One of the primary theoretical models of conflict pertaining to conflict within families is the Bowen family systems theory. According to Dr. Murray Bowen, “the family is an emotional unit and the emotional processes are the expressions of the hypothesized instinctual forces of togetherness and individuality. The introduction of acute or chronic anxiety into a relationship system unbalances these forces” (Titelman, 2008, p. 21). Basically, when a family system is afflicted with uncontrolled levels of anxiety, it’s likely that the family will suffer from some form of dysfunction (Jones-Smith, 2011). Likewise, the onset of dysfunction also leads to more conflict in the family as well, thus continuing the vicious cycle of destructive conflict
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The Bowen theory of triangles refers to the three-person relationship system that typically consists of a mother, a father, and a child. According to The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family (2016), triangles are “considered the building block or “molecule” of larger emotional systems because a triangle is the smallest stable relationship system” (para. 1). For instance, the two-person system is thought to be unstable when anxiety is high since a triangle is barely able to tolerate any amount of tension before it needs a third person to become involved so that the tension is shifted around the three relationships, thereby distributing the “load” so to speak. Likewise, when the tension surmounts levels that are too high for one triangle to hold, it continually spreads to other triangles (e.g., interlocking triangles) as a way of dispersing the tension even further across the family system (The Bowen Center, 2016). Although this process helps to ease tensions and provides immediate relief to the system, it doesn’t necessarily resolve the primary problem or conflict in the long-term. Eventually, additionally reinforcement will be necessary to help carry even more of the …show more content…
For instance, “when one member of a relationship triangle departs or dies, another person can be drawn into the same role (e.g., 'villain', 'rescuer', 'victim', 'black sheep', 'martyr')” (Brown, 2012, p. 4). In terms of my own family, this concept is important as it somewhat describes why I took on the role of homemaker after my mother had died and allowed for my father to talk to me in the manner that he did for so many years – I wanted to make my mother proud, while still keeping the peace with my father. In a way, this also distracted me from own grievances with my family, and the loss of my mother as well, thus placating family tensions by hiding them deep beneath the surface, away from our day to day
The Bowen theory of triangles refers to the three-person relationship system that typically consists of a mother, a father, and a child. According to The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family (2016), triangles are “considered the building block or “molecule” of larger emotional systems because a triangle is the smallest stable relationship system” (para. 1). For instance, the two-person system is thought to be unstable when anxiety is high since a triangle is barely able to tolerate any amount of tension before it needs a third person to become involved so that the tension is shifted around the three relationships, thereby distributing the “load” so to speak. Likewise, when the tension surmounts levels that are too high for one triangle to hold, it continually spreads to other triangles (e.g., interlocking triangles) as a way of dispersing the tension even further across the family system (The Bowen Center, 2016). Although this process helps to ease tensions and provides immediate relief to the system, it doesn’t necessarily resolve the primary problem or conflict in the long-term. Eventually, additionally reinforcement will be necessary to help carry even more of the …show more content…
For instance, “when one member of a relationship triangle departs or dies, another person can be drawn into the same role (e.g., 'villain', 'rescuer', 'victim', 'black sheep', 'martyr')” (Brown, 2012, p. 4). In terms of my own family, this concept is important as it somewhat describes why I took on the role of homemaker after my mother had died and allowed for my father to talk to me in the manner that he did for so many years – I wanted to make my mother proud, while still keeping the peace with my father. In a way, this also distracted me from own grievances with my family, and the loss of my mother as well, thus placating family tensions by hiding them deep beneath the surface, away from our day to day