Family Behavior Theories Can Help Family Members Come Closer to Each Other

    Theories attempt to explain why things happen, the phenomenons, but it is not necessarily a law or truth. Theories about family behavior have come from observations, numerous families were studied and even through their different dynamics, they all have shown behavioral patterns.

    Most families can be narrowed down to two groups according to The Family System Theory by Suzanne R. Smith and colleagues. We have a highly integrated family and an unintegrated one. Family involvement, discipline, and interdependence are commonly found in the highly integrated family, and a lack thereof is found absent in the unintegrated. However, it is not as simple as just deciding one day to have a family focus on those criteria for its members to come closer to one another. There are at least four major systems that make up the environment of the family members, affecting their development and consequently the very structure of the family. Understanding the parts is as important as understanding how they work together because the sum is greater than the parts, as Aristotle once said.

    First, we have the base level of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the microsystem. It refers to the immediate environment of a person and their regular interaction with it. Knowing what kind of things people are directly involved in can help others more fully comprehend where they are coming from and how to approach them. Thus, understanding how the family, school, peers, and other social networks may influence a family member can help parents and siblings relate to each other.

    Then we have the second level, the mesosystem. This one recognizes that the microsystem of individuals is not independent, rather they influence and connect to the other ones. Schools are an excellent example because of how one thing learned in school from the teacher or classmates can get carried back home and vice-versa. Positive connections between the microsystems can be good for social development, but a negative relationship between the two may hinder it. These negative interactions create gaps within a family’s proximity and relationship. Generally speaking, the mesosystem is the framework for understanding how to approach a family member and how to come closer to them.

    The Exosystem is the third level of this family theory system. It focuses on another person’s environment, so it is beyond the immediate interactions of another, but still has an influence over them. Things such as a sibling's different class year, parent's workspace, local government, and so on indirectly affects the development of family members and it is hard to measure how much these things can influence each person. This part of the theory brings awareness of the importance of comprehending the broader contexts of each individual's life and how these things shape their environment. 

    Lastly, we have the social macro system. This one is a critical component among all the other levels because it includes all the customs, attitudes, values, and laws of the culture in which a family lives. As a result, the mix of different cultures can greatly affect the well-being and development of family members, it may also be a positive or negative influence. It brings to light the complex cultural and societal components to consider in any social studies and a family’s attempt to go from an unintegrated level to a more integrated one.

    In Summary, this is part of the Family System Theory which if applied can bring family members to come closer together. However, there are also many other types of theories that can help with that, such as family exchange, conflict, and symbolic interaction theories. My class had discussions over all of these theories throughout this week and each one of them is worth mentioning and talking about, but the family system theory called my attention a bit more than the others.