Exam 3: Policies and Practices Biased Toward Individual Rights Over Family Responsibilities
Give three examples of local entities controlling the enactment of policies that affect families.
1. Local school boards: School boards have the authority to enact policies that affect families, such as setting school schedules, determining curriculum, and implementing disciplinary measures.
2. City councils: City councils have the power to enact policies that affect families, such as zoning regulations, public safety measures, and local tax rates.
3. County social services agencies: These agencies have the authority to enact policies that affect families, such as determining eligibility for social welfare programs, providing support for at-risk families, and overseeing child protective services.
Which two theories comprise the ecological family systems theory and highlight developmental and societal influences on families?
Ecological family systems theory, also known as the ecological systems theory or the bioecological systems theory, is an approach to understanding human development within the context of the systems of relationships that form a person's environment. This theory was developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner and is comprised of two core theories: the ecological systems theory and the family systems theory. These theories highlight the developmental and societal influences on families by considering the complex interactions between individuals, their families, and the broader environment.
1. Ecological Systems Theory: This theory, primarily developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, posits that there are several layers of environmental influences that affect an individual's development. These layers are structured as follows:
- Microsystem: The immediate environment in which a person lives, such as family, school, peers, and neighborhood.
- Mesosystem: The interconnections between the microsystems, such as the relationship between a child's home and school.
- Exosystem: The larger social system that does not directly contain the individual but affects them, such as a parent's workplace or community services.
- Macrosystem: The broader cultural values, laws, and customs of a society that influence an individual's development.
- Chronosystem: The dimension of time, which includes life transitions, historical events, and how they interact with an individual's development.
2. Family Systems Theory: This theory focuses on the family as a unit and how its members interact with each other. It was developed by scholars such as Murray Bowen and Salvador Minuchin and suggests that what happens to one family member affects all other members. The key concepts include:
- Boundaries: The rules that define who is in and out of the family and how members interact with each other.
- Hierarchies: The organization of family roles and power structures.
- Homeostasis: The family's tendency to resist change and maintain equilibrium.
- Subsystems: The smaller units within the family, such as the parental subsystem or sibling subsystem.
- Communication patterns: The ways in which family members interact and convey information to one another.
By integrating these two theories, the ecological family systems theory provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how various environmental factors and family dynamics interact to influence an individual's development over time. It emphasizes that development is a result of the continuous interplay between individuals and their multiple environments, including the family, community, and broader society. This perspective is particularly useful for professionals in fields such as psychology, social work, and education, as it helps them to consider the various systems that contribute to a person's behavior and well-being.
Some policies may discourage low-income families from marrying due to the loss of benefits that comes with combined incomes.
True
Historically, the family has been the focus of bylaws in the U.S. and is mentioned numerous times in the U.S. constitution.
Policymakers base policy decisions on both explicit, well-established theories and implicit assumptions of social issues.
A policy or program is only as good as its implementation dimensions. What are the eight implementation dimensions that determine how families will be affected by programs and policies?
The workplace is one area where additional policies for family protection of rights is unnecessary.
Is policymaking necessarily limited to lawmakers? If not, who else bears the responsibility of policymaking?
Is constitutional autonomy beneficial or detrimental to family rights? Why?
Policy is said to create the conditions in which families operate. Give exampes of how family functioning is shaped by the policy context.
Most children's education policies are decided on the federal level.
Marriage and Family Therapists are the only recognized mental health service providers that are not covered by Medicare.
Name three statistical methods that are best suited to analyzing family relationships.
What is the problem with the way the Census Bureau collects data regarding poverty?
Rigorous statutes are in place which ensure that nearly 100% of employers nationwide strictly adhere to and formally notify employees of their Family and Medical Leave Act benefits.
How do local policies affect family structure and function? Give examples.
Some scholars argue that policies should be developed based on statistical data on children. How can you reconcile that view with the family focus that is being advanced by Bogenschneider with this book?
Name three of Minuchin's family functions that are most relevant to federal and state policy.
The U.S., like most western cultures, is primarily collectivist in nature.
Give two reasons it is difficult for researchers to measure family properties.
Filters
- Essay(0)
- Multiple Choice(0)
- Short Answer(0)
- True False(0)
- Matching(0)