CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONAL INFLUENCES ON VIOLENCE BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS (FROM CONFIGURATIONS - BIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS IN SEXUALITY AND FAMILY LIFE, 1974, BY RAYMOND PRINCE AND DOROTHY BARRIED)

• NCJ Number: 37670
• Author(s): M A STRAUS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: D C Heath and Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THERE IS A LARGE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE CULTURAL NORMS CONCERNING VIOLENCE BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP IN THE FAMILY.

Abstract

FAMILY MEMBERS ARE SUPPOSED TO MAINTAIN BENEVOLENT AND LOVING RELATIONSHIPS, YET FAMILY VIOLENCE IS SO COMMON AS TO BE ALMOST UNIVERSAL. THE CULTURAL AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE FAMILY ARE NOT CONFINED TO THOSE THINGS DIRECTLY CONCERNED WITH THE FAMILY. THE PERVASIVENESS OF VIOLENCE AND THE APPROVAL OF VIOLENCE, AS A MEANS FOR ACHIEVING SOCIALLY DESIRABLE ENDS UNAVOIDABLY AFFECT THE FAMILY. PSYCHOLOGICAL, CULTURAL, AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATION FACTORS DO NOT, BY THEMSELVES, PRODUCE VIOLENCE AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS; RATHER IT IS A CERTAIN COMBINATION OF THESE ELEMENTS, WORKING UPON THE ONGOING PROCESS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS' SOCIAL CLASS INFLUENCE PARENTAL USE OF PHYSICAL PUNISHMENT. VIOLENCE BETWEEN HUSBAND AND WIFE IS INFLUENCED BY THE PRESTIGE AND EARNING POWER OF THE HUSBAND'S OCCUPATION AND THE RELATIVE POWER OF THE HUSBAND AND WIFE IN THE FAMILY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.