To What Extent Has Theory and Research on Families Been Successful in Transcending the Individual-Society Dualism.
To what extent has theory and research on families been successful in transcending the individual-society dualism.
One of the interrogative themes in social psychology is that of individual-society dualism refers to the extent to “whether the individual or society is privileged in the explanation of social psychological phenomena” (DVD). There has been a great deal of psychological theory and research into the composition of families and the subsequent construction of self in children, however, the extent to which this work has successfully transcended the individual-society dualism is questionable as many are still mired by either notions of individuals being separate to society or over-socialised beings. It is the case that more recent perspectives and research, such as discursive psychology and the social psychoanalytic perspective, may be able to transcend this individual-society dualism and regard the individual as inherently influenced by society as well as influenced from out of society, such as by their family history (Lucey, 2007; Open University, 2007; DVD. This paper will discuss the extent to which theory and research on families have been successful in transcending the individual-society dualism, with particular attention given to discursive psychology and the social psychoanalytic perspective, while providing a critical evaluation of past and contemporary theory and research.
It has been claimed that much of the traditional psychological theory and research into families views these entities as both culturally and historically static in that families are unaffected by societal influences (Lucey, 2007).
Much of the psychological research and theory in families focused on mother-child interactions with little attention paid to father-child interactions (O’ Brien, 2005, as cited by Lucey, 2007, p.67; Lucey, 2007, p.67). There has been very little research into families as a whole due to a tendency for researchers to view families in a
One of the interrogative themes in social psychology is that of individual-society dualism refers to the extent to “whether the individual or society is privileged in the explanation of social psychological phenomena” (DVD). There has been a great deal of psychological theory and research into the composition of families and the subsequent construction of self in children, however, the extent to which this work has successfully transcended the individual-society dualism is questionable as many are still mired by either notions of individuals being separate to society or over-socialised beings. It is the case that more recent perspectives and research, such as discursive psychology and the social psychoanalytic perspective, may be able to transcend this individual-society dualism and regard the individual as inherently influenced by society as well as influenced from out of society, such as by their family history (Lucey, 2007; Open University, 2007; DVD. This paper will discuss the extent to which theory and research on families have been successful in transcending the individual-society dualism, with particular attention given to discursive psychology and the social psychoanalytic perspective, while providing a critical evaluation of past and contemporary theory and research.
It has been claimed that much of the traditional psychological theory and research into families views these entities as both culturally and historically static in that families are unaffected by societal influences (Lucey, 2007).
Much of the psychological research and theory in families focused on mother-child interactions with little attention paid to father-child interactions (O’ Brien, 2005, as cited by Lucey, 2007, p.67; Lucey, 2007, p.67). There has been very little research into families as a whole due to a tendency for researchers to view families in a
References: Lucey, H. (2007). Families. In, W. Hollway., H. Lucey. & A. Phoenix (Eds). Social Psychology Matters. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Open University (2007). Course Guide. Social Psychology: Critical Perspectives on Self and Others. Milton Keynes: Open University Press. DVD directors. DVD Title. Place of production: Producer.