II. Types of Families

Family types have been defined by Lynn Turner and Richard West:

1. Nuclear family: a family of wife, husband, and biological or adopted children;

2. Gay or lesbian family: two people of the same sex in the same household, serving as parents for biological or adopted children of at least one of them;

3. Extended family: families that include several generations and people of various relation to each other;

4. Blended family: families of former partners after they remarry but keep in contact;

5. Cohabitating couples are two unmarried romantically involved adults who share the household and either have or do not have any children;

6. Single parent families are families in which one parent resides in the household, taking care of his or her children.

DISCUSSION STARTER 1: What type of family did you grow up with? What makes you collectively a family— the fact that you are biologically related, live in the same household, or share a strong emotional bond? Now think about other people’s families. Are there groups that consider themselves families that you don’t? If so, why?

III. Communication Patterns in Family

1. Anne Fitzpatrick: Family communication patterns – shared views of appropriate and meaningful family interaction: (a) conversation orientation: how much members of family value communication as a bond. High conversation orientation families need to share thoughts and feelings and debate issues, have rituals (recurring and structured events); families who score low on conversation orientation do not; they only share needed information, and do not need to disclose much. (b) conformity orientation: how much value the family pays to the need of maintaining the same set of attitudes, beliefs and values. High conformity families highlight and enforce uniformity of thought, require that children obey, and parents make all the decisions; family relationships matter more than other relationships; goals are sacrificed for the sake of family. Low conformity families regard their family as a vehicle for individual growth.

DISCUSSION STARTER 2: Does your family have rituals? Which rituals mean the most to you, and why? How does the regular practice of these rituals affect how you feel about your family?

Hence, four types of communication in families.

2. Consensual family (high conversation, high conformity): (a) openly share views; (b) debate issues; (c) adhere to the single viewpoint; (d) perceive conflict as threatening; (e) seek to resolve problems ASAP;

3. Pluralistic family (high conversation, low conformity): (a) communicate openly and debate issues; (b) parents do not wield power over children; (c) seek to resolve conflicts productively; (d) establish official time for discussions.

4. Protective family (low conversation, high conformity): (a) status differences are firm; (b) no opportunities for discussion; (c) conflict is avoided; (d) members prefer stability.

5. Laissez-faire family (low conversation, low conformity): (a) few emotional bonds, (b) very few common activities; (c) children are independent thinkers and decision-makers; (d) parents are disinterested in children’s thoughts and decisions; (e) conflict is rare, usually avoided.