Family Functions Essay
Cohesion and adaptability are primary functions that influence and are influenced by family
communication patterns. The Circumplex model proposes that family “types” can change over time,
depending on where we lie within the dimensions of cohesion and adaptability. These changes can
occur based on developmental stages, traumatic experiences, positive life events, etc. For this
assignment, you will create a map (marking points on the dimensions) of your family type and how it
changed at 3-4 points in time. If you do not feel comfortable discussing your own family, you may
choose a media family (please approve with me). As an example, refer to the following narrative:
Case Example:
Steve and Sally were married and developed a flexibly enmeshed marriage. Three years after their
marriage they became parents. Sally resigned from her teaching job. Because of the dependency
needs of their child and their own desire for mutual support in this transition period, their family
became structurally connected.
The family power structure shifted from being husband-dominant to a more shared pattern. They
moved on adaptability from a structured type to flexible. Sally exercised much more control in the
relationship than previously and they were struggling, almost on a weekly basis, to redefine the rules
and role definitions that would govern their relationship. Although they occasionally yearned for the
security of their earlier, more structured relationship, both like the challenge in this more flexible
relationship style.
You may begin with (and/or insert where logical) your brief family narrative (using the above as a
sample, but not to mimic). You must also create your illustration (using the continuum–see book). Be
sure to expand on the following points in essay form:
• Define and discuss your family type at each point in time and how it relates to research on
family functioning. Was your family (communication) “functional” during this time? Why
or why not? How does your functionality make sense (or not) given the models discussed?
Your essay should flow together logically, and you must use concepts from your readings to back up
your claims. Your 2-3 page (double-spaced) essay should be written in 12-point Times New Roman
font with 1” margins (APA formatting). Cite your references in APA style. Your illustration can be
attached separately or inserted into the text (not included in page count).
Relational Culture & Stories Essay
Family stories create a sense of belonging, history, and collective identity; they help develop (and
also reflect) our family culture. Family stories enable us (and others) to understand who we are (good
and bad), how we are expected to behave, how we came to be, how we feel about ourselves and each
other, etc. For this assignment, you will choose a family story type (e.g., legacy story, adoption story,
divorce story, crisis story, engagement story, birth story). Then, you will do research in order to learn
what positive and negative outcomes can come from this type of story. From your research you
should be able to develop a thesis statement regarding the (personal/family) impact of these stories,
then provide evidence to support your thesis.
Rituals Essay
Purpose: 1) practice research skills through interviews, 2) reflect on your family life from another’s
perspective, 3) research/read and apply theoretical concepts to your family life, and 4) enjoy hearing
about what family rituals are important to your family members ☺.
and then evaluates how these rituals (and their influence) can be explained through at least three
different concepts from the book. Choose concepts you feel relate to your interviews and discussion
of your family rituals (e.g., types or purposes of rituals/maintenance behaviors, intimacy factors).
Consider the following:
• Start with a thesis statement regarding your “findings” from the interviews. (Think about
points below when developing your thesis statement.)
• Define the concepts/theories you are applying (using research) and tie your examples from
the interviews back to the concepts. Think about what/why/how rituals are influential
(according to your family members) and how this relates back to the research.
Conflict Essay
The purposes of this assignment are for you to think critically about the pop information that is
translated for general audiences, to find evidence to support or refute claims made in these lists, and
to learn more about conflict in a relationship (e.g., parent-child, sibling, spousal) or context (e.g.,
moving in together, having children, transitioning to college). Consider the following:
a) Introduce your conflict topic. Define necessary concepts and relationships that you will focus on
(e.g., conflict resolution, conflict styles, sources of conflict related to a specific relationships),
and explain why it is important to understand the topic in the context of the family relationship
you chose. This introduction to orient the reader to what you will be analyzing/discussing and
why it matters (using research). Here you will also briefly state where you found your list. Give a
brief synopsis of the source and purpose of the list. This should tie in with your thesis statement
c) Conclusion/Evaluation: Provide an overall assessment of the list (e.g., How valid is it? Would
you recommend the tips based on accuracy compared with research?). You may offer research-
based suggestions for better accuracy in this section, or above when you state your conclusion
about each tip’s accuracy, including how claims should be modified, if at all.
d) Cite your sources (at least 3 in addition to class readings/text) using APA style.
Movie & Theory Essay
For this assignment you must watch the movie “JUNO.” This movie highlights several family types
and relationships that you will be able to choose from for your analysis (e.g., parent-child,
stepparent-stepchild, married partners, adoptive family, blended family, voluntary family, etc.). You
will analyze the movie as a case study using a specific communication theory (of your choice from
the book and/or articles discussed). When organizing your essay, consider the following:
• Introduction
o Set the stage for your paper, including a brief synopsis of your theory of interest and the
family/families you will be analyzing based on your theory. Make sure your
thesis/purpose is clear in the introduction.
• Explanation of theory (using scholarly research on your theory)
o You need to explain your theory, defining terms and propositions related to it. For
example, if I am studying uncertainty reduction theory, I need to describe the theory, the
relevant variables (e.g., uncertainty, similarity, liking), and propositions related to those
variables (e.g., uncertainty is negatively related to similarity). You should cite at least
one scholarly journal article in addition to your book and articles assigned in class.
• Family Analysis: Use the theory to analyze the family.
o Use specific (and concise) examples from your “case study” to highlight different points
regarding your theory. You will help your reader better understand your theory using the
• Conclusion: Tie back to your overall purpose/thesis and conclude your essay.
o Consider what theoretically-driven advice you could offer the family in terms of their
communication, behaviors, maintenance, intimacy, functionality (or whatever is relevant
to the outcomes considered as part of your theory).
o As a guide for the essay, think about how Prentice used systems theory to understand in–
law relationships, or how Afifi et al. used communication privacy management theory
(and/or dialectics) to understand divorced families.
Use these questions as a guide as you write your critique of the movie family or families. Your essay
should be 3-4 pages double-spaced. You should use scholarly sources for your theory/concepts and
APA formatting (in-text and reference page citations).
Family Conflict in Home for the Holidays
(Paul Schrodt, Texas Christian University)
Objective: To explore the complexity of family conflict by applying conflict models and strategies
to a fictional family in the movie Home for the Holidays.
Task: Your text defines conflict as “an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent
parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from others in achieving
their goals” (Hocker & Wilmot, 1998, p. 12). Using this definition, select a conflict between at least
two family members in Home for the Holidays to analyze for this paper. Once you have selected the
conflict, provide an analysis that addresses each of the following:
• Explain how the interaction(s) you’ve chosen constitute a conflict according to Hocker and
Wilmot’s definition.
• Describe the conflict according to the stages of conflictual process provided by Galvin et al.
(2014). What “prior conditions” existed in the family that served to predict movement toward
actual conflict? Discuss and give examples from the movie of how the family members moved
through the stages of the model, though the conflict may not include all of the stages (so be
prepared to advance and defend an argument in support of your analysis).
Details: The paper should be between 4-6 pages in length, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New
Roman font and 1” margins. Please proofread your paper carefully before handing it in – Spell-
check will NOT catch properly spelled, mis-used words (i.e., using “to” instead of “too”). You will
briefly present your analysis to the class for 10 points.
Grade: You may earn 85 points total for successful completion of this assignment – 75 for the paper
and 10 for the in-class presentation.
Reflection Essay: Circumplex Model
(Adapted from Lisa Menegatos, UNLV Honors College)
This is a 3-4 page reflection paper in which you will apply the Circumplex Model of Marital and
Family Systems to your family. The body of your paper should have three main points that address
the following:
• Main Point #1: Cohesion. Your textbook describes four different levels of family cohesion:
disengaged, connected, cohesive, and enmeshed. Choose the level that best describes your
family. Describe and/or define that level in general (be sure to cite your textbook) and then
explain why you believe that description fits your family. Be sure to provide specific and
concrete examples that clearly illustrate the level of cohesion in your family.
Your paper should have a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should be one
paragraph. It should begin with an appropriate attention getting device. From there, you should
introduce the topic of your paper: the application of the Circumplex Model of Marital and Family
Systems to your family. The very last item in the introduction should be a preview of the main points
of the body of the paper. Here is an example of an appropriate preview statement for this assignment:
“In this paper I will describe and analyze my family’s levels of cohesion and flexibility, as well as
the communication skills that influence those levels.” Again, the preview statement needs to be the
very last sentence of the introduction (this helps me determine where your introduction ends and
where the body of the paper begins).
You are required to quote your textbook twice in your paper. Make sure you put quotation marks
around the words you are taking from the textbook (or from any other source) AND provide a
parenthetical citation that includes the authors’ last names, the date of publication, and the page
number. All citations should be in APA format. Your quotes cannot be more than 40 words each. Do
NOT provide more than two quotes from the textbook.