Chapter 2



Lecture NotesChapter 2: How We Study the Family: Theories and Research MethodsLearning Objectives2-1: Explain the importance of theoretical perspectives and summarize key theories that organize thinking and research on families.2-2: Discuss the tenets of the bioecological perspective, the key organizing framework of this book.2-3: Explain the importance of careful design and implementation strategies for conducting research.2-4: Identify the basic steps and techniques used in the scientific methods.2-5: Discuss the importance of demographic variables and intersectional identities on individual and family development.OutlineTheoretical FrameworksExplain the importance of theoretical perspectives and summarize key theories that organize thinking and research on families. Discuss the tenets of the bioecological perspective, the key organizing framework of this bookTheory: Set of ideas about how something worksTheories about familiesCommunism and family theoriesStructural-functionalism: Social groups like families have an established structure that allows the group to function as a cohesive wholeFamily systems theory: We cannot understand a family without recognizing that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Each person’s role in the family is crucial for maintaining a balance in functioning between all membersConflict theory: There are always conflicts between individuals and groups in society. These conflicts often involve power strugglesSocial exchange theory: People are always weighing the costs and benefits of their actions and trying to maximize gains and minimize losses. From this perspective, most of our behaviors are explained through a series of mental calculations in which we weigh the possible outcomes of each choiceSocial constructionism: Humans socially construct their own realities and live in the reality they’ve created, not in some objective world “out there”Feminist theory: Instead of using male traits, behaviors, or health trends as “the norm” and comparing women to them (a practice known as androcentrism), feminist scholars choose to make their discourse “womanist,” or from the perspective of women’s experienceFemale deficit perspective: Using theories, methods, and interpretations of findings that assumed women were inferior, deficient, or in some way pathologicalAttachment theory: Emphasizes the important influence that the child–caregiver bond has on a person’s mental and physical health both in childhood and later onThe bioecological theory: Person, process, and contextResearch MethodologyExplain the importance of careful design and implementation strategies for conducting research. Identify the basic steps and technics used in the scientific method. Discuss the importance of demographic variables and intersectional identities on individual and family developmentTheory meets designThe scientific methodTestable hypothesesAvoid biasesUse operational definitionsUtilize random assignmentRepresentative samplesReplicationExperimental controlCorrelation does not equate causationResearch designsExperimentalUse of analogsQuasi-experimentalCorrelationalLongitudinalCross-sectionalQualitative versus quantitative methodsDemographic Issues in ResearchDiscuss the importance of demographic variables and intersectional identities on individual and family developmentRace and ethnicityEthnocentrismSex, gender, and sexual orientationHeterosexismSocial classIncomeEducationAccess to servicesHealthRace ................
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