Introduction to Family Communication

Introduction and Family Communication

• A surge of interest in family communication over the past 20 years.
• Grew out of two key areas: mass communication in the 1950s & interpersonal communication in the late 1960s.
• Early mass communication studies examined media's impact on aggression in children.
• Key scholars from the late 1960s studied interpersonal communication in couples, focusing on power, persuasion, attraction, and uncertainty reduction.
• Family communication became an area of academic interest in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming a division in the National Communication Association (NCA) in 1995.
• Family communication focuses on communication as the central aspect of family life.

Definition of Family Communication

• What is studied in this field: communication in the family.
• Scope: families studied at a micro level (specific behaviors) & broader/macro level (communication being one variable within a larger context of other factors).

Family Communication vs. Interpersonal Communication

• Family communication scholars frequently consider themselves interpersonal communication scholars, though not as many interpersonal scholars identify as family scholars.
• Scholars study family communication as a distinct context that differs based on factors like generational ties, roles, and shared history.

The Impact of Divorce and Interparental Conflict on Children

• Divorce rates have risen steadily since the 1960s and remain significant today (e.g., ~46% divorce rate).
• Short-term impacts include economic hardship, fears, and difficulty adjusting to changes for children of divorce.
• Potential long-term effects include behavioral and psychological issues, difficulties in later relationships, and less closeness with parents (though sometimes closer to mothers).

Culture and Families

• Families vary in structure and function.
• Important elements influencing family formation: values, beliefs, socialization, and generational communication patterns.
• The concept of family is not limited to biological family and considers other forms of family relationships and structures, like fictive kin.

Family Systems Theory

• The family unit is seen as a system comprised of interconnected parts, where each part's behavior affects other parts.
• The interdependence aspect highlights that every family member's actions impact other family members.
• Openness and Feedback: Families need to be open to feedback and change from the environment and within themselves.
• Homeostasis: Families resist change and strive for balance (often unhealthy, unless change or feedback is constructive).

Attachment Theory

• Attachments are formed with others as a result of various parenting practices and experiences that shape identities and relationship patterns.
• Nature vs. Nurture- Attachments are both biological and social, affected by both caregivers and environmental factors.
• Attachment styles (e.g., secure, fearful-avoidant, preoccupied, dismissive) can shape adult relationships.
• Attachments are not static; they can change over time due to experiences and environments.

Communication Privacy Management Theory

• People have a right to control their private information.
• Individuals have developed internal boundaries about the types of information they are willing to share.
• These boundaries are influenced by cultural values and past experiences.
• Sharing personal information involves risk, so individuals often use communication strategies to manage this risk & decide whom to share information with.

Social Exchange/Equity Theory

• Human communication is influenced by cost-benefit analysis.
• Individuals evaluate relationships based on perceived rewards and costs.
• Equity theory focuses on the fairness perception of benefits and costs within relationships.
• People are motivated to maintain a balance in relationships, and inequities often lead to dissatisfaction.