Family Life Cycle -Behavioral sciences explore the cognitive processes within organisms and the behavioral interactions between organisms in the natural world. It involves the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behavior through the study of the past, controlled and naturalistic observation of the present and disciplined scientific experimentation and modeling.
It attempts to accomplish legitimate, objective conclusions through rigorous formulations and observation. Generally, behavior science deals primarily with human action and often seeks to generalize about human behavior as it relates to society.
Family Life Cycle
Family Life Cycle:
The emotional and intellectual stages you pass through from childhood to your retirement years as a member of a family are called the family life cycle.
The Stages of Family Life Cycle:
1. Stage 1: Family of origin experiences
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Maintaining relationships with parents, siblings and peers
- Completing education
- Developing the foundations of a model of family life
2. Stage 2: Leaving home
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Differentiation of self from family of origin and parents and developing adult to adult relationships with parents
- Developing intimate peer relationships.
- Beginning work, developing work identity and financial independence.
3. Stage 3: Pre-marriage stage
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Selecting partners
- Developing a relationship
- Deciding to establish own home with someone.
4. Stage 4: Childless couple stage
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Developing a way to live together both practically and emotionally
- Adjusting relationships with families of origin and peers to include partner
5. Stage 5: Family with young children
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Realigning family system to make space for children
- Adopting and developing parenting roles
- Realigning relationships with families of origin to include parenting and grand parenting roles
- Facilitating children to develop peer relationships
6. Stage 6. Family with adolescents
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Adjusting parent-child relationships to allow adolescents more autonomy
- Adjusting family relationships to focus on midlife relationship and career issues
- Taking on responsibility of caring for families of origin
7. Stage 7: Launching children
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Resolving midlife issues
- Negotiating adult to adult relationships with children
- Adjusting to living as a couple again
- Adjusting to including in-laws and grandchildren within the family circle
- Dealing with disabilities and death in the family of origin
8. Stage 8: Later family life
During this phase the main tasks are:
- Coping with physiological decline in self and others
- Adjusting to children taking a more central role in family maintenance
- Valuing the wisdom and experience of the elderly
- Dealing with loss of spouse and peers
- Preparation for death, life review, reminiscence and integration
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