Rituals Rituals

Marriage and Family Marriage and Family InteractionInteraction

HPERF258HPERF258

What Are Family Rituals?What Are Family Rituals?

Family rituals are built around Family rituals are built around common symbols and symbolic common symbols and symbolic actions. They are familiar to family actions. They are familiar to family members and this familiarity members and this familiarity provides an emotional anchor. provides an emotional anchor. They provide a sense of safety and They provide a sense of safety and acceptance to members -- (Imber-acceptance to members -- (Imber-Black & Roberts)Black & Roberts)

What do rituals look like?What do rituals look like?

Rituals are composed by metaphors, Rituals are composed by metaphors, symbols and actions that are symbols and actions that are “packaged” in a highly condensed “packaged” in a highly condensed dramatic form to establish and dramatic form to establish and maintain family identitymaintain family identity

Rituals are time-bounded and space-Rituals are time-bounded and space-bounded, and provide a sense of bounded, and provide a sense of psychological safety and psychological safety and membership in a group for membership in a group for participants.participants.

Recognizing rituals and ritual Recognizing rituals and ritual like activitieslike activities

Big RBig R Little rLittle r Ritualized behaviorRitualized behavior

Similarities between Similarities between rituals and routinesrituals and routines

The may have a similar The may have a similar appearanceappearance Involve more than one family Involve more than one family

member, member, Involve overt behavior,Involve overt behavior, Repetition of form and content,Repetition of form and content, There is continuity and change in There is continuity and change in

both.both.

Differences between ritual Differences between ritual and routinesand routines

Differ in amount of Differ in amount of emotionemotion involved involved Differ in amount of Differ in amount of symbolismsymbolism BehaviorBehavior in rituals is relatively in rituals is relatively

unique, unusual and unique, unusual and extraordinaryextraordinary

Rituals involve unique staging: Rituals involve unique staging: preparation, enactment, and return preparation, enactment, and return to normalto normal

In your small groupIn your small group

Talk about family rituals and Talk about family rituals and routines.routines. What are some of the rituals in your What are some of the rituals in your

family?family? ““big R”big R” Little ”r”Little ”r”

How do you know the difference?How do you know the difference? Are there any rituals that have Are there any rituals that have

become routinized?become routinized? How have you maintained genuine How have you maintained genuine

rituals in your family?rituals in your family?

Sequence/staging of Sequence/staging of ritualsrituals

PreparationPreparation EnactmentEnactment Return to normalReturn to normal

Typology of Rituals (Imber-Typology of Rituals (Imber-Black, Roberts & Whiting, Black, Roberts & Whiting, 1989)1989)

UnderritualizedUnderritualized family neither celebrates or marks family neither celebrates or marks

family changes nor join much in family changes nor join much in larger societal ritualslarger societal rituals

Rigidly ritualizedRigidly ritualized very prescribed behaviors, rituals very prescribed behaviors, rituals

tend to stay the same over time tend to stay the same over time rather than evolvingrather than evolving

Typology of Rituals (2)Typology of Rituals (2)

Skewed ritualizationSkewed ritualization one side or aspect of family is one side or aspect of family is

emphasized over othersemphasized over others Hollow ritual as event, not process Hollow ritual as event, not process

Rituals observed out of obligation, Rituals observed out of obligation, with little real meaningwith little real meaning

Typology of Rituals (3)Typology of Rituals (3)

Ritual process interrupted or unable Ritual process interrupted or unable to be openly experiencedto be openly experienced At time of sudden change or traumatic At time of sudden change or traumatic

events, the family is unable to fully events, the family is unable to fully experience the whole ritual process.experience the whole ritual process.

Flexibility to adapt ritualsFlexibility to adapt rituals The ability to change rituals to better The ability to change rituals to better

meet the needs/desires of family meet the needs/desires of family members.members.

Ritual Themes Ritual Themes (Imber-Black & Roberts)(Imber-Black & Roberts)

Individual rituals can fit one, some, Individual rituals can fit one, some, or all of these themesor all of these themes

MembershipMembership Ability to participate in ritual indicates Ability to participate in ritual indicates

that one is a member of the groupthat one is a member of the group E.g., Being able to participate in family E.g., Being able to participate in family

photo after you are married to your photo after you are married to your partner, but not beforepartner, but not before

Ritual Themes (2)Ritual Themes (2)

IdentityIdentity Your role in the ritual indicates your Your role in the ritual indicates your

identity or a change in identity in the identity or a change in identity in the familyfamily

E.g., wedding ceremony E.g., wedding ceremony

Ritual Themes (3)Ritual Themes (3)

Belief Expression and NegotiationBelief Expression and Negotiation Ritual may involve symbolic Ritual may involve symbolic

expression of beliefsexpression of beliefs E.g., At Thanksgiving, going around table E.g., At Thanksgiving, going around table

and allowing everyone to go around and and allowing everyone to go around and express thanks for being a member of the express thanks for being a member of the family; children’s prayers at bedtimefamily; children’s prayers at bedtime

Family is safe place to express and Family is safe place to express and negotiate differences in beliefsnegotiate differences in beliefs

Ritual Themes (4)Ritual Themes (4)

CelebrationCelebration Family members come together to Family members come together to

celebrate some aspect of the life of celebrate some aspect of the life of one or more members or of the family one or more members or of the family in generalin general

E.g., Mom and Dad’s 50E.g., Mom and Dad’s 50thth wedding wedding anniversary; birthdaysanniversary; birthdays

Ritual Themes (5)Ritual Themes (5)

HealingHealing Intended to produce personal and Intended to produce personal and

relational healingrelational healing Remembering and honoring the deadRemembering and honoring the dead Communal coming together to Communal coming together to

provide support and care for each provide support and care for each otherother

Designing a ritual (1)Designing a ritual (1)

What are the purpose and goals of What are the purpose and goals of the ritual?the ritual?

What are the basic elements of the What are the basic elements of the ritual?ritual? E.g., Openness to change, how often E.g., Openness to change, how often

it should be repeated, who is it should be repeated, who is involvedinvolved

Designing a ritual (2)Designing a ritual (2)

What is the content?What is the content? Behaviors—who does what?Behaviors—who does what? Symbolism—what does it mean?Symbolism—what does it mean? Emotions—what is the emotional Emotions—what is the emotional

impact? How do family members impact? How do family members feel about it? feel about it? In order to be effective, rituals In order to be effective, rituals

must be affectivemust be affective

Small group discussionSmall group discussion

Design a family ritual using the Design a family ritual using the information above and the information above and the information from reading #51information from reading #51

In your small group (cont.)In your small group (cont.)

Discuss the ritual themes. Can you Discuss the ritual themes. Can you identify any other themes of your identify any other themes of your own family’s routines? If you are a own family’s routines? If you are a member of more than one family, member of more than one family, how are rituals different in each?how are rituals different in each?

Final Thoughts on Lecture Final Thoughts on Lecture MaterialMaterial

Describe how has your family has Describe how has your family has used ritual.used ritual.

Remember to turn this in to your Remember to turn this in to your discussion leader.discussion leader.