Abstract
The psychologist may regard the family as a background against which to view the individual, asking perhaps how the parents influence the development of a child or how families of alcoholics may help the individual to overcome his or her difficulties, or alternatively the family itself may be the unit of study. The family is a small group and we can observe the patterns of communication within it, the process of mutual decision making, and so forth. It is a system, with individuals as sub-units or elements within. Typically, psychologists have focussed their interests on the biological and social nature of the individual, but they are now becoming increasingly concerned not only with individuals or even ‘individuals in relationships’ but with the relationships themselves.
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References
Brown, G.W. and Harris, T. (1978) Social Origins of Depression. London: Tavistock Publications.
Masters, W. and Johnson, V. (1966) Human Sexual Response. Boston: Little, Brown.
Masters, W. and Johnson, V. (1970) Human Sexual Inadequacy. London: Churchill.
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© 1982 The British Psychological Society
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Frude, N. (1982). The family. In: Psychology for Nurses and Health Visitors. Psychology for Professional Groups. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-16884-2_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-16884-2_16
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-31876-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-16884-2
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