Communication in Family: Interview and Analysis

Introduction

Communication is crucial in shaping and reflecting relationships in a family. It is through conversations that one can identify the relationship that exists among family members. Furthermore, communication enables one to negotiate relationships with family members and outside individuals. Engaging in talks indicates the state of the relationship between family members and other people. It is through family communication that the members can interact with each other sharing their meanings. Every family has a multigenerational communication pattern that influences the members, their future families, and their generation.

The goals of the current analysis are to investigate the concept that is portrayed in a family through interview analysis. Furthermore, to identify how family communication is significant and is used in handling various issues, such as conflict. The studies use interviews that involve the researcher’s parents. The researchers’ father is industrious and ensures that the family remains intact by resolving issues. The researcher’s mother is a social person who believes interaction is useful in building and maintaining human relations. The mother portrays communicative skills by responding effectively to the questions asked during the interview. This research covers various family communication concepts such as family conflict, power and influence, and family system theory.

Method

The interview process involved involving the parents of the researchers in a conversation. The conversation was made open to give parents room for good responses. The researchers first created a good communication environment with the parents to ensure they could provide the necessary information. The interviewer focused on questions that portray the nature of family communication. The questions focused on the significance of having a family, conflict in the family and its importance, factors that result in conflict and how they are resolved, the people they look up to, family differences, and communication within the family. The question on the significance of the family was asked to set the onset of family communication. Subjects that caused conflict were used to identify the issues resulting in conflicts in the family. The parental position with siblings was asked to identify how they set boundaries with their siblings and how power was evident in their family. Questions on conflict were used to identify how conflict is present in every family and how they are resolved.

The interview process brought about various issues, such as family togetherness and how they support each other. Surprisingly, the researcher’s mother had a family that supported each other in many ways. For instance, the father was not always around, but the cousins, sisters, and uncles helped the mother and were able to do everything together. This portrays that the family’s communication was strong and positive as they could stay together.

Main Analysis

Concept 1: Family Conflict

Conflicts in family settings arise from diverse issues and can be addressed in different ways with various success degrees. Although conflicts are unavoidable in families, they do not always translate to negative outcomes (Galvin, Bylund, Schrodt, & Braithwaite, 2019). Moreover, the absence of conflict in the family does not mean it functions perfectly. Additionally, conflict avoidance can result in negative long-term outcomes affecting the quality of relationships (Persram, Scirocco, Della Porta, & Howe, 2019). In an attempt to make a family system seen as balanced, a strong sibling or parent may avoid or suppress the arising issues, which is not healthy. With time, the suppression can result in negative consequences, with the family stuck in an endless cycle of conflict, devastating at least one family member.

As much as dysfunctional and functional families encounter conflict situations, functional families face the problems more positively and constructively. Therefore, this means that a functional family setting counter conflicts in ways that model their differences to be more bearable. Communication is vital in family conflict resolution during interactions (Persram et al., 2019). Thus, the way the family will get to have a similar understanding is significant, and conflict will be less disastrous if more members agree. Conversely, how individuals disagree in a family setting is equally vital, where some deal with issues openly while others end up hurting each other. Moreover, a perception may be perceived as rational in one family yet irrational in another. Furthermore, every single family member contributes positively or negatively to control pressures generated by conflict.

Conflict is regarded as an articulated struggle, indicating that it cannot be considered an interpersonal issue when all parties do not know of its presence. An individual may feel angry or frustrated concerning something, but it cannot be taken as a conflict if not communicated to the rest of the family (Galvin et al., 2019). Moreover, involved parties need to be interdependent, which is a view that aligns with systems thinking. This means individuals cannot experience interpersonal conflict when the consequences do not impact other parties in the family, and conflicts can stem from following diverse viewpoints (Della Porta, Howe, & Persram, 2018). For instance, an individual may believe that the level of intimacy required of them can potentially smother them or needs more of them than they are willing to provide. Conflicts can also arise following a difference in the values or attitudes of individuals.

Conflicts can also be associated with limited resources and goals. Family members are bound to have separate goals at different periods, which is unavoidable. The means that parents use to manage conflict and communicate in the family significantly impact children and their associations with the rest of the members, especially when they are older and have to form close relationships. Children raised in step or single-parent families are often subjected to intra-household conflicts in their homes and experience interpersonal fighting with their biological parents living in a different home (Devakumar et al., 2021). On the other hand, children of divorced families tend to feel trapped between their parents.

Family Conflict Description

The current interview outlines various areas of family conflict in both conversations. The talk with the researcher’s father shows that conflict is always present in families and that having it is a good thing. This is evident in sentence 6, where the interviewer’s father claims, “I think it’s healthy to have a difference of opinion.” The family conflict is portrayed in the father’s conversation with siblings, who have different opinions on certain subjects. This is shown in line 9 “oh, for sure like college football see I am attacked as a longhorn fan, and my daughter is a tcu horned frog fan.”

The conversation with the researcher’s mother also shows that conflict cannot be avoided in a family system. The mother argues in line 48 that conflict must be available since, in the family, the members are usually with each other most of the time, which may result in challenges that lead to conflict development. Family conflict resolution involves listening, which shows that one party is interested in the issue. In line 12 of the interview, the father claims that resolving conflict involves “sitting down and calmly discussing our differences and working through the problem.” Additionally, line 50 shows that communication is basic in handling conflict. The mother claims, “the best way to do it is to sit down and have open communication and talk it out occasionally….” The researcher’s mother shows constructive conflict as the relationship in the family strengthens despite engaging in conflict. It has also helped the mother strengthen the relationship with the younger sibling as they could solve their problems openly through listening and negotiations.

Family Conflict Analysis

The conflict portrayed by the respondents’ families shows that it is normal for families to have conflicts driven by various factors. The conflicts are usually constructive as it helps reinforce family security. Managing family conflict involves identifying the two-fold responsibility, including meeting needs and extending the family system (Galvin et al., 2019). Both interviewees portrayed the same method in handling family conflict and proving its effectiveness in strengthening the family bond. The interview has shown that collaboration in the family is vital. It is a key aspect in conflict resolution since, through listening and collaboration, both parties can discuss their issues with fairness leading to satisfaction in the family. Family conflict informs the concept of family dialect in that the relationship in families is usually dynamic as it keeps on changing, which can be joyful, complex, and difficult at certain time periods.

Concept 2: Power and Influence

Power and influence exist in every human interaction and relationship. Power entails changing the behavior or action of a member of the family. Every family member has the chance and ability to use power and influence others (Galvin et al., 2019). In a family setup, power is transactional in that no one owns it, and it keeps rotating from one individual to another through negotiations. This implies that power is only available when other individuals are in the family (Galvin et al., 2019). Having power and influence in human relationships, including family, is essential as it involves negotiations. It is believed that power in the family is only meant for the heads of the family and adults. However, power in a family is dynamic as it relies on dimensions in the family system that change with time. The variations are due to developmental stage, family economics, intellectual resources, family structure, cultural issues, and external stressors. Exercising power varies from one family to another since they are rooted in family history, values, and culture, resulting in different operations.

Family power is based on the foundation of resources that members have put forth to enable them to have control in a particular way. The resources include factors that are rewarding to the parties involved. It is an aspect that one of the members provides to the other to ensure that goals are achieved or satisfied. Good communicators in a family are aware of the processes of power integration and converse in a way that is flexible, competent, and appropriate (Galvin et al., 2019). These factors ensure they can adapt their communication to different areas and situations. Family members tend to have power bases, but it requires good communication to ensure they can be used effectively. A powerful family member may communicate using verbal and non-verbal cues, such as speaking most in an interaction (Galvin et al., 2019). Family power includes children as it affects family activities, interaction, and the development of rules that guide family behavior. Although legal measures outline that parents are responsible for controlling the children’s behavior, children are usually negotiated for power. Influence occurs through bargaining, ingratiation, moral appeal, and distributive communication.

Power and Influence Description

The concept of power and influence is evident in the current interview. The researcher’s father portrays power in this conversation. The father claims that being the oldest sibling, certain moves were made, and, in the process, the other siblings resented certain things. This is evident in line 37, which portrays the influence older family members use to ensure that others can act or behave in the way they want. It shows that the father implemented aversive stimulation and manipulation based on being the oldest. Other family members, such as uncles, also influence the family.

The conversation revealed that the father’s uncle, who was successful in oil and gas, was influential in the family to the point that the father wanted to be like him. Line 14 of the interview shows that moral appeal is crucial in power and influence as it makes one live up to certain standards. The researcher’s mother also shows the concept of power and influence in their family. In line 52, the researcher’s mother looked up to her mother because of the moral appeal. The mother ensured that every family member stayed together in every situation, which made a good impression.

Power and Influence Analysis

The interview has portrayed that power and influence are present in families. It is a key aspect of the family, considering they stay together, interact and share a common cultural identity. It is crucial in managing multiple issues within the family as power can be used to guide the family’s morals and accomplish certain tasks. Power and influence rely on family communication for effectiveness, as one has to express views through conversations to achieve dominance. Communication forms the basis of all types of power and influence, as everyone can discuss their issues through negotiations (Galvin et al., 2019). The family has a hierarchy that establishes power guidelines, which are useful areas such as conflict. Power orchestration varies from one family to another depending on their hierarchy. This gives certain members of the family the power to handle and control various issues in the family as well as decision-making.

The decision is usually critical to the family as it affects their lifestyle. They are entitled to important decisions that may be received positively or negatively. Individuals orchestrating power may choose to have an ambassador in the family who might be the eldest son or marriage partner. The ambassador uses this opportunity to implement power by making specific decisions. Power is influence used for achieving specific purposes or goals. When power sources are unshakable in times of conflict, negotiations are used to create a mutual benefit. Individuals of the family who hold standard positions usually wield great power (Galvin et al., 2019). The power and influence concept influences the concept of communication and family roles. Power shapes family roles in that the member grows up knowing the roles they have been assigned, their expectations, and their performance. The roles are dependent on the communication processes since they are the one that develops them. A family member learns one’s position through communication feedback received.

Concept 3: Family System Theory

People come together to form relationships that are usually larger and more complex compared to individuals. Families are developed from people’s interaction patterns, resulting in family systems. The system’s perspective sheds light on the communication patterns in families. Family system theory provided critical insight into understanding multifaceted organizations such as families (Galvin et al., 2019). The behavior patterns in a family keep changing, making it challenging to predict. Family members tend to portray family patterns unconsciously because of the interconnection. A system is identified as interconnected components resulting in a functional unit. A change in one of the components affects the whole system. In a family setup, individual behavior changes result in a significant change in the family. Communication forms the boundary of the family system theory as it shapes how family relationships are developed, managed, and altered among people when interacting (Galvin et al., 2019). A person’s behavior is comprehensible based on the human system, which locates the family position.

Family system theory employs characteristics such as interactive complexity, wholeness, patterns, complex relationships, interdependence, openness, and equifinality. Interactive complexity entails comprehending families using the systems perspective without the use of factors affecting behavior. A person’s action is a response and stimulus in previous and future actions, respectively. Wholeness implies that the family is similar to a system as it involves the characteristics of the family members. Patterns result from the interaction and coordination of family members, which cannot be created independently. Every family has a communication pattern that makes it easy to predict life. Complex relationships result from structures and interaction patterns that can only be comprehended through individual relationships (Galvin et al., 2019). The traditional hierarchy shows that power is based on age. Interdependence is portrayed by the family system, where components rely on each other for functionality. When a member experiences a problem, it affects the other family members, although it depends on the individual’s relationship. Openness occurs through interrelationships which makes the family system functional. Equifinality results from accomplishing tasks differently, reaching the same outcome.

Family System Theory Description

Family system theories and their characteristics are present in the current interview. The researcher’s mother portrays the characteristic of equifinality in line 54 as the family could accomplish the task from various perspectives. The mother claims that the family operated in unison to the point that when their father was not around, uncles and aunts helped solve problems. Line 54 also portrays interdependence as the family relies on each other for support. When one person is unavailable, the other ensures that everything operates normally. The respondent’s mother relied on sisters, brothers, and cousins for transportation and other crucial requirements and needs. The conversation with the mother in line 54 also depicts the family system theory, which claims that the family operates like a system and that any problem with one of the components significantly affects the other part of the system.

The respondent’s mother portrays a pattern repeated in the family. For instance, a special pattern includes communication roles that are evident in the conversation. The mother argues that the family communicated well in line 55 despite lacking the latest technological innovations, such as social media. Phone call conversation was used to strengthen the family system, helping them solve problems and challenges. The pattern is also repeated in the current family of the researcher as the mother claims in line 58 that communication has not changed. The interviewer’s mother says that communication is handled the same way as before and that no changes are needed. Wholeness is portrayed in lines 52, 64, and 72, which shows that the family of the interviewer’s mother can be categorized as hardworking, considering that the parents and the family are all industrious. They are engaged in multiple business activities, which has been a trend. Complex relationship in a family system is evident in 37, where the father used to take care of the siblings. This shows that power in a family is dynamic as it depends on the situation and goals.

Family System Theory Analysis

Family system theory sets the background for the family through its characteristics. It shows that the family is like a system that relies on its components to ensure that it is whole. A change in any of the parts affects the entire system’s functionality. It is shaped by communication as it relies on how family members interact. The communication pattern enables the family to have rules specific to every family member (Galvin et al., 2019). The roles shape power in the family since it is transient. Members of the family can maintain a constant behavior deemed acceptable in that family system. The theory uses change-promoting feedback, which is used to guide individuals toward change. Communication rules are usually set over time, and the family regulates its behavior reflecting on conformity with the regulations. Changes result in recalibration, where new rules are set for adherence. Interdependence promotes communication in the family as a problem facing one member is perceived as a general issue. The family expands its communication in such periods, enabling them to operate as a system.

Family system theory informs concepts such as communication patterns and the creation of family identity. The identity of a given family is reliant on the communication pattern they exhibit. Patterns give meaning to family functions as it is through conversation that family members can manage their day-to-day activities and construct identity (Galvin et al., 2019). Family rules are designed through communication, making family system theory critical. The theory also sets a framework for family communication, as the family is perceived as a communication system.

Conclusion

Family communication is the basic unit of the family, as every aspect is rooted in how the family can talk about the issue. The findings from the analysis show that the concepts present in the researcher’s family include family conflict, power and influence, and family system theory. These concepts are useful in shaping the identity of the researcher’s family. Family conflict arises through conversation as individuals in a family are close to each other, and at one point, conflict may arise. However, the solution to the communication problem is communication, as family conflicts are managed through listening and negotiations. Power and influence are also evident in the researcher’s family, as older individuals use power to influence other family members. The researcher’s family is a system that is interdependent on family members. It involves other features such as wholeness, patterns, and equifinality.

References

Della Porta, S., Howe, N., & Persram, R. J. (2018). Parents’ and children’s power effectiveness during polyadic family conflict: Process and outcome. Social Development, 28(1), 152-167.

Devakumar, D., Palfreyman, A., Uthayakumar-Cumarasamy, A., Ullah, N., Ranasinghe, C., Minckas, N.,… Mannell, J. (2021). Mental health of women and children experiencing family violence in conflict settings: A mixed methods systematic review. Conflict and Health, 15(1), 1-9.

Galvin, K. M., Bylund, C. L., Schrodt, P., & Braithwaite, D. O. (2019). Family communication: Cohesion and change (10th ed.). New York: Routledge.

Persram, R., Scirocco, A., Della Porta, S., & Howe, N. (2019). Moving beyond the dyad: Broadening our understanding of family conflict. Human Development, 63(1), 38-70.

Appendix A

Interview Questions

1. I was going to ask you a couple questions so the first question I have for you is do you find family important?
2. Are there certain subjects that caused conflict in your family?
3. How do you resolve your family conflicts?
4. Do you have someone you looked up to as a child in your family?
5. When you were younger did your family get along?
6. Did they communicate well as a family?
7. How many siblings did you have?
8. Do you communicate better or worse with your immediate family vs the family you grew up with?
9. Do you ever think about wanting to fix things with your family from your childhood?
10. What has helped you guys stay close if you were?

Appendix B

Interview

With dad

1. Speaker 1: I am talking with my dad,
2. Speaker 2: Hello I am Chris Tynes Caroline Tynes’s father.
3. Speaker 1: I was going to ask you a couple questions so the first question I have for you is do you find family important?
4. Speaker 2: Oh, for sure they’re the most important thing in my life
5. Speaker 1: okay good, do you think that all family conflict is bad?
6. Speaker 2: no, not at all, I think it’s healthy to have a difference of opinion.
7. Speaker 1: I agree with you
8. Speaker 1: are there certain subjects that caused conflict in your family?
9. Speaker 2: oh, for sure like college football see I am attacked as a longhorn fan and my daughter is a tcu horned frog fan
10. Speaker 1: ha-ha okay, are there certain subjects that caused conflict in the family?
11. Speaker 1: how do you resolve your family conflicts?
12. Speaker 2: by sitting down and calmly discussing our differences and working through the problem
13. Speaker 1: And do you have someone you looked up to as a child in your family?
14. Speaker 2: yes, my uncle AC he was a very successful oil and gas man out of which it falls in Texas. I grew up loving and respecting him and wanting to be just like him when I got older.
15. Speaker 1: aww how sweet.
16. Speaker 1: when you were younger did your family get along?
17. Speaker 2: yeah, we did, we had our differences. I was the oldest so I had to take care of me and my sisters that were younger than I.
18. Speaker 1: did they communicate well as a family?
19. Speaker 2: yes, for the most part
20. Speaker 1: why the most part?
21. Speaker 2: well, we disagreed I’m older male and they were younger females
22. Speaker 1: how many siblings did you have?
23. Speaker 2: three
24. Speaker 1:do you communicate better or worse with your immediate family vs the family you grew up with?
25. Speaker 2: I communicate much better with my immediate family
26. Speaker 1: why?
27. Speaker 2: because I’m with them every day
28. Speaker 1: Do you ever think about wanting to fix things with your family from your childhood?
29. Speaker 2: ah sometimes
30. Speaker 1: Were your parents married?
31. Speaker 2: both my mother and father are no longer with us they have passed on but they were married then divorce
32. Speaker 1: what has helped you guys stay close if you were?
33. Speaker 2: trying to make the effort to call each other at least once a month
34. Speaker 1: okay that’s nice
35. Speaker 1: What do you think has hurt your relationship? Speaker2: with your siblings?
36. Speaker 1: yes, with your siblings
37. Speaker 2: Probably with us, my parents being divorced when we were older and me having to be the older sibling and having to take care of them, they sometimes resented that.
38. Speaker 1: that is the end of our conversation thank you

With mom

1. Speaker 1: I am Caroline tynes and I am here with my mom
2. Speaker 2: hello I am Michelle tynes
3. Speaker 1: I am interviewing her today, so the first question I have for you, do you find family important?
4. Speaker 2: oh yes very much
5. Speaker 1: why?
6. Speaker 2: Well, I think that gives you a sense of security. I think family are the people that love you unconditionally. We all need support. We all need a sense of love and family gives that to you versus just strangers. We all know each other’s history and so it makes it a tighter closer bond that we all need.
7. Speaker 1: I would agree, do you think all family conflict is bad?
8. Speaker 2: no, I think all families if they don’t have conflict, they’re probably not being open with each other. I think conflict comes with an open relationship because we’re not always going to agree on everything and so conflict can be very positive and healthy in a good way.
9. Speaker 1: are there certain subjects that caused conflict in the family?
10. Speaker 2: Of course, I mean with family you are with each other 24/7 so there is a lot of time together and so there’s lots of little issues that cause conflict, some being messy, some not. the simple typical little conflicts and then there’s the big conflicts like money issues respecting each other’s privacy respects each other space so when you live with somebody and your with somebody all the time or not even being with them just being that close there is always going to be conflict of things that are going to come up but like I said part of becoming close as working out this conflict and realizing that you really need each other and we all know each other’s problems we all know each other’s difficulties we know what were able to share our faults with each other so that becomes a positive issue
11. Speaker 1: good. How do you resolve your family conflicts?
12. Speaker 2: well, the best way to do it is sit down and have open communication talk it out occasionally now and then it gets heated I sometimes walk away and come back when all the emotions are calm and try to just sit down and have a true open conversation and try to be fair with one of another and try to see each other’s points
13. Speaker 1: as a child in your family did you look up to anyone?
14. Speaker 2: Yes, my mother was a very strong hard-working woman. She really kept the family together very unselfish and always put our needs in front of hers. So, my mom would probably be the person I looked up to.
15. Speaker 1: aww so sweet hahahah umm when you were younger did your family get along?
16. Speaker 2:oh yes I mean you know like every family we have our conflicts but we were a very close family not just with our immediate family but with our cousins and our aunt and uncles we were a family that we did everything together so we would travel together and vacation together so it was a big ummm my father traveled a lot with business and my mom depended a lot on her brothers and sisters and cousins for transportation you know for all kinds of needs so we spent a lot of time at our cousins aunt and uncles houses we were very tight niche family that we did everything together.
17. Speaker 1: That’s good I’m guessing they communicated well as a family?
18. Speaker 2: Back then we didn’t have social media so everyone spoke on the phone all the time. We were always at each other’s houses because we lived right by each other.
19. Speaker 1: so, do you communicate better or worse with your immediate family versus your family you grew up with?
20. Speaker 2: I would say it’s pretty equal my brother and I have a business together so we still communicate all the time
21. Speaker 1: Am I saying worse or better?
22. Speaker 2: oh, probably the same when I grew up, I had conflicts but we worked through them. That’s probably why my immediate family has conflicts but we work through them very well. And I would say probably my past actually helped to develop the health the relationship and my future
23. Speaker 1: do you ever think about trying to fix things from your childhood and siblings or cousins or parents?
24. Speaker 2: so, my parents were past so you know there’s not you know. Hopefully I let them know that I love them and they knew how close they were to me before they left. And my brother and I like to say we have a business together so we deal with a lot of complexes here and there but we manage it. And so, I don’t think anything I could go back and actually fix
25. Speaker 1: does conflict ever get in the way of your business?
26. Speaker 2: I was sure I mean you know we worked it out but we had some heated arguments I mean being in business you add the stress along with dealing with brother and sister who you know may have conflicting ideas of things and so with a stranger a bit more patient than but when its family it gets a little bit more heated but we seemed to always work it out we’ve been in business for thirty-two years together
27. Speaker 1: oh congratulations, are your parents, were your parents married or divorced?
28. Speaker 2:my parents were married their whole life
29. Speaker 1: good, and you only have one sibling?
30. Speaker 2: I have only had one sibling
31. Speaker 1: alright
32. Speaker 2: my parents got married when they were older which is very rare back then
33. Speaker 1: What has helped you and your brother stay close?
34. Speaker 2: we were close growing up I mean but it was family I guess working together and just we see each other every day and so that’s kept us very close
35. Speaker 1: Well, that’s good, that’s all the questions I have for you today so thank you for the interview.