SOC271 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Generation Gap, Family Therapy, Mass Media
21 Jun 2018
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Disruptive Forces in the Family
A. Family Disorganization - refers to the break up of the family unit, the dissolution or fracture
of a structure of social roles when one or more members fail to perform adequately their role
obliga-tions. Disruption of established social roles and relationships [W. J. Goode (1982), The
Family].
B. Types of Family Disorganization -
1. Illegitimacy. The uncompleted family unit.
2. Annulment, separation, divorce, desertion.
one spouse or both decide to leave each other and thus cease to discharge their role
obligations.
3. Changes in role definitions.
Extreme disagreement between family members about their role obligations - hence one or
more fail to fulfill those obligations. Conflicts resulting from disagreement over women's roles -
e.g., husband with traditional breadwinner perspective and wife on the cutting edge of
liberation - or the generation gap, i.e., parent-youth conflict.
4. Unwilled absence of one spouse.
Involuntary failure in role obligations because of external events. Families dissolve because of:
1) death of one spouse;
2) one spouse is incarcerated (jailed); and
3) separation due to war, depression (job search), or catastrophe.
5. “Empty Shell” family.
Minimal communication/interaction between the spouses.
6. “Unwilled” major role failure.
Personal catastrophes within the family unit may include severe mental, emotional, or physical
pathologies.
C. Divorce in Canada.
1. Involves major changes in family systems, because they introduce new values and usually
mean an increase in role failure. Since some people will accept the new ways and others will
not, there is considerable disagreement over what the role obligations really are.
2. Divorce may be seen as a personal misfortune for one or both partners in any society -- but,
it must also be viewed as a social invention, one type of escape valve for the inevitable tensions
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Document Summary
Disruption of established social roles and relationships [w. j. goode (1982), the. Family]: types of family disorganization , illegitimacy. The uncompleted family unit: annulment, separation, divorce, desertion. one spouse or both decide to leave each other and thus cease to discharge their role obligations, changes in role definitions. Extreme disagreement between family members about their role obligations - hence one or more fail to fulfill those obligations. Conflicts resulting from disagreement over women"s roles - e. g. , husband with traditional breadwinner perspective and wife on the cutting edge of liberation - or the generation gap, i. e. , parent-youth conflict. Involuntary failure in role obligations because of external events. Families dissolve because of: death of one spouse, one spouse is incarcerated (jailed); and, separation due to war, depression (job search), or catastrophe, empty shell family. Minimal communication/interaction between the spouses: unwilled major role failure. Personal catastrophes within the family unit may include severe mental, emotional, or physical pathologies.
