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1. Rational Dialects Theory in
Families
Abstract
This paper will explore Lyn and Richard’s ‘Perspectives on Family
Communication’ (2005). It will emphasize on the role of communication
in the creation and solving of issues in a family. The paper will draw
from different literatures authored by different scholars on the basis of
the theory of relational dialectics in families. The assertion of dialectical
scholars is that while in a relationship, people should reflect on
concrete ways or practical strategies that are used by individuals in
endorsing or acting in response to contradictions. The adoption of the
interdisciplinary approach will enable this paper to explain changes in
families’ demographics which have caused a decline in marriage rates.
This has led to increased child poverty, same-sex marriages, and single
parenting. The paper concludes that the future studies can be based on
the family communication’s literature that exists currently as well as
relational dialectics in studying interaction contexts where
communication can occur among the contemporary families in an
attempt to handle existing contradictions in the family setting.
Introduction
Family studies’ field is intricate and it has overlapping disciplines and
acquisition areas. Over the past 30 years, several debates have been
held by scholars on various issues that relate to family communication.
Due to this study’s nature, some scholars have taken narrower
approaches to tackle specific communication aspects. The study by
Lynn and Richard (2005) was not narrowed down. Instead, it focused on
the entire family communication perspective. They began by focusing

2. on this communication via definitions whose aim was to explain the
theories and concepts in details. As a way of drawing attention to
communication’s responsibility in generating and getting deeper into
the issues of family communication, ‘Perspectives on Family
Communication’ reveals methodically the sudden increase in the
research literature on family communication. Communication’s
theoretical work is important in the conceptualization of the modern
family’s characteristics. Just as the name suggests, dialectical theory
within the family context describes the understanding of incongruous
elements of families’ relationships.
The ‘Perspectives on Family Communication’ is examined in this paper.
The argument of the authors is that there are no family ties or relations
that can lack conflicts. They emphasize on communication’s role in the
creation and solving of issues in the family. According to Lyn and
Richard (2005), family is a unit and families differ. The authors provide
the methodological approach that is used in tackling this subject.
Further, these authors define family communication and family
culture’s perspectives. According to them, a family is a self-defined
group made of intimates who establish and sustain themselves via their
interactions as well as interactions with the others. Fitzpatrick & Ritchie
(1993) conversely argue that the society has reconsidered the definition
of the word family due to several sociological changes. The
relationships are involuntarily or voluntarily. For example, while
marriage can be seen as voluntary, blood relations among people are
unintentional. The emphasis of Vangelisti (1993) is on the fact that
relations in a family are involuntary. Solving problems in them is almost
impossible because complex emotions and histories influence them. As
such, Lynn et, al. (2005) and Fitzpatrick et al. (1993) posit a similar
argument as they try to describe family relations’ nature.
Overview of Relational Dialectics and Dialectical Tensions

3. There are different related opposites and tensions that are always
eminent in relationships that are dealt with in relational dialectics.
Differences may be assumed negative or positive in families.
Nevertheless, words like dilemma, negotiation or tension are in most
cases seen as negative. These exist when people have a relationship
(Rebecca & Emily, 2012). If a person employs dialectical reasoning, it
emerges to them that such adversaries’ occurrence is intrinsic in a
relationship and it ought not to be seen as an issue or a negative trend.
Supposing a member of a family faces such an issue, should it be taken
to mean that such a person can be relied on? Is it right to share
information with such a person? Alternatively, will I be right by
suggesting at this point of a relationship? These are critical questions
when it comes to comprehending relational dialectics because they put
a person in the situation of another. The suggestion of most literatures
is that relationships are successful after addressing cases that relate to
these dialectical tensions (Larry, 2000). Majority of dialectical
scholarships have four major concepts. These are change, Praxis,
totality and contradiction.
William Schutz, a psychologist notes that there are three important
requirements of individuals in relationships. These are affection,
control and inclusion. A question that lingers in mind is, suppose these
requirements are not met, what happens? People tend to establish
tension and contradiction in a family. This is sometimes a hindrance in a
relationship and it affects long-term development.
In fact, individuals in families have varying characters. Consequently,
one can correctly say that as a family component, there are difficulties
bundles especially in communication. Communication plays a vital role
in the creation of a lasting and productive family relationship (Lynn &
Richard, 2005). The essence of communication is appreciated by some
individuals while others do not appreciate it. This depends on
characters as well as mood. As such, the needs that should be managed
in a way that accommodates different people exist if bad outcomes are

4. to be avoided or circumspection in regards to relations in the family in
the future. Nevertheless, it should be noted that there are different
definitions of different scholars though they are all focused on
communication and relation within the family unit. According to Lyn
and Richard (2005), all communications in a family context exists within
cultural perspectives. Call culture’s communication exists and it
happens in a family context. Lynn and Richard (2005) give the definition
of culture as the historically shared system that comprises of the
symbolic resources via which people make the world meaningful. As
such, culture is understood as being instrumental in the understanding
of a person of the way groups come together to form communities on
the basis of widespread symbols, verbal communication, foods, belief
systems and religious conviction.
Theorists and researchers after dedicating work to family usually agree
that social controls, behaviors and ethics affect family structures and
these have undergone several changes over the past two decades
(Fitzpatrick & Ritchie, 1993; Larry, 2000). Families are able to endure
such changes and this means that they can adjust and how members of
a family communicate facilitates their agility. This introduces the
essence of communication within a family setup in regards to the
existing challenges. Considering these challenges, comprehensive
family communication’s clarification makes considering both
interactivity and inter-subjectivity necessary (Fitzpatrick & Ritchie,
1993; Owen, 1998). This implies that communication ought to include a
cognitive factor elucidating the way responses are generated, formed
and upheld by family members in a family to the actions of one
another. As such, the approach that a family uses in sustaining its
structure using patterns of responses that are produced by family
members to the actions of each other during communication is
illustrated by interactivity.
However, the authors also argue that communication plays a vital role
in family life today because individual relationships prospects have

5. changed slowly and these changes are inevitable. Family members’
upbringing occurs mostly during non-verbal communication and verbal
exchanges in the family set up. Larry (2000) posited this idea as well in
his research about the essence of contradiction and communication in
a family set up. Both Rebecca et, al. (2012) and Leslie (2004)
established in their studies that communication within families
enhances the feeling of security among young people. It also makes
them feel that their parents value them even when there are
contradictions.
Several family stories have been involved by these authors featuring a
member of a family or several members of a family. The stories depict a
sequence and they show quality drama that accompanies conflict or
suspense. These require negotiation that involves the stories versions
of the other members of the family (Rawlins, 1992; Mumby, 2001).
These stories are used to establish links between the current and the
future events in regards to the nature of conflicts that are experienced
by families.
The assertion of the authors is that families’ demographics have
changed. As such, there has been a decline in marriage rates and this
has caused an increase in same-sex marriages, child poverty and single
parenting among others.
Lynn & Richard (2005) however assert that there are no many
difficulties that are faced by step-families in communication since
inception. Communication use has been ignored by most families in
their setups because of different activities and schedules of their
members. Failure to use communication within a family leads to
problems because individuals do not share emotions and ideas. These
are what make solving differences possible. Lynn and Richard (2005) try
to explain the important role of communication among family members
as well as the way it ought to be handled in the third chapter of the
book. Their argument is that a family should have rules for governing
how communication is used in order to be effective.

6. How families address dialectical tensions in a family set up
The assertion of dialectical scholars is that while having a relationship,
individuals should reflect on concrete ways or practical strategies via
which people act and endorse in response to contradictions. Further,
they show that there are responses that have more use in a
relationship. Among the strategies that have been categorized as
unproductive by the scholars is denying the existence of contradiction
(Rebecca & Emily, 2012; Baxter & West, 2003). Those are the kind of
unproductive strategies that play a role in pulling different families
backwards in terms of developmental directions. The argument of the
authors is that individuals’ religious convictions within a family play a
vital in helping families cope with contradictions. According to
Rebbecca and Emily (2012) and Lynn and Richard (2005), diversity in
communication in a family, family communication’s challenges, changes
in the world and family communication’s value in the society are
important in the management of contradictions within a family as well
as the societal settings.
Strengths and weakness of the material used
In discussing family conception concept, the authors use different
literatures. However, they should define the communication concept in
order to use it in form of an effect or reason for their research. To most
researchers, it is important to have distinguishable boarders or
boundaries dividing communication concept in general as well as the
family setting’s communication. The way communication exists
between families differs. As such, it ought to be handled in a careful
manner while focusing on the essence of communication when it
comes to solving different family problems. Previous literature and
research has been used to build the findings and argument which is
important in passing the intended message and introducing new

7. arguments which make conducting further research on this subject
necessary.
Direction for future area of study
Communication theory’s application is vital when it comes to
understanding family communication. Despite the existence of several
studies that have been done on this subject, there is work that needs to
be done in this field. The focus of the future step in the study of
Relational Dialectics Theory within Families should be on the
identification of the interaction challenges that different families face in
regards to the changes in the family demographics. Various family
setups experience differences in communication. They also have
different experiences in regards to this communication. They also
originate from different socio-cultural or contextual surroundings.
Family studies’ field is intricate with various disciplines that overlap as
well as the inquisition areas. Changes in the family context as well as
the environment will impact on the approaches that will be embraced
in handling family contradictions. Using focus groups and interviews in
the future research will enhance the creation of preliminary
comprehension of the practical solutions that are required by the new
families’ demographics. The studies can address the issues of the
communication modes that can be effective in solving as well as
creating issues that will be found in different family demographics.
Communication is a field that is capable of chipping into
comprehension of causes of the decline in the recognition of dialectical
tensions that cause differences in marriages among partners in a
relationship as founded on behaviors of individuals, differences in
states behavior and expected behavior. Efforts will be re-focused on
behaviors of the participants and interpersonal skills by dialectical
approach to the interpersonal interactions that involve participants
from various families. This will lead to a family unit that is more
accommodative to variations in family demography. Future studies may

8. be built on relational dialectics and family communication that already
exists in studying instructional contexts where contemporary families
may communicate while trying to handle contradiction that exists in a
family. They should also try to answer questions like how people take
actions or make choices as well as how the choices recreate, create or
change dialectics in regard to the explanation of interactions in the
contemporary family.
Conclusion
It is impossible to assume the role that is played by communication in
solving and creating problems in a family due to the changes in the
modern family’s nature. The role that communication plays in a family
today should be acknowledged for positive results to be achieved for all
family members. Considering that communication exists within the
cultural perspective in a family context and that communication of call
culture occurs in a family, culture should be included in communication.
Further research ought to be done in relation to this topic considering
that family demographic and environment is always changing. This will
help in understanding communication in the context of a family clearer.
References
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9. Larry, A. E. (2000). Perceptions of dialectical contradictions in marital
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