Family Crisis - Premidterm Study
Guide
For this first examination, you will need to be familiar with answers
to the following questions and concepts:
From the Introduction:
.
1. Draw the 2 by 2 model of Normal/Abnormal Inside/Outside Family Stress.
Give an example of each of the four kinds of stress represented by
the model.
From The Usefulness of Guiding Theoretical Assumptions
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1. Definition of Theory
2. What does the statement "A theory suggests a model, or representation,
of the way things are" mean to a social scientist?
3. Give a good theoretical answer to the Hobbesian Question.
4. How are family rituals important to the study of family crises?
5. List and define the building blocks of family theory.
6. What are the assumptive dimensions of family theory?
7. What are the functions of family theory?
8. Make a list of the inventive contributors who made family life in
the U.S. what it is today.
9. What is the Theory - Methodology connection?
10. Explain the scientific method using Wallace's Wheel.
From The Purpose of Theory in the Study of Family Crises
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1. What are some family life symbols we use in everyday life that differ
considerably from the reality of everyday family life.
2. Explain this statement: "If you've ever been worried sick about
some event or impending disaster, and you are here today not worried anymore
about whatever it was, you probably understand something important now.
The answer to your former problem could have taken many forms, none of
them residing between your ears at the time. They had to come from some
place. Probably someone, a friend, a relative, a stranger, a writer of
advice, gave you a little theory to help you redefine the facts.
3. List and explain briefly the difference between definitions of theory
according to Plato, Aristotle, and Dean Witt
.
4. Define Healthy Family Functioning in terms of. -value judgements
-statistical descriptions of family interaction -homeostatic ideals -the
family system as a social system -the influence of the larger environment
(culture and society) on the family
5. Give some examples of healthy families in terms of: the organization
of the marital relationship the nature of interaction and communication
patterns within the family the family's relationship with outside others
6. Briefly describe the basic focus and tenets of Structural Functional
Theory
.
7. What is the importance of voluntarism in the theory of Social Action.
8. What is the importance of the concept of Social Integration in the
theory of Social Action.
9. A society has certain functional requirements in order to exist.
Make the same argument for the family as a social organization.
.
10. Give a Structural Functional answer to the Hobbesian question.
11. What are the Building Blocks of Social Structure?
12. Place the building blocks of social structure in the institution
of the family.
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13. How do healthy familes manage the concept of family boundaries?
14. Using the patterned variables, list a set of primary group behaviors
and their secondary group counterparts.
15. Draw the a.g.i.l. model and explain how family systems work by
listing examples from each part of the model.
16. How does the individual family system become integrated into the
larger social system (use the socual structure argument)?
17. What is the most difficult criticism of Structural Functional theory
as it relates to the family?
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