Psych 424
Blog #9
Shawn Campbell
Relationships/Everyday Life
Family impact on Social Psychology
Each of us have a family to some degree or another. On the one side of the scale are people with very large and involved families. This could be considered a stereotype of “everyone is related” and tend to host large gatherings. The other side of the scale would be a person with no or limited family. These could be orphans or just not very close knit of a family unit. Most of us however fall in between the two extremes.
Families are a main part of social interactions and learning behavior in our early years before primary education starts. While there is some variation in this, we tend to be closer to our parents then anyone else. Extended family are also a major component depending on how close they are in our lives. For many we learn basic skills at an early age and are greatly influenced later in life by our first couple years. (1)
While this is supposed to be a positive experience there can be a less ideal side of things. If the family relationship is negative that can be reflected on the individual. A child observing or experiencing an abusive relationship will reflect that later in life and for some this can be a catalyst for their own problems. It is important to note the cause and reoccurring nature of some of these events. Families can have several generations of negative relationships before change is recognized as needed.
There is a wide range of family interactions and results from them. We can either learn to be compassionate, or to hate, or maybe none of the above. The references I have below even make mention that more research to determine long term impacts is needed. Suggestions and resources to help can be devised based on those outcomes.
References: