Members of a family: roles, relationships and responsibilities

OBJECTIVES

a) Examine the roles, relationships and responsibilities of adult and sibling members of a Caribbean family.

b) Explain the causes and effects of the changes in the roles of family members in Caribbean society.

ROLES IN THE FAMILY

A role, sometimes called a social role, is a collection of behaviours, attitudes, responsibilities and expectations related to a position that a person fills in society. Most people play several different roles every day. A woman may play the role of sister within her family and serve as a support person and confidante. At work, she may serve as a boss who is tasked with monitoring people’s activities and determining rewards and punishments. While with friends, she may serve as the life of the party – the person who keeps the group talking and engaged. Each of these roles requires filling a specific function within a group and comes with an expected set of behaviours. An individual’s role, therefore, varies depending on his/her status/social position.

ISSUES WITH SOCIAL ROLES

Although a role can help a person determine appropriate behaviour, roles can also pose some challenges. Role confusion occurs when someone is unsure of what role to play. Role conflict occurs when two or more of a person’s roles conflict with one another.

FAMILY ROLE

People often play specific roles within their families, and these roles may be quite different from the roles they play at work or with their friends. Sometimes a person outgrows a family role, but the family continues to expect him or her to meet the demands of the role. Every family member plays a role as part of the functioning family unit. Each family establishes its own roles for family members to play, but common roles include:

Father: Heads the household, main provider/breadwinner and final authority.

Women/mother: Responsible for the household and for taking care of the children (Nowadays, there have been many changes made to the traditional male and female roles with more women receiving education and taking high-status jobs.).

Children: Help with chores around the house, run errands, fetch supplies, help to take care of younger siblings.

FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHANGING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEN AND WOMEN IN THE CARIBBEAN FAMILY: CHANGES IN THE ROLES OF FAMILY MEMBERS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY ARE A RESULT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL FACTORS

1. The high cost of living in the Caribbean has forced most women to become a part of the labour force. The male is no longer seen as the sole breadwinner in the family.

2. The introduction of birth control, with the varying contraception methods, has helped women to become more focused on a career rather than childbearing.

3. Increased technology has had a two-fold effect. First, women are now able to do work once dominated by men. Second, household chores are easily and quickly carried out.

4. Gender roles in the home are now being shared in most households. Men are helping more in domestic work, even though women are still doing the clear majority. The right to equal educational and job opportunities has helped in the promoting of equality of the sexes. Due to the increase in employment opportunities for women, they are now sharing the breadwinner’s role with their partners.

5. Most women are now participating in the decision-making process in the family. The belief that the man is the sole decisionmaker has changed.

RESULTS OF THE CHANGING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEN AND WOMEN IN THE CARIBBEAN FAMILY

Amid all these changes, even today there is still a clear distinction between women’s work and men’s work in our society. The changing roles of the members of the family have occurred and have resulted in and/or created role conflict in the family. 1. Define the terms ‘role’, ‘union’ and ‘status.’ 2. Explain why we need to have various roles in a family? 3. Suggest TWO reasons why a marriage union may be more beneficial than a consensual or visiting union in the Caribbean region.

4. State four factors that are responsible for the changes in the roles and responsibilities of family members in the Caribbean and explain how each factor contributes to this change. Then suggest THREE effects of this change in roles and responsibility on men and women in the Caribbean.