HDFS 2300 - Exam 2 questions with
correct answers
Task at hand when managing the emotional climate of a family - correct answer ✔✔Provide for
emotional and psychological well-being of members (closeness, involvement, acceptance, and
nurturance)
3 major strategies when managing a families emotional climate - correct answer ✔✔Nurturing and
supporting individual family members.
Building family cohesion.
Managing conflict and tension.
Nurturing and Supporting Individual Family Members - correct answer ✔✔Free to talk about
feelings/family members willing to listen.
Building Family Cohesion - correct answer ✔✔Distributing power in ways that allows all family members
to feel positive about their involvement in the family.
Managing Conflict and Tension - correct answer ✔✔Ideally will successfully manage conflict and
promote well being of family members.
Fusion - correct answer ✔✔The tendency to submerge one's sense of self in relationships with other,
thereby losing the distinction amount emotional and intellectual functioning, self and other
When family members are so connected to the family's emotional system that it interferes with ability to
manage aspects of lives.
Example: Debra tries to get involved in cooking with Marie.
Differentiation - correct answer ✔✔Ability to free self from responding to emotional field in a family
system.
When applied to an individual, refers to their own individuality and act autonomously while remaining
emotionally connected to others
,At family level, refers to the degree to which difference is tolerated within the family system
Emotional Triangles - correct answer ✔✔When two parts of a family system have conflict, they focus on
one thing other than what they're fighting about. Example: If they're upset about finances they might
start fighting over the dishes.
Two levels of fusion/differentiation - correct answer ✔✔Basic
Function
Function Level of Fusion/Differentiation - correct answer ✔✔When emotions dominate people end up
doing something that they regret later
Example: when you argue with someone and then regret something that you said.
How do families/individuals cope with fusion? - correct answer ✔✔Genogram: know how to react to
their emotions: a family map. Patterns of interactions between members of families. How individuals fit
in with their families
Family Ledger: cant balance the ledger ever. When you do something for someone, you expect them to
do something for you in return
Invisible Loyalties: deeply emotional ties: giving taking, giving and getting help
Chronic Family Anxiety - correct answer ✔✔Caused by emotions.
Never dealing with the direct source of anxiety, the one/thing causing the problem.
Emotional Cutoff: attempt to emotionally or physically detach oneself from ones family of origin to avoid
fusion and contain ones sense of self
Limitations of the concept of fusion in families - correct answer ✔✔Losing a sense of self
Contained Conflict - correct answer ✔✔Conflict that stays between the people involved in the conflict.
Uncontained Conflict - correct answer ✔✔Spills over and affects other members of the family creating
enemies and alliances (ex: mom and dad are fighting, child is forced to choose sides)
, Three ways uncontained conflict is often manifested
in families. - correct answer ✔✔1. coalition
2. family projection process
3. Triangulation
How is the individuation process affected by a families differentiation? - correct answer ✔✔- In well-
differentiated families, an optimal tolerance for individuality allows family members to be recognized as
having unique individual characteristics and to act in appropriately autonomous ways. This helps to
create a family emotional environment in which members feel supported and encouraged to be
themselves.
- Poorly differentiated families display either a low tolerance for individuality or a low tolerance for
intimacy. When tolerance for individuality is absent, this manifested in distance-regulation patterns that
are enmeshing and interfere with the abilities of individuals to express their needs for autonomy and
individuality.
How does differentiation in a family system affect developing sense of identity and intimacy in
adolescents/young adults? - correct answer ✔✔In poor differentiated families, there can be a low
tolerance for intimacy.
- conflict that arises from intrusive attempts to maintain control and domination.
- overall result is a young person who is very unsure of his or her place in the world.
- there is a message of doubt, unresolved emotions, and a perpetual search for validation.
What are some problems associated with forced
individuation? - correct answer ✔✔Don't develop necessary capacities and interpersonal skills they will
need to engage in mature relationships.
Why is it important to focus upon the "shared meanings" aspect of the communication process? -
correct answer ✔✔Valuable resources
- help families attain important tasks
- when used wisely, families attain goals such as closeness and intimacy
correct answers
Task at hand when managing the emotional climate of a family - correct answer ✔✔Provide for
emotional and psychological well-being of members (closeness, involvement, acceptance, and
nurturance)
3 major strategies when managing a families emotional climate - correct answer ✔✔Nurturing and
supporting individual family members.
Building family cohesion.
Managing conflict and tension.
Nurturing and Supporting Individual Family Members - correct answer ✔✔Free to talk about
feelings/family members willing to listen.
Building Family Cohesion - correct answer ✔✔Distributing power in ways that allows all family members
to feel positive about their involvement in the family.
Managing Conflict and Tension - correct answer ✔✔Ideally will successfully manage conflict and
promote well being of family members.
Fusion - correct answer ✔✔The tendency to submerge one's sense of self in relationships with other,
thereby losing the distinction amount emotional and intellectual functioning, self and other
When family members are so connected to the family's emotional system that it interferes with ability to
manage aspects of lives.
Example: Debra tries to get involved in cooking with Marie.
Differentiation - correct answer ✔✔Ability to free self from responding to emotional field in a family
system.
When applied to an individual, refers to their own individuality and act autonomously while remaining
emotionally connected to others
,At family level, refers to the degree to which difference is tolerated within the family system
Emotional Triangles - correct answer ✔✔When two parts of a family system have conflict, they focus on
one thing other than what they're fighting about. Example: If they're upset about finances they might
start fighting over the dishes.
Two levels of fusion/differentiation - correct answer ✔✔Basic
Function
Function Level of Fusion/Differentiation - correct answer ✔✔When emotions dominate people end up
doing something that they regret later
Example: when you argue with someone and then regret something that you said.
How do families/individuals cope with fusion? - correct answer ✔✔Genogram: know how to react to
their emotions: a family map. Patterns of interactions between members of families. How individuals fit
in with their families
Family Ledger: cant balance the ledger ever. When you do something for someone, you expect them to
do something for you in return
Invisible Loyalties: deeply emotional ties: giving taking, giving and getting help
Chronic Family Anxiety - correct answer ✔✔Caused by emotions.
Never dealing with the direct source of anxiety, the one/thing causing the problem.
Emotional Cutoff: attempt to emotionally or physically detach oneself from ones family of origin to avoid
fusion and contain ones sense of self
Limitations of the concept of fusion in families - correct answer ✔✔Losing a sense of self
Contained Conflict - correct answer ✔✔Conflict that stays between the people involved in the conflict.
Uncontained Conflict - correct answer ✔✔Spills over and affects other members of the family creating
enemies and alliances (ex: mom and dad are fighting, child is forced to choose sides)
, Three ways uncontained conflict is often manifested
in families. - correct answer ✔✔1. coalition
2. family projection process
3. Triangulation
How is the individuation process affected by a families differentiation? - correct answer ✔✔- In well-
differentiated families, an optimal tolerance for individuality allows family members to be recognized as
having unique individual characteristics and to act in appropriately autonomous ways. This helps to
create a family emotional environment in which members feel supported and encouraged to be
themselves.
- Poorly differentiated families display either a low tolerance for individuality or a low tolerance for
intimacy. When tolerance for individuality is absent, this manifested in distance-regulation patterns that
are enmeshing and interfere with the abilities of individuals to express their needs for autonomy and
individuality.
How does differentiation in a family system affect developing sense of identity and intimacy in
adolescents/young adults? - correct answer ✔✔In poor differentiated families, there can be a low
tolerance for intimacy.
- conflict that arises from intrusive attempts to maintain control and domination.
- overall result is a young person who is very unsure of his or her place in the world.
- there is a message of doubt, unresolved emotions, and a perpetual search for validation.
What are some problems associated with forced
individuation? - correct answer ✔✔Don't develop necessary capacities and interpersonal skills they will
need to engage in mature relationships.
Why is it important to focus upon the "shared meanings" aspect of the communication process? -
correct answer ✔✔Valuable resources
- help families attain important tasks
- when used wisely, families attain goals such as closeness and intimacy
