Applying Different Theories of Sociology to the Day To Day Activities of the Family - Essay Example

Applying Different Theories of Sociology to the Day To Day Activities of My Family The family can be considered as the smallest unit of society. It is here where members get to interact with each other at a very intimate level. To study the social structures and the interactions of families, it is best to use the life history method which is characterized by qualitative interviews and observations (Babbie, Earl R. 2003). My own family is composed of 5 members namely, my father, my mother, me and my two siblings. In analyzing the day to day interactions of the members of my family, I will use the symbolic interaction, social exchange and conflict theories as discussed in the book of Strong, DeVault, and Cohen (2007). The symbolic interaction theory “looks at how people interact with one another and communicate with symbols and gestures” (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen, 2007). A good example of symbolism in my family is the setting arrangement at our dinner table. My father who is considered as the head of the family sits at the head of the table, my mother sits at his right side while my eldest sibling sits on his left side. I consider this arrangement as very symbolic since this order defines the powers and influence that each members of my family has. Note that the most powerful figure in my family sets at the head of the table while the second most powerful and perhaps the most influential one which is my mother sits on the right side which denotes that she is second in command. My eldest sibling on the other hand has the privilege of sitting on the left side of my father which apparently made him third in command. Technically, this means that he has authority over me and my younger sister. The symbolic distribution of power among members in my family defines the roles of each family member. As the head of the family, my father has the responsibility to provide for us while my mother who is second in command takes on the role of a homemaker. Our roles in the family often affects our interaction with society in the sense that our actions are guided by the extent and the limits of the powers that we have in the home. For instance, since my mother is the homemaker, she controls the family budget and she is often the one who gets to decide what things to buy for the house. Since she has control over the family budget, she has more purchasing power as compared to us. As it is, her interaction with the other members of society takes on a different dimension as compared to the other members of the family. When it comes to gestures, my family uses familiar expressions and gestures to convey different kinds of messages to each other. For instance, my family usually uses the thumb up sign to tell each other that all is well and thumb down sign to tell each other “no, it is not okay”. Whenever my mom and I go out shopping and I try to ask her approval about something from across the aisles, I usually hold the item up for her to see and wait for her thumb up sign. If she holds her thumb up, that means I get to buy the thing that I am holding but if she gives me that thumb down sign that means I have to return the item to the shelves and forget about it. The theory of social exchange can best be seen in the interpersonal relationship, rewards and resources sharing system (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen, 2007) of my family members. In my family, rewards do not necessarily mean monetary rewards. In most cases, rewards for a job well done at home take the form of favors, hugs and lots of love. For instance, because mom work so hard for the family all week, my dad often takes her out to dinner during the weekend. As for us children, if we do something right, we get to out with our friends and if we do things wrong, we get grounded. The reward and punishment system in our family is not exactly what made us work hard to be good members but rather, it is the feeling of belongingness that made us stick with each other. The social exchange in my family is based both in cooperation and competition. When it comes to cooperation, each members of the family does his or her share of the work both inside and outside of the home. As we kids grow older and leave the house to be on our own, we show out cooperation with our parents by living our lives well. On the other hand, competition is never absent in the family. My siblings and I had always had a healthy rivalry since we were young. All of us wanted to be the best that we can be so we work hard to achieve our goals and get praised for a job well done. However, the rivalry between us is always friendly and we often help each other out. This kind of interaction between us family members helped minimize the cost of relationship breakdowns. We believe that when relationship goes bad in the family, the lives of the family members also deteriorate so we try hard to keep the damage to the minimum. As for conflict theory, the idea that society is divided rather that cohesive or cooperative (Strong, DeVault, and Cohen, 2007) also holds true in my family. Yes, we are a closely knitted family and we cooperate with each other most of the time but there are instances when we disagree about something. According to Strong, DeVault, and Cohen (2007), conflict naturally occurs in the family setting because members of the family have to compete with scare resources. In my family scarce resource does not necessarily mean money but it can also mean time and companionship. A good example of this is the conflict between my mother and my father regarding time spent with the family. You see, my father works long hours and my mother is forever nagging him that he is not spending enough time with us. The social interactions of families can serve as the mirror of what is happening in society at a whole. As it is, studying the family can help us understand better what is happening around us. Works Cited Babbie, Earl R.. The Practice of Social Research, 10th edition. 2003. Wadsworth, Thomson Learning Inc. Skolnick, Arlene S. and Jerome H. Skolnick. Family in Transition, 15th edition. 2009. Allyn and Bacon, Massachusetts. Strong, Bryan, Christine DeVault, and Theodore F. Cohen. The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationships in a Changing Society, 10th edition. 2007. Wadsworth Thomson Learning: California. Read More