Approaches to Studying Individuals and Families

(Chapter 2)

What are your preconceptions upon? Divorce rates?

Single parenthood?

Women, education and pay?

Divorces by province and territory

  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

  number of divorces

Canada 70,910 71,144 71,110 70,155 70,828

Newfoundland and Labrador 892 913 755 842 662

Prince Edward Island 291 272 246 258 281

Nova Scotia 1,954 2,054 1,945 1,990 1,907

New Brunswick 1,671 1,717 1,570 1,461 1,450

Quebec 17,144 17,054 17,094 16,499 16,738

Ontario 26,088 26,148 26,516 26,170 27,513

Manitoba 2,572 2,430 2,480 2,396 2,352

Saskatchewan 2,237 2,194 1,955 1,959 1,992

Alberta 7,931 8,176 8,252 8,291 7,960

British Columbia 9,935 10,017 10,115 10,125 9,820

Yukon 112 68 91 90 87

Northwest Territories including Nunavut 83 .. .. .. ..

Northwest Territories .. 94 83 68 62

Nunavut .. 7 8 6 4

.. : not available for a specific period of time.Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table (for fee) 053-0002.Last modified: 2006-03-22.

The Reality

Divorce rates: Canadians are not avoiding

marriage, just delaying it People are cohabitating

prior to marriage Approx. 1/3 of marriages

end in divorce

According to Statistics Canada

Single Parenthood: 4 out of 5 young children in Canada are

currently living with their biological parents

According to the National Longitudinal Study of Children and Youth

The Reality (continued)

Women, education and pay: A 1999 report reveals that women make up

more than 50% of the graduates in Canada (high school, college or university) and are becoming better educated then men

From Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program

The Reality (continued)

Theoretical Perspectives

A little vocabulary: Disciplines = specific branches of learning

i.e. psychology, mathematics, physics

Theoretical Perspective = identifies a point of view based on a specific theory

Theory = a framework for organizing and explaining observable evidence (patterns and trends; not rules and absolutes)

= a set of interrelated ideas and explanations that can be

tested and applied to a number of different situations Without facts, you can only speculate or guess Without theory, information lacks meaning

Disciplines and Theoretical Perspectives The discipline determines what observations the

researcher will make and which theoretical perspective will be used to organize and explain the results

The discipline and theoretical perspective also determine whether the research will be a macro or micro study.

The discipline may suggest how results are applied

In relation to studying the FamilyWe come to understand:

- How these families are affected by society- How society is affected by the family- How families are affected by the events in a

family’s life- How family members are affected by the

family itself

Disciplines in the Social Sciences Social scientists asks 4 fundamental

questions:

1) What happens?2) How does it happen?3) Why does it happen?4) How can people change what happens?

- example: mate selection

Time for some REFLECTION!

Identify 3 preconceptions or concerns you have about issues affecting individual and families in Canada?

How might each of these concerns affect the choices you make about your life in the future?

If you apply the four fundamental questions to each of the issues you identified, what specific questions would you ask?

Anthropology

The study of human behavior in societies (the study of culture)

Cultural anthropologists live within a society to observe the behavior in its natural setting and record anecdotal evidence

Pros? Cons?

Study contemporary societies (looking for cultural patterns and regional variations)

A little vocabulary:

Ethnocentrism: tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one's own culture

According to the text, “by reading anthropological studies of other cultures, people will come to understand that all cultural behavior is “invented” and, as a result, they will develop an ability to observe their own culture objectively.” (page 30)

Sociology

Explains the behavior of individuals in social groups, families, and society.

Investigates social facts (i.e. sources of behavior to explain rates of behavior/ patterns of behavior)

Generally studied at the macro level (example: Statistics Canada uses sociological methods to gather information about aspects of the family, consumer etc.)

A little vocabulary:

Demographics: ________?__________ Used for planning social policy, marketing decisions and in

academic studies.

Aids in determining patterns and rates of behavior of groups facilitates planning and policy decisions BUT may not necessarily explain the behavior individuals

Psychology

The study of behavior based on mental processes (how does the individual think)

Micro level (individual level) and Macro level (group level)

Example: Jean Piaget Describes how children think at each age

Uses personality to explain individual behavior Examines interaction and influence on one another

i.e. Solomon Asch and Conformity (the a,b,c line test)

Something to think about…

How are other disciplines (i.e. history- trends, economics – acquire and use of resources, politics – power and authority, and religion) useful in the study of individuals and families?

Functionalism (aka: structural functionalism) Sociological theory (also used by anthropologists) Explains how a society is organized to perform its

required functions OR how structures function within society

Assumes the organization of society is based on a consensus about what is functional

(structures = institutions i.e. political system, family, law etc.)

Assumes society is stable when institutions functions in ways that benefit society

Change is slow and can only occur if structures can adjust to maintain equilibrium

Examines the roles individuals play within an institution

Status = specific position within a social group Role = set of expected behaviors that an individual

is expected to demonstrate within a status * individuals learn appropriate behaviors for many

roles they will play in society through the process of socialization

Norm = most prevalent, consistent, accepted behaviors

Functionalism (aka: structural functionalism)

Makes observations about role behavior and determines the rates at which various behaviors occur Example: Rates of employment in Canadian

families Uses a macro approach

Functionalism (aka: structural functionalism)

Systems Theory Sociological Theory Explains how groups of individuals work together (a

set of different parts that work together and influence one another in a relatively stable way over time)

i.e. Family Systems Theory examines family processes Feedback = a process by which the system informs

its members how to interact to maintain stability (give and take process, influence is reciprocal)

Meaningful habits = patterns of interaction that are repeated (ex. chores)

Family systems adapt when change in one person’s behavior causes the behavior of others to evolve, results in new strategies and meaningful habits

Behavior of individuals are inseparable from the group

Symbolic Interactionism

Psychological theory Micro theory Explains how individuals choose how they

will act based on their perceptions of themselves and of others

Attempts to understand the point of view of the actor to explain the action

Example: putting a hand on your shoulder

Based on 3 concepts 1) Individual develops a self that has two parts: the

“me” and the “I”

2) People must “take the attitude of the other” to be able to anticipate what the other person will do and decide how they should respond

3) People can interact effectively only if they can communicate using a common language; shared symbols

Symbolic Interactionism

Social Exchange Theory

Psychological Theory Explains the social factors that influence how

individuals interact within reciprocal relationships

Individuals are constrained by role expectation however, they act within each role to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs (i.e. choice marriage partners)

Developmental Theories - use interdisciplinary approach to describe patterns

of growth and change throughout human life describes predictable changes in the behavior of

individuals or families bio-psycho-social model used Cohorts = a group of individuals born in the same

well-defined time period (used cautiously to understand the behavior of individuals of the same age)

Normative Events = (in the family life cycle theory) the predictable events in life that require a developmental change in behaviour

i.e. Marriage

Conflict Theory Sociological and Political Theory Explains how society power (not functional

interdependence) holds a society together Conflicts exist because of inequality in power (Groups

are in competition, needs not always met; exploitation and oppression of individuals)

Macro theory that explains inequalities Asks, “functional for whom?” (why does the structure of society

not work for everyone) Karl Marx – 19th cent Capitalist society Friedrich Engels – divisions btwn the sexes in marriage; oppression of

women was linked to capitalism and would not end until capitalism was eliminated

Feminist Theories

Explains the impact of sex and gender on behavior, and to consider issues of human behavior from the specific point of view of women

Roots in Conflict Theory Developed to separate sex and gender from class and as a

reaction to gender bias Androcentricity = is a bias that assumes male experience is

human experience and therefore applies to womenVs.

Double Standards – apply different standards for evaluating the behavior of men and women

Argue that change is required so that the needs of all ppl are met