Stephen Macedo
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691166483
- eISBN:
- 9781400865857
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691166483.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage ...
More
The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage lead to more radical marriage reform? Should it? Antonin Scalia and many others on the right warn of a slippery slope from same-sex marriage toward polygamy, adult incest, and the dissolution of marriage as we know it. Equally, many academics, activists, and intellectuals on the left contend that there is no place for monogamous marriage as a special status defined by law. This book demonstrates that both sides are wrong: the same principles of democratic justice that demand marriage equality for same-sex couples also lend support to monogamous marriage. The book displays the groundlessness of arguments against same-sex marriage and defends marriage as a public institution against those who would eliminate its special status or supplant it with private arrangements. Arguing that monogamy reflects and cultivates our most basic democratic values, the book opposes the legal recognition of polygamy, but agrees with progressives that public policies should do more to support nontraditional caring and caregiving relationships. Throughout, the book explores the meaning of contemporary marriage and the reasons for its fragility and its enduring significance. Casting new light on today's debates over the future of marriage, the book lays the groundwork for a stronger institution.Less
The institution of marriage stands at a critical juncture. As gay marriage equality gains acceptance in law and public opinion, questions abound regarding marriage's future. Will same-sex marriage lead to more radical marriage reform? Should it? Antonin Scalia and many others on the right warn of a slippery slope from same-sex marriage toward polygamy, adult incest, and the dissolution of marriage as we know it. Equally, many academics, activists, and intellectuals on the left contend that there is no place for monogamous marriage as a special status defined by law. This book demonstrates that both sides are wrong: the same principles of democratic justice that demand marriage equality for same-sex couples also lend support to monogamous marriage. The book displays the groundlessness of arguments against same-sex marriage and defends marriage as a public institution against those who would eliminate its special status or supplant it with private arrangements. Arguing that monogamy reflects and cultivates our most basic democratic values, the book opposes the legal recognition of polygamy, but agrees with progressives that public policies should do more to support nontraditional caring and caregiving relationships. Throughout, the book explores the meaning of contemporary marriage and the reasons for its fragility and its enduring significance. Casting new light on today's debates over the future of marriage, the book lays the groundwork for a stronger institution.
Sarah Harper
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- July 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199251162
- eISBN:
- 9780191602740
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199251169.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter examines the relationship between labour supply, time help to parents, and financial assistance to parents for a sample of American women aged 53 to 63. Women who helped their parents ...
More
This chapter examines the relationship between labour supply, time help to parents, and financial assistance to parents for a sample of American women aged 53 to 63. Women who helped their parents with personal care assistance worked fewer hours than those who did not. Women who provided financial assistance worked longer hours.Less
This chapter examines the relationship between labour supply, time help to parents, and financial assistance to parents for a sample of American women aged 53 to 63. Women who helped their parents with personal care assistance worked fewer hours than those who did not. Women who provided financial assistance worked longer hours.
Leah F. Vosko
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199574810
- eISBN:
- 9780191722080
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199574810.003.0008
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Political Economy, HRM / IR
Chapter 7 assesses three alternatives to the SER: the first advances a ‘tiered SER’ reflecting post‐1990 international labour regulations and convergent approaches within and among nation states ...
More
Chapter 7 assesses three alternatives to the SER: the first advances a ‘tiered SER’ reflecting post‐1990 international labour regulations and convergent approaches within and among nation states examined in Chapters 4 to Chapters 6; the second involves creating what Bosch (2004) calls a new ‘flexible SER’; and the third aims to move ‘beyond employment’ as the basis for labour and social protection (Supiot 2001). The beyond employment option goes the furthest towards an integrated approach to regulation, recognizing that addressing precarious employment requires not only new employment norms but transformations in gender relations and citizenship boundaries. However, building beyond employment towards the elimination of the margins of the labour market necessitates combining its proposed mechanisms for de‐linking work and employment status and form from dimensions of labour market insecurity, especially notions of labour market membership and social drawing rights, with visions for transforming caregiving and community membership.Less
Chapter 7 assesses three alternatives to the SER: the first advances a ‘tiered SER’ reflecting post‐1990 international labour regulations and convergent approaches within and among nation states examined in Chapters 4 to Chapters 6; the second involves creating what Bosch (2004) calls a new ‘flexible SER’; and the third aims to move ‘beyond employment’ as the basis for labour and social protection (Supiot 2001). The beyond employment option goes the furthest towards an integrated approach to regulation, recognizing that addressing precarious employment requires not only new employment norms but transformations in gender relations and citizenship boundaries. However, building beyond employment towards the elimination of the margins of the labour market necessitates combining its proposed mechanisms for de‐linking work and employment status and form from dimensions of labour market insecurity, especially notions of labour market membership and social drawing rights, with visions for transforming caregiving and community membership.
Stephen Macedo
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691166483
- eISBN:
- 9781400865857
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691166483.003.0007
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
This chapter examines a range of proposals for the reform or replacement of marriage. These marriage reform proposals range from increasing the contractual aspects of marriage, to further ...
More
This chapter examines a range of proposals for the reform or replacement of marriage. These marriage reform proposals range from increasing the contractual aspects of marriage, to further distinguishing and separating the civil and religious dimensions of marriage, and introducing greater choice, personalization, and deliberate design, along with the idea of curtailing no-fault divorce and strengthening marital commitment. The chapter considers the virtues of these alternatives to marriage compared with marriage as a status relation defined in advance by law. It explains and defends the comparative advantages of an open-ended marital commitment and concludes by discussing the conditions of just marriage, which include extending greater support for caring and caregiving relationships, but argues that this should be done by building on the success of marriage rather than by eliminating it.Less
This chapter examines a range of proposals for the reform or replacement of marriage. These marriage reform proposals range from increasing the contractual aspects of marriage, to further distinguishing and separating the civil and religious dimensions of marriage, and introducing greater choice, personalization, and deliberate design, along with the idea of curtailing no-fault divorce and strengthening marital commitment. The chapter considers the virtues of these alternatives to marriage compared with marriage as a status relation defined in advance by law. It explains and defends the comparative advantages of an open-ended marital commitment and concludes by discussing the conditions of just marriage, which include extending greater support for caring and caregiving relationships, but argues that this should be done by building on the success of marriage rather than by eliminating it.
Helen K. Black, John T. Groce, and Charles E. Harmon
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- March 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780190602321
- eISBN:
- 9780190602345
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190602321.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Health and Mental Health
The question of our research and our book is as follows: What is the experience of African-American elder male caregivers? Research and literature on African-American older males as informal, primary ...
More
The question of our research and our book is as follows: What is the experience of African-American elder male caregivers? Research and literature on African-American older males as informal, primary caregivers of demented or impaired family members, particularly spouses, are negligible. Male caregivers in general have been called “hidden” caregivers. Thus, we named the elderly African-American male caregivers we interviewed for this book “the hidden among the hidden.” We asked the experts—a group of 13 African-American male caregivers—to discuss the concrete and nonmaterial aspects of giving care to an impaired loved one. Our book addresses the knowledge gap about African-American male caregivers by revealing, in case-study form, their experiences of caregiving in the context of their personal biography and cohort history. Our focus is the practical and existential meaning of daily life as a caregiver. The men discussed in this book are over 60 years of age, most are long married, and they have been caregivers in their homes for at least 5 years and as long as 25 years. Their loved ones, particularly wives, suffered from a variety of illnesses and debilities that necessitated hands-on care. The book examines varied aspects of the caregiving experience, the unique generativity of men who give care, and the emotions and conflicts about decision making that emerge in day-to-day caregiving.Less
The question of our research and our book is as follows: What is the experience of African-American elder male caregivers? Research and literature on African-American older males as informal, primary caregivers of demented or impaired family members, particularly spouses, are negligible. Male caregivers in general have been called “hidden” caregivers. Thus, we named the elderly African-American male caregivers we interviewed for this book “the hidden among the hidden.” We asked the experts—a group of 13 African-American male caregivers—to discuss the concrete and nonmaterial aspects of giving care to an impaired loved one. Our book addresses the knowledge gap about African-American male caregivers by revealing, in case-study form, their experiences of caregiving in the context of their personal biography and cohort history. Our focus is the practical and existential meaning of daily life as a caregiver. The men discussed in this book are over 60 years of age, most are long married, and they have been caregivers in their homes for at least 5 years and as long as 25 years. Their loved ones, particularly wives, suffered from a variety of illnesses and debilities that necessitated hands-on care. The book examines varied aspects of the caregiving experience, the unique generativity of men who give care, and the emotions and conflicts about decision making that emerge in day-to-day caregiving.
Harriet P. Lefley
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195340495
- eISBN:
- 9780199863792
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340495.003.0013
- Subject:
- Social Work, Health and Mental Health, Children and Families
This chapter discusses the future of FPE as an accepted intervention within the larger context of families' involvement in the treatment of their loved ones. There is a discussion of divergent ...
More
This chapter discusses the future of FPE as an accepted intervention within the larger context of families' involvement in the treatment of their loved ones. There is a discussion of divergent interest groups in family and consumer movements, and of consumers' increasing role in the mental health workforce. There is an obvious distinction between those consumers who can function as providers and those who still require family caregiving. It is suggested that FPE can lead to a more effective role for families in treatment and greater access to information needed for illness management. The pervasive issue of confidentiality is discussed with some recommended solutions. At this juncture, FPE is still used in numerous sites in the U.S. and Europe, both for long-term patients and increasingly as prodromal interventions, and it is still alive and well in China. Accepted as evidence-based practice for schizophrenia, with clear cost-benefit in terms of reduced hospitalizations, FPE may become increasingly attractive for adoption as standard practice by mental health administrations.Less
This chapter discusses the future of FPE as an accepted intervention within the larger context of families' involvement in the treatment of their loved ones. There is a discussion of divergent interest groups in family and consumer movements, and of consumers' increasing role in the mental health workforce. There is an obvious distinction between those consumers who can function as providers and those who still require family caregiving. It is suggested that FPE can lead to a more effective role for families in treatment and greater access to information needed for illness management. The pervasive issue of confidentiality is discussed with some recommended solutions. At this juncture, FPE is still used in numerous sites in the U.S. and Europe, both for long-term patients and increasingly as prodromal interventions, and it is still alive and well in China. Accepted as evidence-based practice for schizophrenia, with clear cost-benefit in terms of reduced hospitalizations, FPE may become increasingly attractive for adoption as standard practice by mental health administrations.
Harriet P. Lefley
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195340495
- eISBN:
- 9780199863792
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195340495.003.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Health and Mental Health, Children and Families
This chapter defines the basic concepts used in this book. Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the application of empirically-supported treatments in work with clients. As an EBP, family ...
More
This chapter defines the basic concepts used in this book. Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the application of empirically-supported treatments in work with clients. As an EBP, family psychoeducation (FPE) is a time-limited structured intervention that reduces relapse and rehospitalization of clients with serious mental illness by enhancing their families' knowledge and coping skills. Serious mental illness is defined in terms of diagnosis, severity, and persistence, along with prevalence data from national population-based studies. The chapter presents data on the scope of families' involvement with persons with serious mental illness, in residential caregiving and/or ongoing social support. With few service providers offering education on illness management, education programs were largely developed outside of mental health systems, by organizations such as NAMI and MHA. Within systems, FPE emerged with research support of treatment efficacy by focusing on illness education and training in communication and problem-solving techniques.Less
This chapter defines the basic concepts used in this book. Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the application of empirically-supported treatments in work with clients. As an EBP, family psychoeducation (FPE) is a time-limited structured intervention that reduces relapse and rehospitalization of clients with serious mental illness by enhancing their families' knowledge and coping skills. Serious mental illness is defined in terms of diagnosis, severity, and persistence, along with prevalence data from national population-based studies. The chapter presents data on the scope of families' involvement with persons with serious mental illness, in residential caregiving and/or ongoing social support. With few service providers offering education on illness management, education programs were largely developed outside of mental health systems, by organizations such as NAMI and MHA. Within systems, FPE emerged with research support of treatment efficacy by focusing on illness education and training in communication and problem-solving techniques.
Brenda Jones Harden, Jessica Vick Whittaker, Gregory Hancock, and Kevin Wang
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195398465
- eISBN:
- 9780199863426
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398465.003.0002
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Health and Mental Health
This chapter examines outcomes for infants and the youngest children in the NSCAW sample. In particular, it examines placement stability and the quality of the caregiving environment. ...
More
This chapter examines outcomes for infants and the youngest children in the NSCAW sample. In particular, it examines placement stability and the quality of the caregiving environment. Developmentalists have identified the early childhood period as particularly important for children's language development, social development, and readiness for formal schooling. Researchers who study the development of young children have been especially concerned about the effects of children's early attachment to caregivers, as well as the cognitive and emotional stimulation in the caregiving environment. Children who encounter child welfare services are thought to be at a particular disadvantage in both regards, because economic deprivation and unstable caregiving relationships are thought to be all too typical of their environments. The chapter illustrates that these two factors—attachment and quality of the caregiving environment—are complex: when both are considered, their respective influences are not straightforward.Less
This chapter examines outcomes for infants and the youngest children in the NSCAW sample. In particular, it examines placement stability and the quality of the caregiving environment. Developmentalists have identified the early childhood period as particularly important for children's language development, social development, and readiness for formal schooling. Researchers who study the development of young children have been especially concerned about the effects of children's early attachment to caregivers, as well as the cognitive and emotional stimulation in the caregiving environment. Children who encounter child welfare services are thought to be at a particular disadvantage in both regards, because economic deprivation and unstable caregiving relationships are thought to be all too typical of their environments. The chapter illustrates that these two factors—attachment and quality of the caregiving environment—are complex: when both are considered, their respective influences are not straightforward.
Jody Heymann
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195156591
- eISBN:
- 9780199943333
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195156591.003.0021
- Subject:
- Sociology, Marriage and the Family
This chapter focuses on school-age children, the care they lack, and the caregiving gaps they are forced to fill when no one else is available. When pressed about who is caring for school-age ...
More
This chapter focuses on school-age children, the care they lack, and the caregiving gaps they are forced to fill when no one else is available. When pressed about who is caring for school-age children, popular unspoken presumptions emerge: that most school-age children can fare adequately when left alone. In some ways, the disparity between the visibility of the needs of preschool children and those of school-age children in the United States is a microcosm of the world. Most employers do next to nothing to help working parents address the needs of children six and over. Federal funding amounts to less than the equivalent of two afternoons' care for school-age children. Similarly, where attention is being paid by global organizations to children in working families, such as by UNESCO and the World Bank, it is almost exclusively paid to early childhood care and education.Less
This chapter focuses on school-age children, the care they lack, and the caregiving gaps they are forced to fill when no one else is available. When pressed about who is caring for school-age children, popular unspoken presumptions emerge: that most school-age children can fare adequately when left alone. In some ways, the disparity between the visibility of the needs of preschool children and those of school-age children in the United States is a microcosm of the world. Most employers do next to nothing to help working parents address the needs of children six and over. Federal funding amounts to less than the equivalent of two afternoons' care for school-age children. Similarly, where attention is being paid by global organizations to children in working families, such as by UNESCO and the World Bank, it is almost exclusively paid to early childhood care and education.
Heidi Keller and Kim A. Bard (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780262036900
- eISBN:
- 9780262342872
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262036900.001.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
It is generally acknowledged that attachment relationships are important for infants and young children, but there is little clarity on what exactly constitutes such a relationship. Does it occur ...
More
It is generally acknowledged that attachment relationships are important for infants and young children, but there is little clarity on what exactly constitutes such a relationship. Does it occur between two individuals (infant–mother or infant–father) or in an extended network? In the West, monotropic attachment appears to function as a secure foundation for infants, but is this true in other cultures? This volume offers perspectives from a range of disciplines on these questions. Contributors from psychology, biology, anthropology, evolution, social policy, neuroscience, information systems, and practice describe the latest research on the cultural and evolutionary foundations on children’s attachment relationships as well as the implications for education, counseling, and policy.
The contributors discuss such issues as the possible functions of attachment, including trust and biopsychological regulation; the evolutionary foundations, if any, of attachment; ways to model attachment using the tools of information science; the neural foundations of attachment; and the influence of cultural attitudes on attachment. Taking an integrative approach, the book embraces the wide cultural variations in attachment relationships in humans and their diversity across nonhuman primates. It proposes research methods for the culturally sensitive study of attachment networks that will lead to culturally sensitive assessments, practices, and social policies.Less
It is generally acknowledged that attachment relationships are important for infants and young children, but there is little clarity on what exactly constitutes such a relationship. Does it occur between two individuals (infant–mother or infant–father) or in an extended network? In the West, monotropic attachment appears to function as a secure foundation for infants, but is this true in other cultures? This volume offers perspectives from a range of disciplines on these questions. Contributors from psychology, biology, anthropology, evolution, social policy, neuroscience, information systems, and practice describe the latest research on the cultural and evolutionary foundations on children’s attachment relationships as well as the implications for education, counseling, and policy.
The contributors discuss such issues as the possible functions of attachment, including trust and biopsychological regulation; the evolutionary foundations, if any, of attachment; ways to model attachment using the tools of information science; the neural foundations of attachment; and the influence of cultural attitudes on attachment. Taking an integrative approach, the book embraces the wide cultural variations in attachment relationships in humans and their diversity across nonhuman primates. It proposes research methods for the culturally sensitive study of attachment networks that will lead to culturally sensitive assessments, practices, and social policies.
Ruth Evans
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847420220
- eISBN:
- 9781447301769
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847420220.001.0001
- Subject:
- Sociology, Health, Illness, and Medicine
This book focuses on the experiences and perspectives of children and young people who care for a parent with HIV in the global North and South. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research from the UK ...
More
This book focuses on the experiences and perspectives of children and young people who care for a parent with HIV in the global North and South. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research from the UK and Tanzania, it presents a unique insight into the similarities and differences in children' and parents' experiences across diverse socio-economic, cultural, and welfare contexts. The book makes a significant contribution to the growing research evidence on children and young people with caring responsibilities (‘young carers’) and the impacts of HIV and AIDS on families globally. It examines caring relationships within families affected by HIV and AIDS; the outcomes of caregiving; children‘s and families’ resilience; the factors influencing whether children become involved in care work; and local and global policy responses. The book also provides insight into the perspectives of parents living with HIV and service providers working with families.Less
This book focuses on the experiences and perspectives of children and young people who care for a parent with HIV in the global North and South. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research from the UK and Tanzania, it presents a unique insight into the similarities and differences in children' and parents' experiences across diverse socio-economic, cultural, and welfare contexts. The book makes a significant contribution to the growing research evidence on children and young people with caring responsibilities (‘young carers’) and the impacts of HIV and AIDS on families globally. It examines caring relationships within families affected by HIV and AIDS; the outcomes of caregiving; children‘s and families’ resilience; the factors influencing whether children become involved in care work; and local and global policy responses. The book also provides insight into the perspectives of parents living with HIV and service providers working with families.
Ann Burack-Weiss
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780231151849
- eISBN:
- 9780231525336
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231151849.003.0005
- Subject:
- Sociology, Gerontology and Ageing
This chapter discusses relationships with life partners, friends, and paid helpers, emphasizing and contrasting caregiving and care receiving.
This chapter discusses relationships with life partners, friends, and paid helpers, emphasizing and contrasting caregiving and care receiving.
Jill Duerr Berrick
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195322620
- eISBN:
- 9780199864607
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195322620.003.0006
- Subject:
- Social Work, Children and Families, Social Policy
On any given day, there are over half-a-million children in out-of-home care in the United States; the majority of these children reside in family foster care. Yet foster care is plagued by ...
More
On any given day, there are over half-a-million children in out-of-home care in the United States; the majority of these children reside in family foster care. Yet foster care is plagued by significant problems. There are too few foster parents available to care for the thousands of children needing care, support for caregivers is woefully inadequate, subsidies to caregivers are insufficient, and monitoring of caregivers’ quality of care is minimal. To make matters worse, although foster care serves as the backbone of the child welfare system, it is nonetheless given scant attention by public policy makers, administrators, and child welfare reformers. This chapter calls attention to caregiving as the centerpiece of the child welfare system with special attention to foster care subsidies, supports, services, and standards.Less
On any given day, there are over half-a-million children in out-of-home care in the United States; the majority of these children reside in family foster care. Yet foster care is plagued by significant problems. There are too few foster parents available to care for the thousands of children needing care, support for caregivers is woefully inadequate, subsidies to caregivers are insufficient, and monitoring of caregivers’ quality of care is minimal. To make matters worse, although foster care serves as the backbone of the child welfare system, it is nonetheless given scant attention by public policy makers, administrators, and child welfare reformers. This chapter calls attention to caregiving as the centerpiece of the child welfare system with special attention to foster care subsidies, supports, services, and standards.
R. Michael Brown, Louis A. Penner, and Stephanie L. Brown
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195388107
- eISBN:
- 9780199918386
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195388107.003.0013
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter provides readers with background information for the volume, Moving Beyond Self-Interest (S. Brown, R. Brown, & Penner, 2011), which describes new developments in theory and research on ...
More
This chapter provides readers with background information for the volume, Moving Beyond Self-Interest (S. Brown, R. Brown, & Penner, 2011), which describes new developments in theory and research on human caregiving from evolutionary, neuroscience, and social science perspectives. Scientific interest in caregiving and its motivation is rooted in philosophical thought, especially those ideas that address the phenomenon of altruism. The chapter traces historical roots of scientific attempts to understand altruism, considering the views of important visionaries like Charles Darwin and Peter Kropotkin, as well as contributions from more contemporary thinkers, including biologists William Hamilton, Robert Trivers, and David Sloan Wilson, and psychologists John Bowlby, Martin Hoffman, and Daniel Batson. The chapter’s conclusion underscores Berscheid and Collins’ (2000) clarion call for scientists to mount a serious effort to explore the ”caregiving construct”, and ends by noting that their call for action has not fallen on deaf ears. The cross-discipline efforts described in the Brown, et al. volume hold great potential for advancing our understanding of the caregiving system, extending the frontiers of behavioral science and public policy beyond self-interest, and addressing some of the most vexing problems ever to confront our species.Less
This chapter provides readers with background information for the volume, Moving Beyond Self-Interest (S. Brown, R. Brown, & Penner, 2011), which describes new developments in theory and research on human caregiving from evolutionary, neuroscience, and social science perspectives. Scientific interest in caregiving and its motivation is rooted in philosophical thought, especially those ideas that address the phenomenon of altruism. The chapter traces historical roots of scientific attempts to understand altruism, considering the views of important visionaries like Charles Darwin and Peter Kropotkin, as well as contributions from more contemporary thinkers, including biologists William Hamilton, Robert Trivers, and David Sloan Wilson, and psychologists John Bowlby, Martin Hoffman, and Daniel Batson. The chapter’s conclusion underscores Berscheid and Collins’ (2000) clarion call for scientists to mount a serious effort to explore the ”caregiving construct”, and ends by noting that their call for action has not fallen on deaf ears. The cross-discipline efforts described in the Brown, et al. volume hold great potential for advancing our understanding of the caregiving system, extending the frontiers of behavioral science and public policy beyond self-interest, and addressing some of the most vexing problems ever to confront our species.
Mario Mikulincer and Phillip R. Shaver
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195388107
- eISBN:
- 9780199918386
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195388107.003.0018
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
Over the past two decades, we have been working to transform attachment theory into a general theory of adult personality and behavior in social relationships. This has required expanding the theory ...
More
Over the past two decades, we have been working to transform attachment theory into a general theory of adult personality and behavior in social relationships. This has required expanding the theory to address many new issues that have arisen in studies of adults. More emphasis has been placed on what Bowlby, the creator of attachment theory, called “behavioral systems.” In the present chapter we focus on the two behavioral systems that govern support seeking and support provision in relationships, the attachment and caregiving systems. The first of these, attachment, governs one person’s (e.g., an infant’s) reliance on another person (e.g., a parent) for protection and emotional support, especially when fear is aroused or help is needed. The second behavioral system, caregiving, is the motivational heart of a parent’s (or other adult’s) response to a child’s distress or need for support. It is the core of all empathic, compassionate reactions to other people’s needs. We begin by explaining the behavioral system construct in some detail and show how individual differences in a person’s attachment system affect the functioning of the caregiving system. We review examples from the attachment research literature, focusing on what attachment theorists call providing a “safe haven” for others in distress. We also describe the few studies that have addressed how individual differences in attachment affect what theorists call providing a “secure base” for others’ exploration and self-development. We then sketch some new studies of this important issue.Less
Over the past two decades, we have been working to transform attachment theory into a general theory of adult personality and behavior in social relationships. This has required expanding the theory to address many new issues that have arisen in studies of adults. More emphasis has been placed on what Bowlby, the creator of attachment theory, called “behavioral systems.” In the present chapter we focus on the two behavioral systems that govern support seeking and support provision in relationships, the attachment and caregiving systems. The first of these, attachment, governs one person’s (e.g., an infant’s) reliance on another person (e.g., a parent) for protection and emotional support, especially when fear is aroused or help is needed. The second behavioral system, caregiving, is the motivational heart of a parent’s (or other adult’s) response to a child’s distress or need for support. It is the core of all empathic, compassionate reactions to other people’s needs. We begin by explaining the behavioral system construct in some detail and show how individual differences in a person’s attachment system affect the functioning of the caregiving system. We review examples from the attachment research literature, focusing on what attachment theorists call providing a “safe haven” for others in distress. We also describe the few studies that have addressed how individual differences in attachment affect what theorists call providing a “secure base” for others’ exploration and self-development. We then sketch some new studies of this important issue.
Louis A. Penner, Felicity W. K. Harper, and Terrance L. Albrecht
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195388107
- eISBN:
- 9780199918386
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195388107.003.0049
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This essay focuses on a particular kind of caregiving--parents caring for children who have pediatric cancer. Pediatric cancer requires extensive and costly involvement from the parents of the ...
More
This essay focuses on a particular kind of caregiving--parents caring for children who have pediatric cancer. Pediatric cancer requires extensive and costly involvement from the parents of the children, especially during the invasive and highly stressful treatments that are required to treat the disease. We view this caregiving as an example of a costly long-term investment and examine the causes and the consequences of differences in parents’ motives to engage in such actions. We have found that positively- valenced empathic responses ( i.e.,” empathic concern”) among parents immediately before treatments were associated with children experiencing less pain and distress during treatments, possibly because of how high empathic concern parents communicate with their children. Drawing on Selective Investment Theory we posit that empathic concern is an emotion regulating state that is coordinated by the social bonds proposed in the theory. That is, when parents are faced with a costly long-term investment, the emotions associated with empathic concern may serve to resolve the caregiving conflict between selfish and altruistic motives in favor of the latter. We also have found that children who are resilient and cope well with stressors elicit the highest levels empathic concern from their parents. Drawing on the concept of inclusive fitness, we suggest because parents who experience high levels of empathic concern are more effective helpers; this confers additional benefits on already resilient and adaptive children. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that the genetic characteristics associated with such altruistic behaviors will be present among the descendants of these caregivers. We present some preliminary data to support this argument.Less
This essay focuses on a particular kind of caregiving--parents caring for children who have pediatric cancer. Pediatric cancer requires extensive and costly involvement from the parents of the children, especially during the invasive and highly stressful treatments that are required to treat the disease. We view this caregiving as an example of a costly long-term investment and examine the causes and the consequences of differences in parents’ motives to engage in such actions. We have found that positively- valenced empathic responses ( i.e.,” empathic concern”) among parents immediately before treatments were associated with children experiencing less pain and distress during treatments, possibly because of how high empathic concern parents communicate with their children. Drawing on Selective Investment Theory we posit that empathic concern is an emotion regulating state that is coordinated by the social bonds proposed in the theory. That is, when parents are faced with a costly long-term investment, the emotions associated with empathic concern may serve to resolve the caregiving conflict between selfish and altruistic motives in favor of the latter. We also have found that children who are resilient and cope well with stressors elicit the highest levels empathic concern from their parents. Drawing on the concept of inclusive fitness, we suggest because parents who experience high levels of empathic concern are more effective helpers; this confers additional benefits on already resilient and adaptive children. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that the genetic characteristics associated with such altruistic behaviors will be present among the descendants of these caregivers. We present some preliminary data to support this argument.
Richard Schulz and Joan K. Monin
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195388107
- eISBN:
- 9780199918386
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195388107.003.0053
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter explores the costs and benefits of informal caregiving at the individual level. On the cost side of the equation we describe the negative physical and psychological health effects of ...
More
This chapter explores the costs and benefits of informal caregiving at the individual level. On the cost side of the equation we describe the negative physical and psychological health effects of caregiving as well as the effects of caregiving on labor force participation and vice versa. On the benefits side we describe recent findings that caregiving may be psychologically or physically beneficial to caregivers. We reconcile these divergent literatures and show how caregiving can either help and harm the caregiver depending on the intensity of care demands, the magnitude of care recipient suffering, and caregivers’ ability to positively affect care recipient outcomes.Less
This chapter explores the costs and benefits of informal caregiving at the individual level. On the cost side of the equation we describe the negative physical and psychological health effects of caregiving as well as the effects of caregiving on labor force participation and vice versa. On the benefits side we describe recent findings that caregiving may be psychologically or physically beneficial to caregivers. We reconcile these divergent literatures and show how caregiving can either help and harm the caregiver depending on the intensity of care demands, the magnitude of care recipient suffering, and caregivers’ ability to positively affect care recipient outcomes.
Dylan M. Smith, Stephanie L. Brown, and Mary L. Rigdon
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195388107
- eISBN:
- 9780199918386
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195388107.003.0064
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
In this brief essay, we review benefits of the caregiving system for health and well-being, and argue that these benefits are not reflected in economic models of how to maximize utility. We then ...
More
In this brief essay, we review benefits of the caregiving system for health and well-being, and argue that these benefits are not reflected in economic models of how to maximize utility. We then describe how the caregiving system highlights the tension between appetitive motives versus maintaining deeper relationships, a sense of purpose, meaning, etc, and point out how this tension is reflected in existing debates within economics. We discuss how new discoveries about the caregiving system can be used to inform these debates, and conclude with a discussion of some potential practical implications.Less
In this brief essay, we review benefits of the caregiving system for health and well-being, and argue that these benefits are not reflected in economic models of how to maximize utility. We then describe how the caregiving system highlights the tension between appetitive motives versus maintaining deeper relationships, a sense of purpose, meaning, etc, and point out how this tension is reflected in existing debates within economics. We discuss how new discoveries about the caregiving system can be used to inform these debates, and conclude with a discussion of some potential practical implications.
Julian Le Grand
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195388107
- eISBN:
- 9780199918386
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195388107.003.0069
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter considers the implications of the neuroscience of caregiving and altruism for the discipline of political science. It describes the non-biological explanations for human behavior widely ...
More
This chapter considers the implications of the neuroscience of caregiving and altruism for the discipline of political science. It describes the non-biological explanations for human behavior widely used in political science and questions their validity given new knowledge about the evolution of altruism and the neurophysiology of human behavior. In an effort toward consilience of biology and the social sciences, a set of hypotheses concerning the origins and development of human society is derived from the model of the caregiving system. After demonstrating that the hypotheses regarding the effects of the caregiving system on social evolution are consistent with existing archeological and anthropological evidence, the chapter turns to an analysis of myths and institutions in the polis of ancient Athens to explore how biology and culture have interacted to form and sustain large-scale societies and polities. The conclusion considers how knowledge of the caregiving system helps not only to explain the path of human social evolution, but also problematic features of contemporary politics, such as national identity and conflict, and the willingness of citizens to fight, kill, and die for their countries in war.Less
This chapter considers the implications of the neuroscience of caregiving and altruism for the discipline of political science. It describes the non-biological explanations for human behavior widely used in political science and questions their validity given new knowledge about the evolution of altruism and the neurophysiology of human behavior. In an effort toward consilience of biology and the social sciences, a set of hypotheses concerning the origins and development of human society is derived from the model of the caregiving system. After demonstrating that the hypotheses regarding the effects of the caregiving system on social evolution are consistent with existing archeological and anthropological evidence, the chapter turns to an analysis of myths and institutions in the polis of ancient Athens to explore how biology and culture have interacted to form and sustain large-scale societies and polities. The conclusion considers how knowledge of the caregiving system helps not only to explain the path of human social evolution, but also problematic features of contemporary politics, such as national identity and conflict, and the willingness of citizens to fight, kill, and die for their countries in war.
Christina M. Puchalski
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- November 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195146820
- eISBN:
- 9780199999866
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195146820.001.0001
- Subject:
- Palliative Care, Patient Care and End-of-Life Decision Making, Palliative Medicine and Older People
The connection between spirituality and health has received a lot of attention in both the scientific and lay presses. Is religion good for your health? Should doctors talk with their patients about ...
More
The connection between spirituality and health has received a lot of attention in both the scientific and lay presses. Is religion good for your health? Should doctors talk with their patients about their spiritual or religious beliefs? Should doctors pray with their patients? Through research and evidence, spirituality has been shown to be central to the care of the dying. It is therefore critical that healthcare providers know how to address a patient's spiritual needs. This book presents thinking on how spiritual care can be integrated into traditional caregiving in a practical and informed manner. Chapters that specifically address different religious and cultural perspectives are included. Patients' stories are used throughout to offer real-world experience. With a foreword by the Dalai Lama, the book is a guide for anyone involved in caring for the chronically ill or dying.Less
The connection between spirituality and health has received a lot of attention in both the scientific and lay presses. Is religion good for your health? Should doctors talk with their patients about their spiritual or religious beliefs? Should doctors pray with their patients? Through research and evidence, spirituality has been shown to be central to the care of the dying. It is therefore critical that healthcare providers know how to address a patient's spiritual needs. This book presents thinking on how spiritual care can be integrated into traditional caregiving in a practical and informed manner. Chapters that specifically address different religious and cultural perspectives are included. Patients' stories are used throughout to offer real-world experience. With a foreword by the Dalai Lama, the book is a guide for anyone involved in caring for the chronically ill or dying.
