Theory
Natural Physical-Biological Environment

14. The Family as a System
The family is seen as a system, with
boundaries between it and other
systems, such as the community, and
the economic system.
–Inputs
–Throughputs
–Outputs

15. The Family as a System
Families are semi-open, goal directed,
dynamic, adaptive systems. They can
respond, change, develop, act on and
modify their environment. Adaptation is a
continuing process in family ecosystems.
The family interacts with more than one
environment since it comes in contact and
resides in multiple environments.

16. Important to Remember….
The environment is actually a network
of social institutions and events.
–Important to recognize the “chains” of
relationships that bind everyone together.
–Reveals connections that might otherwise
go unnoticed.
We will explore this concept more as
the semester progresses.

17. Family Types
Two-parent biological family
–Parents and their
biological children
–Defining factors: blood ties
and marriage
This “Leave It to Beaver”
family is no longer the norm.
–Only 12% of families fit this
stereotype.

18. Family Types
Single-parent family
–One parent and one or more children
–No involvement of other parent
•Death, abandonment, single-parent adoption
Primary parent family
–More than one parent takes responsibility
for child(ren),although usually unequal.

19. Family Types
Blended family
–Stepfamily
–Adoptive family
Extended family
Intentional (or voluntaristic) family
Committed partners

20. Changing Demographics
Americans continue to marry.
–52% of households are
married couples
–Median age: 25 years

21. Changing Demographics
Divorce rate is stabilizing
–43% of first marriages end within15 years.
Remarriage rates are dropping
– 5 out of 6 men and 3 out of 4 women
eventually remarry after a first divorce.
–The mean length of time between divorce
and remarriage is four years.

22. Changing Demographics
·Stepfamilies continue to increase
through remarriage and cohabitation.
·One out of every three Americans is
now a step parent, a stepchild, a step
sibling, or some other member of a
step family.

23. Changing Demographics
The number of single-parent families
continues to increase.
Families continue to be constructed
–through adoption.
–scientific technologies

24. Changing Demographics
More adult children are living at home.
–1 in 5 men and 1 in 8 women in their late
20s live at home
–Will you? Why or why not?
The number of cohabitating partners is
rising.

25. Changing Demographics
Families of lesbians and gay males
are increasing.
Extended families continue to flourish.
Families increasingly represent four or
five generations.
–Why? Life expectancy is greater.

26. Economic Issues
Two income couples are becoming
the norm.
–Yet 70% of all parents do not feel they
spend enough time with their children
(Families and Work Institute, 1998).
Over 70% of single mothers are
working.

27. Economic Issues
Children have replaced seniors as the
poorest segment of the population.
1/3 of the homeless are families w/children.
–Although a large number of poor families
contain two parents, the female single
parent is 5X more likely to live in poverty
than two-parent family
(Coontz and Folbre, 2002).

28. Ethnic Issues
Ethnic heritage has a long term effect
on family functioning
Unequal impact of poverty across racial
and ethnic groups
Ethnic composition of U.S. families is
changing.

29. Remember…..
Everyone comes to this course with
some understanding (and opinions) of
how families function and interact.
However, no two people have the same
familial experiences!
Each person has something to offer
AND something to learn.