Family has a different meaning for each individual and no two families are exactly alike. My family of origin consisted of my father, mother, and two younger sisters. We are an ever changing support system, with daily interaction. Our family system was defined by the intersecting components and the controls that keep our system stable. To understand the various components of family systems, one must first understand the dynamics of the general systems theory when applied to individuals and families. Components of Systems Theory General systems theory is defined as “a conceptual orientation that attempts to emphasize holistically the behavior of people and societies by identifying the interacting components of the system and the controls …show more content…
The rules are generally set into place over time and include what is expected of each member, what is allowed and not allowed, both in family dynamics and the acceptable behavior towards one another. The role of the family member has specific expectations and the roles may depend on the dynamics of the family at any given time. In my family, the roles were similar to the stereotypical family. My father was the breadwinner and the primary rule setter. These family rules, or values, were passed down from his family experiences and included respecting your elders, doing as you’re told, spending quality time with your family especially at the dinner table, and helping out with the household chores, without complaints. My mother was a working woman, but she was also expected to be a primary caregiver. After work she cooked dinner for the family, cleaned the house, and helped my sisters and me with our homework. She didn’t have a voice in the decision-making and unfortunately had to fall second to my father, rather than parent as equals. My sisters and I had the roles of children, but not without expectations. We were expected to excel in school, participate in extra-curricular activities, all while upholding the family name, meaning we could not engage in behaviors that made our family look bad in the eyes of others. As the oldest child, my roles changed over time, …show more content…
“A family must maintain enough regularity and balance to maintain adaptability and preserve a sense of order and sameness. At the same time, it must subtly promote change and growth within members and the system as a whole” (Andreae, 2011). Each member of the family needs the ability to grow within their own role, while the family grows as a whole and yet is able to maintain stability. The major change in my family’s dynamic was when my baby sister was born. This was a major change, as she was born 13 years after me and 9 years after my other sister. We were older and not expecting any additional changes in our family structure and dynamics. When my baby sister was born, the family was a little unstable as my sister and I received less attention initially and each individual had to take on new roles. Over time, we were able to accept the changes and form stability within the household
Family systems have been studied since psychologists began studying people and their behaviors. The family is a dynamic system—a self-organizing system that adapts itself to changes in its members and to changes in its environment (as cited in Sigelman & Rider, 2009). Allowing the focus of a family system to grow beyond the mother and child relationship did not happen overnight. For many years, there was no connection made between other members of the family and the developmental issues of the children involved.
The term family dynamics is associated with the way a family unit relates with one another. Individual roles and their effects upon each member. In Hamlet, Sophocles Antigone, Death Of A Salesman, and Here Today all authors apply the theme family dynamics in a unique form. Family Dynamics set the layout for our lives, but as individuals we make the dominant decisions that control our future.
In understanding others, one must first understand our own family background and how it affects our understanding of the world. Conversely, family systems draw on the view of the family as an emotional unit. Under system thinking, one evaluates the parts of the systems in relation to the whole meaning behavior becomes informed by and inseparable from the functioning of one’s family of origin. These ideas show that individuals have a hard time separating from the family and the network of relationships. With a deeper comprehension of the family of origin helps with the challenges and awareness of normalized human behaviors. When interviewing and analyzing the family of origin, allow one to look at their own family of origin
The family structure is made up of individuals living together in intimate groups with the purpose of caring and supporting each other. Rules and boundaries, spoken and unspoken, are developed by the family members. Family rules and boundaries change and shift over time in order to evolve and grow as a family unit. Some changes are subtle, but some events force major change within the family system. This paper applies the concepts of systems theory to the family system in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. Reese Witherspoon (Melanie Smooter) and Josh Lucas (Jake Perry) star in this heart-warming film telling a story of a young woman who flees from Alabama to reinvent herself in New York City as a high fashion designer. She leaves behind her redneck husband and white-trash upbringing. Melanie finds herself engaged to the cities most eligible bachelor and has to return to Alabama to request a divorce from her first love and confront her past ("Alabama," 2002).
Times have changed since our parents were children and families today face different challenges than those of a decade or two ago. Over the past few decades the concept of family has been revolutionized. A "traditional" family no longer consists of two parents of the opposite sex in which the father is the "breadwinner," and the mother stays at home to raise the children. Today's family is as diverse as the world it must exist in. The important thing about today's family is that success does not just happen; a strong family takes effort.
According to Richard Charles (2001) “the effectiveness of family systems theory rests not much on empirical research but on clinical reports of positive treatment outcomes, the personal benefits experienced by the families that underwent this kind of treatment, and the elegance of Bowen’s theory” (p. 279). Bowen’s family systems theory views the family as an emotional unit and is a theory of human behavior. Systems thinking are used to describe the complex interactions in the unit. However, the client’s ability to differentiate himself/herself from the family of origin is the basis for Bowen’s family systems theory. In addition, the primary focus for growth within the emotional system is differentiation of self. Differentiation of self will be explored as well as how it relates to a church congregation.
Since the 20th century, researchers have sought out solutions to help assist families and the individual components that make up family systems overcome the challenges and schisms that can inhibit individuation and stability. Two theoretical perspectives, the family-systems theory and the family-development theory, were conceived to gain as Balswick & Balswick (2014) noted, gain “a wide-angle view of family life” (p. 22). Though these two theories have merit, one I found to be more advantageous in gaining a better understanding of the family as an actively metastasizing organism, which needs to be approached more adaptively.
The organizational theory which fits the Department of Children’s Services is the family systems theory. “Family systems theory, in an organizational context, postulates that a system has its own language, roles, rules, beliefs, needs and patterns. Each member of the system has a role in, and is reciprocally affected by, the system. Each member is evaluated and understood in relation to the system as a whole. Problems are addressed by focusing on and/or changing the way the system works in tandem with a specific member. For example, family systems theory recognizes that actions and statements by DCS administrators directly affect the perceptions and actions of field staff and how they in turn interact with children and families served by the
When looking at family systems, you must begin by looking at Murray Bowen’s family systems theory and “his views on the eight interlocking forces that shape family function,” (Haefner, 2014). Within Bowen’s family psychotherapy research, he noted that “family patterns and problems often repeat over generations, he also noted that families make up their own emotional systems, and within these systems they try to maintain stability and reduce conflict,” (Haefner, 2014). The eight interlocking forces noted by Bowen through (Haefner, 2014)
A family might include anyone related by blood or by adoption such as: step parents, grandparents acting as parents, and even brothers and sisters sharing the same household. However, worldwide “the family is regarded as the most ba...
When the word “family” is discussed, most people think of mothers, fathers, and other siblings. Some people think of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even cousins and more on the pedigree tree. Without family in people's lives, they would not be the same people that they grew up to be today and in the future. When people hear the word family they think about, the ones who will help them in any way they can whether it’s money, support, advice, or anything to help them succeed in life. Family will forever be the backbone of support.
Family by its nature is a social unit wherein children grow up and it acts like the socialization agent. Children receive their earliest and most consistent socialization here in the family. In a family it is very important as to how parents cater the needs of their children and how children take care of them in return. Parents as well as the child are very important part of the developmental process, as it is the parents who will shape the children as what they will become. The parent child relationship influences each other and together they shape the relationship they engage in it. Family is a social unit where in all the members living together is related to one another. Family is regarded
What is a family? A family is two or more people consider themselves to be blood related, or related by marriage, or adoption. Our families are who we love. We as families look different in so many ways. A family’s caregiving unit might have a couple, a mother, a father, and children. A family could also be a single parent and child, a group of siblings, a small or large group of friends. A family defines itself in many different ways. Families are the foundation of how our society and how it works. It is how we come into the world and nurtured and given the tools that we need to go out into our world. We are both capable and healthy or not our families influence our lives either in a good way or a bad way. While families
In our family there are no defined roles. My parent both worked to maintain our household when my stepfather came along. I was 10 years old. They both worked together in the home as well, as I can remember my dad cooking and cleaning just as regularly as my mother. I do understand that the man is the head of the house hold traditionally and yes my dad was the head of ours but all decisions made were made jointly by both my parents. They raised me to go after whatever it was that I wanted. They also stressed that women can do whatever a man can do in this country and told me not to limit myself because of
Everyone is born into some form of family, with the family taking the responsibility of nurturing, teaching the norms or accepted behaviors within the family structure and within society. There are many types of families, which can be described as a set of relationships including parents and children and can include anyone related by blood or adoption. Family is the most important, “for it is within the family that the child is first socialized to serve the needs of the society and not only its own needs” (Goode, 1982).