Chapter 2 Blog

This chapter was about the "Theoritical Perspectives on Families" which discussed each perspective separately and how the dynamics of each views the family. These perspectives covered are the structural-functionalist, conflict, feminist, ecological, family development, symbolic interaction, social exchange, and family systems perspectives. Each differed from one another in interesting ways through the approach of each and the view of the familyand its interaction within society, also through what is acceptable behaviors of a family and what is considered wrong is how a family should operate. The other major topic covered in the chapter reading was "Family Research Methods" which discussed the different forms of conducted research that sociologists can use to study the family. These research methods include surveys, clinical research, field research, secondary analysis, experiments, and evaluation research. Along with each of these methods were the strengths and limitations that each proposed for the family and which forms of research work best and hwich are rarely used for these purposed of family study.

Something new that i was not aware of before is the concept of the conflict perspective that generally views dysfunctional events as positive ones. Most people in society generally view negative events as something bad and a result of malfunction within a system. In this case as an example used in the book, families going through a divorce typically are viewed as dysfunctional because divorce represents separation due to a series of bad or faulty events that have occured within a relationship. The conflict perspective takes this concept of divorce and turns it around. Divorce is not viewed as a negative concept, it reflects a positive change for a relationship in that there is an end to an unhappy relationship and the two involved can move on being happy afterall with their lives.

When the text discussed the effectiveness of surveys, one type of survey in particular--the internet poll--it emphasized how ineffective surveys are in obtaining a good sample of the population because the feedback responses are self-selected and not randomized. One question I came across while reading the chapter is if these types of research methods are so ineffective then how come reputable sites post these internet polls for their visitors to partake in if they are so ineffective in obtaining the correct sample of whatever research they're conducting? Why not resort to a more effective research strategy instead of wasting time iwth something that won't produce a good sample of population opinion?

Megan Callahan