11.5: Chapter Wrap-Up

As we discussed at the beginning of this chapter, families are a central part of our lives. Thankfully, several communication scholars have devoted their careers to understanding families. In this chapter, we started by exploring the nature of family relationships with a specific focus on family communication patterns and family systems. Next, we explored the family life cycle. We then discussed the nature of sibling relationships. Lastly, we ended the chapter by discussing marriage.

End of Chapter

Key Terms

• Autonomy
• Concept-Orientation
• Family
• Genogram
• Ideology of traditionalism
• Independents
• Individuality
• Launching Stage
• Separates
• Sibling hostility
• Sibling warmth
• Socio-Orientation
• System
• Third-Culture
• Togetherness
• Traditionals
• Undifferentiated space

Real World Case Study

Nick and Diane were strangers flying on Continental flight 05 from London’s Gatwick Airport to Houston, TX, when the terrorist attacks on 9-11 struck in the United States. Their plane, along with 38 other wide-body jets, was diverted to Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada. Gander is a city of approximately 10,000 people. What the town lacked in size, the airport made up for in capacity.

Gander International Airport was at one point one of the busiest airports in the world because it was the refueling stop for all planes flying from the United States to Europe and from Europe to the United States. In fact, over the years, Gander played host to Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, President Ronald Reagan, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and many others who had stop-overs at the airport. As airlines switched to planes with larger fuel capacities, the need for Gander as the refueling stop faded into a thing of the past.

On 9-11, 38 planes, along with 6,122 passengers and 473 flight crew members, suddenly joined the small community. As you can imagine, most cities are not prepared for a population growth of 66% in a matter of hours. Thankfully, the community members of Gander rallied and took care of those passengers and flight crew for four days in what was dubbed Operation Yellow Ribbon.

On the flight, Diane was in the front of the plane while Nick was at the back of the plane. The two had never met or even really laid eyes on each other. Both were taken to a place called Gambo, about 20 minutes outside of Gander. At the shelter there, the two met in line waiting to get blankets. One of them commented about how the blankets smelled, and the two just started talking. Nick, sensing the possibility of a new friend, ended up bunking next to Diane in the shelter. The two shared stories and trail mix. Over the next few days, the two started to fall in love.

One night, the two, along with other passengers, went to a local pub where the two became official Newfoundlanders, by drinking Screech and kissing a cod. During the midst of the festivities, a local justice of the peace made the mistake of assuming the two were a couple. When he found out they weren’t, the justice said, “I can marry the two of you.” To which Diane responded, “sure!” Admittedly, it was probably the Screech talking, but in that moment, Diane realized that she really was starting to like Nick and that she could see him romantically.

After four days, a hurricane was quickly approaching Newfoundland, so there was a short time period to get the planes off the ground once the U.S.’s airspace was reopened. On the bus heading back to the airport, Diane started to tear up, realizing that this side journey in life was ending. Nick leaned in to comfort her and kiss her on the forehead, but Diane took the opportunity to turn it into a more romantic experience.

Nick ultimately proposed to Diane over the phone in November, and the two were married on September 7, 2002, and they honeymooned in Newfoundland. Nick and Diane Marson are very much real people. You can even follow them on Twitter, @RealNickanDiane. Their story is actually one of the main plot-points in the awarding winning Broadway musical Come From Away, which explores the generosity of the people of Gander and the ones who come from away.

1. What do you think it was about this situation that drew the couple together?
2. How would you describe their relationship using the family life cycle?
3. Why do you think Nick and Diane Marson’s story has been so captivating to millions of people around the world?

End of Chapter Quiz

1. Socio-orientation is characterized by all of the following except _____.
   a. Harmony
   b. Similarity of values
   c. Relatively little communication
   d. Self-expression
2. Concept-orientation is characterized by all of the following except _____.
   a. Self-expression
   b. Open communication between parent and child
   c. Frequent communication between parent and child
   d. Harmony
3. A ___________ is a pictorial representation of a family across generations that can be used to track generations of family interactions, medical issues, psychological issues, relationship patterns, and any other variable a researcher or clinician may be interested in studying.
   a. Family life cycle
   b. Family system chart
   c. Genogram
   d. Genealogy tree
4. In which stage of David Weaver and Laura Lawton’s Family Life Cycle are adolescents “launched?”
   a. Full nest two
   b. Full nest three
   c. Empty nest one
   d. Empty nest two
5. Which of Mary Anne Fitzpatrick’s marital types is marked by being highly interdependent, having conventional ideology, and having high levels of conflict engagement.
   a. Traditionals
   b. Independents
   c. Separates
   d. Temporals

References

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2 Burgess, E. W. (1963). The family: From institution to companionship (3rd ed.). American Book Company; pg. 2.

3 Murdock, G. P. (1949). Social structure. Macmillan; pg. 141.

4 Malinowski, B. (1927). Sex and reproduction in savage society. Commentator.

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6 Mintz, S., & Kellog, S. (1988). Domestic revolutions: A social history of American family life. Free Press.

7 Otto, L.B. (1988). America’s youth: A changing profile. Family Relations, 37(4), 385-391.

8 Bochner, A. P. (1975). Family communication research: a critical review of approaches, methodologies and substantive findings [Paper presentation]. Annual Meeting, Speech Communication Association, Chicago, IL, United States.

9 Bochner, A. P. (1988). Conceptual frontiers in the study of communication in families: An introduction to the literature. Family Relations, 37, 385-391; pg. 328.

10 Gerstel, N., & Gross, H. E. (1982). Commuter marriages: A review. Marriage & Family Review, 5(2), 71- 93. https://doi.org/10.1300/J002v05n02_05; pg. 81.

11 Burgess, E. W. (1926). The family as a unity of interacting personalities. The Family, 7(1), 3-9. doi. org/10.1177/104438942600700101

12 Burgess, E. W. (1926). The family as a unity of interacting personalities. The Family, 7(1), 3-9. doi. org/10.1177/104438942600700101 Murdock, G. P. (1949). Social structure. Macmillan; pg. 141. Bailey, B. L. (1988). From the front porch to back seat: Courtship in twentieth-century America. Johns Hopkins University Press.

13 Bavelas, J. B., & Segal, L. (1982). Family systems theory: Background and implication. Journal of Communication, 32(3), 99-107. doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1982.tb02503.x

14 McLeod, J. M., & Chaffee, S. H. (1972). The construction of social reality. In J.T. Tedeschi (Ed.), The social influence processes (pp. 50-99). Aldine-Atherton.

15 Ritchie, L. D., & Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1990). Family communication patterns: Measuring intrapersonal perceptions of interpersonal relationships. Communication Research, 17 (4), 523–544. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365090017004007

16 Ritchie, L. D. (1991). Family communication patterns: An epistemic analysis and conceptual reinterpretation. Communication Research, 18(4), 548-565. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365091018004005

17 McLeod, J. M., & Chaffee, S. H. (1972). The construction of social reality. In J.T. Tedeschi (Ed.), The social influence processes (pp. 50-99). Aldine-Atherton; pg. 83.

18 Ibid.; pg. 83.

19 Ibid.; pg. 86.

20 Ibid.; pg. 85.

21 Bogdanov, A. A. (1980). Essays in tektology: The general science of organization (G. Gorelik, Trans.). Intersystems Publications.

22 Bertalanffy, L. von (1934). Modern theories of development (J. H. Woodger, Trans.). Oxford University Press. Bertalanffy, L. von (1951). Problems of general systems theory. Human Biology, 23, 302–312. Bertalanffy, L. von (1955). General systems theory. Main Currents in Modern Thought, 11, 75–83. Bertalanffy, L. von (1968). General systems theory. George Braziller.

23 Bertalanffy, L. von (1968). General systems theory. George Braziller; pg. 38.

24 Bowen, M. (1978). Family therapy in clinical practice. Aronson.

25 Kerr, M. E., & Bowen, M. (1988). Family evaluation: An approach based on Bowen theory. Norton.

26 Regina, W. F. (2011). Applying family systems theory to mediation: A practitioner’s guide [Adobe digital edition]. University Press of America; pg. 16.

27 Ibid.; pgs. 16-17.

28 Bowen, M. (2004). Family therapy in clinical practice (Updated ed.). Rowan & Littlefield; pg. 65.

29 Ibid; pg. 65.

30 Galvin, K. M., Dickson, F. C., & Marrow, S. R. (2006). Systems theory: Patterns and (w)holes in family communication. In D. P. Braithwaite and L. A. Baxter (Eds.), Engaging theories in family communication: Multiple perspectives (pp. 309-324). Sage.

31 Ibid.; pg. 313.

32 Kerr, M. E. (2019). Bowen theory’s secrets: Revealing the hidden life of families. W. W. Norton.

33 Parent, J., McKee, L. G., N. Rough, J., & Forehand, R. (2016). The association of parent mindfulness with parenting and youth psychopathology across three developmental stages. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(1), 191-202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-9978-x

34 Suttie, J. (2016, June 13). How mindful parenting differs from just being mindful: According to new research, children who experience mindful parenting are less likely to use drugs or get depression or anxiety. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/mindful-pare...-kids-trouble/; para. 8.

35 Kabat-Zinn, M., & Kabat-Zinn, J. (1997). Everyday blessings: The inner work of mindful parenting. Hyperion.

36 McGoldrick, M., Gerson, R., & Shellenberger, S. (1999). Genograms: Assessment and intervention (2nd ed.). W. W. Norton.

37 Parent, J., Clifton, J., Forehand, R., Golub, A., Reid, M., & Pichler, E. R. (2014). Parental mindfulness and dyadic relationship quality in low-income cohabiting black stepfamilies: Associations with parenting experienced by adolescents. Couple & Family Psychology, 3(2), 67–82. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000020; pg. 8.

38 Ibid.; pg. 12.

39 Loomis, C. P. (1936). The study of the life cycle of families. Rural Sociology, 1(2), 180-199.

40 Weaver, D., & Lawton, L. (2014). Tourism management (5th ed.) John Wiley & Sons.

41 Isidore, C. (2020, March 16). More than half of American jobs are at risk because of coronavirus. CNN Business. https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/16/econo...rus/index.html

42 Cohen, P., & Hsu, T. (2020, June 11). ‘Rolling shock’ as job losses mount even with reopenings: Nearly three million new unemployment claims brought the two-month total to more than 36 million, even with some still frustrated in seeking benefits. The New York Times. https://tinyurl.com/ybh3pyzl

43 Backer, E. (2012). Investigating the “family life cycle” model in tourism. In H. Schänzel, I. Yeoman, & E. Backer (Eds.), Family tourism: Multidisciplinary perspectives (pp. 156–170). Channel View Publications; pg. 167.

44 McGuire, S., McHale, S. M., & Updegraff, K. (1996). Children’s perceptions of the sibling relationship in middle childhood: Connections within and between family relationships. Personal Relationships, 3(3), 229–239. doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.1996.tb00114.x

45 Stocker, C., & McHale, S. (1992). The nature and family correlates of preadolescents’ perceptions of their sibling relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 9(2), 179–195. doi. org/10.1177/0265407592092002

46 Ibid.

47 Padilla-Walker, L. M., Harper, J. M., & Jensen, A. C. (2010). Self-regulation as a mediator between sibling relationship quality and early adolescents’ positive and negative outcomes. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(4), 419-428. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020387

48 Epkins, C. C., & Dedmon, A. M. M. (1999). An initial look at sibling reports on children’s behavior: Comparisons with children’s self-reports and relations with siblings’ self-reports and sibling relationships. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27(5), 371-381. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021975901564

49 Sherman, A. M., Lansford, J. E., & Volling, B. L. (2006). Sibling relationships and best friendships in young adulthood: Warmth, conflict, and well-being. Personal Relationships, 13(2), 151–165. doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.2006.00110.x

50 Derkman, M. M. S. (2011). Siblinks: The implications of siblings for adolescents’ adjustment and parentchild relationships (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands. Retrieved from: http://repository.ubn.ru.nl/bitstrea...40/1/91240.pdf

51 Buist, K. L., & Vermande, M. (2014). Sibling relationship patterns and their associations with child competence and problem behavior. Journal of Family Psychology, 28, 529-537. dx.doi.org/10.1037/ a0036990

52 Derkman, M. M. S. (2011). Siblinks: The implications of siblings for adolescents’ adjustment and parentchild relationships [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Radboud University. Retrieved from: repository. ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/2066/91240/1/91240.pdf

53 Buist, K. L., & Vermande, M. (2014). Sibling relationship patterns and their associations with child competence and problem behavior. Journal of Family Psychology, 28(4), 529–537. doi.org/10.1037/ a0036990

54 Ibid.; pg. 534.

55 Myers, S. A., Cavanaugh, E. K., Dohmen, L. M., Freeh, J. L., Huang, V. W., Kapler, M. R., Leonatti, A., Malicay, M. M., Schweig, V., Sorensen, H. J., Vang, M. M., & Wise, D. C. (1999). Perceived sibling use of relational communication messages and sibling satisfaction, liking, and loving. Communication Research Reports, 16(4), 339-352. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824099909388735

56 Myers, S. A., & Weber, K. D. (2004). Preliminary development of a measure of sibling relational maintenance behaviors: Scale development and initial findings. Communication Quarterly, 52(4), 334–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370409370204

57 Ibid.

58 Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1988). Between husbands and wives: Communication in marriage. Sage. Retrieved from: www.researchgate.net/publica...munication_in_ Marriage_Sage_series_in_interpersonal_communication_Vol_7

59 Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1976). A typological examination of communication in enduring relationships [Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation]. Temple University.

60 Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1977). A typological approach to communication in relationships. In B. Rubin (Ed.), Communication yearbook I (pp. 263-275). Transaction – International Communication Association.

61 Fitzpatrick, M. A., & Best, P. (1979). Dyadic adjustment in traditional, independent, and separate relationships. Communication Monographs, 46(3), 167-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637757909376004

62 Fitzpatrick, M. A., & Indvik, J. (1982). The instrumental and expressive domains of marital communication. Human Communication Research, 8(3), 195-213. doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982. tb00664.x Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1988). Between husbands and wives: Communication in marriage. Sage.

63 Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1977). A typological approach to communication in relationships. In B. Rubin (Ed.), Communication yearbook I (pp. 263-275). Transaction – International Communication Association; pg. 266.

64 Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1988). Between husbands and wives: Communication in marriage. Sage; pg. 73.

65 Ibid.; pg. 70.

66 Ibid.

67 Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1977). A typological approach to communication in relationships. In B. Rubin (Ed.), Communication yearbook I (pp. 263-275). Transaction – International Communication Association. Fitzpatrick, M. A., & Best, P. (1979). Dyadic adjustment in traditional, independent, and separate relationships. Communication Monographs, 46(3), 167-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637757909376004

68 Noller, P., & Fitzpatrick, M. A. (1993). Communication in family relationships. Allyn & Bacon; pg. 185.

69 Fitzpatrick, M. A., Jandt, F. E., Myrick, F. L., & Edgar, T. (1994). Gay and lesbian couple relationships. In J. Ringer (Ed.), Queer words, queer images: Communication and the construction of homosexuality (pp. 265-277). New York University Press.

70 Ibid.; pg. 271.

71 Umberson, D., Thomeer, M. B., Kroeger, R. A., Lodge, A. C., & Xu, M. (2015). Challenges and opportunities for research on same-sex relationships. Journal of Marriage & Family, 77(1), 96–111. doi. org/10.1111/jomf.12155

72 Zrenchik, K., & Craft, S. M. (2016). The state of GLBT family research: An opportunity to critically

End of Chapter Quiz Answer Key

1. D
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. A