NCJ Number
58922
Date Published
Unknown
Length
32 pages
Annotation
SEVERAL THEORIES OF VIOLENCE, AS APPLIED TO FAMILY VIOLENCE, ARE INTEGRATED IN AN OVERALL THEORETICAL DIAGRAM AND DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE WITHIN THE FAMILY ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PRIOR TO 1971 THERE WAS LITTLE RESEARCH ON FAMILY VIOLENCE. RECENT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT PHYSICAL VIOLENCE BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS IS A NORMAL PART OF FAMILY LIFE IN MOST SOCIETIES AND IN AMERICAN SOCIETY IN PARTICULAR. UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILIES CALL FOR A SPECIAL THEORY OF INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE, AS COMPARED TO SIMPLY ASSUMING THAT MORE GENERAL THEORIES OF VIOLENCE AUTOMATICALLY APPLY TO THE FAMILY. THE FACTORS WHICH REQUIRE A SPECIAL THEORY INCLUDE THE HIGH LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN THE FAMILY, AND SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS INTENSITY OF COMMITMENT TOWARD FAMILY MEMBERS. FROM THE 15 THEORIES OF VIOLENCE WHICH ARE EVALUATED, IT IS POSSIBLE TO CONSTRUCT A THEORETICAL INTEGRATION OF APPLICABLE ELEMENTS IN DIAGRAM FORM INCLUDING ELEMENTS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, FRUSTRATION-AGGRESSION, STRUCTURAL, AND INTRAFAMILY RESOURCE THEORIES. THE MAJOR LIMITATION OF THE RESULTING INTEGRATION IS THAT IT DOES NOT SHOW FEEDBACK LOOPS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO BE PRESENT AND DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY PROVISION FOR CYBERNETIC CONTROL OF THE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, IT DOES BRING A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CLARITY TO THE SUBJECT OF INTRAFAMILY VIOLENCE AND ESTABLISHES A BASIS FOR A MORE DETAILED AND SPECIFIC THEORY. REFERENCE NOTES AND DIAGRAMS ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)