Third Week of Class: September 30 through October 4

Hello!

This week in class we learned about four different family theories.

The first theory we learned about was the Family Systems theory:
This theory has these main points
- The whole is greater than its parts.
- Each member has a specific role.
- There are rules to the family both written and unwritten.

The next theory was Exchange Theory:
- It is a give and take situation. I will only do something if I get something out of it.

Symbolic Interaction Theory:
- I perform an action and the other person could interpret it differently than what I intended for it to mean.
- We have meaning with all interactions.

Conflict Theory:
- Two people who are smart could still have misunderstandings but they can talk them out and then they will be working effectively together.


      I really enjoyed learning about these theories. I like theories, it helps me make sense and relate what I am learning to myself. The theories that I liked the most from this list were the "symbolic interaction" and the "family systems". The symbolic interaction is one that I can relate to, there are so many times that my spouse and I will do something for each other without being asked and see the kindness in that act of service. But there have been times where we will do something for the other that they may take to mean as a way of getting something, like a guilt trip to do the dishes. I also liked the family systems theory a lot. In my own experience I have thought of the family as living thing, when one person moves or a situation causes roles to change then the family adapts.