Psychology_100_

Assignment 1: Exploration of a Professional Journal Article in Psychology Title: The Role and Influence of the Father on his Child Cynthia D. Canady Strayer University: South Raleigh Campus Psychology: Human Adjustment August 21, 2012 The Role and Influence of the Father on His Child This research article reviews the effects of the father’s influence on his child. It involves interpretative phenomenological analysis of eight participants and the recurrence of information provided in case notes of three men and five women. This research is based on philosophical discipline originated by Edmund Husserl (1913). Husserl developed the phenomenological method to make possible a descriptive account of the essential structures of the directly given. Phenomenology emphasizes the immediacy of experience, the attempt to isolate it and set it off from all assumptions of existence or causal influence and lay bare its essential structure. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2012) During my research I have gathered from this information why a father’s personality and behavior may effect a child’s social and emotional adjustment. Particularly, how children obtain and maintain healthy relationships with others in their future. The purpose of this research is to examine the role of the father and his child’s upbringing and to determine whether that role has a positive or negative effect. The findings will support the eight recurrent themes evolving from the 12 master themes of the eight participants. Table 1 shows the result of a clustering of many emergent themes which emanated from the interviews of the eight participants. Table 1 Twelve master themes emanation from the emerging themes of the eight participants (p179) Participants Master themes Paul Sandra Malcolm Robert Stella Margaret Alexa Charlotte Control Yes Yes Emerging Emerging (Mother) No No Emerging (Alexa) No Masculinity Yes No No No No No No No Rejection Yes No Emerging No Yes No No No Bad/nasty Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Millings (2010) draws connection between twelve master themes; control, masculinity, rejection, pride and praise, the bad father, the façade, the reactive father, mother’s role, positive effects specifically, negative effects or behavior, the bad grandfather, and explanation and consequences. The 8 participants are Malcolm, Robert, Paul, Alexa, Margaret, Sandra, Charlotte and Stella. (p. 177) In accordance to the overall field of Psychology, this review relates to Chapter 8, Friendship and Love Relationships of our textbook. The section titled Links between Attachment in Childhood and Close Relationships in adults clearly correlates to how children’s upbringing influences how they handle relationships. This article is different and similar from articles in non-scholar periodicals such as magazines and newspapers in that all three are the most commonly used. And, although, each is published, however, unlike newspapers and magazine, peer review journals are scholarly reviews that are sponsored by a professional society or association before publication. In addition, pre-review journals are intended for other researchers and specialist in the field of interest. In contrast, both magazines and newspapers are intended for the general public’s readership of non-specialized information. (James, 2012, p. 1) From the twelve master themes the focus will involve only four major themes; control, masculinity, rejection, and bad/nasty father. The first themes, control were a major theme in Paul’s narrative, to a lesser extent for Sandra, not an issue for Margaret and Charlotte, but it did surface as an emerging theme for Malcolm and Robert. For instance, it was only after the death of Paul’s father that he was able to break free from his macho father influence. He was 24 years old. Sandra was in her mid-thirties before she was able to obtain control from her father’s thoughts and behavior. Malcolm only gains control after he was sent to a children’s home. On the other hand, Robert’s situation was contradictory to the others because it was his mother rather than the father who was controlling. However, she never used her control to stop his step father’s abusive behavior towards Robert. Also, Alexa’s treatment was at the hands of her stepfather. She was abused sexually. The second major master theme, masculinity pertained to Paul’s father. Paul described the environment in which he grew up was masculine and he used the word macho several times in his narration. This was a major issue with his father. His father imposed this image upon Paul and his siblings. This affected them considerably. For his father, it signified strength and his role as head of the house. This machismo image over-rode everything. The third major theme, rejection was for Paul and Stella as well as an emerging one for Malcolm. Paul never received any praise or approval from his father even though he went to a university. Rejection for Stella did not come directly from her father, because he was too weak to stand up to her mother. Both Stella’s and her father suffered rejection from the mother. In contrast, Malcolm’s rejection was directly from his father who tried to force him out of his home. This was a repetitious occurrence of his life with his father. The fourth major theme, bad/nasty father was a major theme for all participants other than Stella. Alexa’s father extensively sexually abused her from the time she was three years old until the age of thirteen. He threatened to kill her if she told anyone. To add insult to injury, Alexa’s biological father was an alcoholic who was physically violent to her, usually when he was drunk. Like Sandra’s father, Alexa’s father also neglected her. (Table 2), The results for entails that all the participants in the research and those whose case notes have been utilized in order to include their experiences have undergone life changing difficulties and traumas which affect them to the present day. Table 2 Six recurrent themes evolving from the master themes of the eight participants (p. 187) * Powerless child * Father was who he was * Not understanding why he behaved as he did * Different from others * Mother’s role * The bad/nasty father From this study it can be concluded from the emergent themes narrowed down into master themes displayed a remarkable similar pattern. That is the recurring themes focused on the most pertinent recollection of each individual’s particular experience and these repetitive issues merit due consideration of continuing funding for further research. Too explore the long term effect of children who are being raised in an unstable environment, can aid people to understand why they are unable to obtain and maintain healthy relationships. As a result of this analysis, I would recommend a follow-up study with the same eight participants and their children. The logic of this analysis will be to find out if the previous eight participants have finally, gain control over their lives or if they are still living under the influence of their parent’s behavior. Also, to determine if any of the participants has broken the pattern of abuse for the sake of their children. In addition, to discover if any of the participants decided not to have any children because of their upbringing. References Husserl, E., (2012). Encyclopedia Britannica: Standard Edition.  Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica. James, W. (n.d.) Psychology defined: Scholarly journal v. magazine v. newspaper. Retrieved July 20, 2012 from http://www.des.emory.edumfppsy.html Millings, E. (2010) the role and influence of the father on his child in biological and non-biological relationships: Part Two – Introduction and research findings- An interpretative phenomenological analysis study. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 23(2), 177-188 Santrock, J. (2006). Human adjustment: 2007 Custom edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill