The Point of View in "Everyday Use"

Introduction

This study aims to analyze the relations between family and personal identity. We have chosen this subject because we believe it to be key in understanding who we are as individuals. Although the family is not the same as or equal to the 'self' or 'I', its influence in the construction of our individuality is essential. Furthermore, the relationship between family and identity is complex and cannot be explained simply or lightly. Discovering what these relations might be is, then, an important first aim of this article.

The family has consequences for identity due to their intimate bonds, mixing emotions such as friendship and love. It influences the construction of personal identity throughout various stages of life. We should consider the construction and deconstruction of individual identity in each step of the cycle. Positive narratives related to identity formation and its connection to the family will be explored in this article.

Historical and Theoretical Perspectives on Family Influence

Families have the power to shape our identities in countless ways. A historical and theoretical framework can provide a useful tool for examining and integrating the relevant evidence. Historically, relationships with family members have been recognized as foundational and influential. Many theoretical approaches within psychology, sociology, and anthropology provide insights about the potential mechanisms leading to these influences. These include theories that examine infant mental representations of their caregivers, approaches that emphasize the transmission of roles and social dynamics through families, psychological and sociological perspectives that look to the ways families are nested within or affect adult relationships, and a wider sociological approach that assesses historical shifts in family practices and policies to look at family effects on society and norms.

Throughout history, families played a significant role in treatment, belonging, and regulation. But as time passed, extended families gave way to nuclear and post-nuclear family forms. Romantic love ideologies in the West emphasized individual choice in marriage. Women entering the workforce changed the division of labor in many societies. Divorce rates increased in the 20th and 21st centuries. Assisted reproductive technologies detached childrearing from marriage. Historical events impacted family policies. Evolutionary psychology studied genetic and environmental influences on families and societies.

Case Studies: Personal Narratives of Family Influence

Case Studies:

When I was a child, my family were my protectors and my guardians. I had physical and emotional issues at school, and it was a relief to come home to a safe environment. They were also the first people who encouraged and believed in me and supported me to sign up for college and university. My grandparents provided education to my mother and uncle to give them opportunities they didn’t have, but instead my uncle has spent his life in custody – first as a young offender and later as a serial criminal; something has developed a great gift for him and has been a recurring theme through opening doors for him to come out of prison early. Furthermore, instead of preventing or identifying the abuse I was suffering, I was told to brush the issue under the carpet and to continue to meet my family.

Family is the primary influence for individuals aged 0-18, shaping their worldview and self-identity. Case studies reveal both hardships and triumphs, including struggles in relationships, poverty, mental health issues, divorce, infertility, incest, discrimination, addiction, and bullying. Despite these challenges, individuals express resilience, strength, and self-love. They highlight the mostly positive support from family members despite the conflicting nature of their experiences. Underneath surface appearances, the support offered may be hostile, a recurring theme in the case studies.

Psychological and Sociological Implications of Family Influence

Our family background informs our day-to-day lives. The ones who share our blood, the ones whom we have been closest to since birth, also inform our self-image. Throughout our formative years, our family affects the cognitive and emotional parts of the brain. Our general sense of self-esteem is, in part, due to the belief that is instilled in us by our family. It plays a significant role in attaining our social traits and habits. When children are accepted and cared for by their parents, they feel a stronger sense of belonging and are more inclined to care for others. Children who don't feel close to their family are less likely to appreciate the responsibility and are more afraid of approval. In the event of an identity crisis, "attachment to a family that genuinely loves and nurtures their child and provides a hothouse in the psyche ensures the child will emerge from the stages without serious damage to the self." The parent does not raise a child, but instead, the child emerges from the parent.

The family is a fundamental cause of social values. It teaches us the traditions and discipline of society. Individual and family identities overlap. Psychology shapes our identity. India's identity includes a mix of individualism and collectivism. Early familial relationships impact social relations outside the family. Mental health risks increase for those with dysfunctional families.

Conclusion and Future Directions

As evidenced by the constituent sections, the contributions to this special issue cover a wide array of contexts and theoretical perspectives to offer a complex, multi-faceted narrative of family influence on identity. Work in this area amply demonstrates that family has the potential to influence identity throughout different stages of people's lives. What will be important for the years ahead—and can connect to new ways of conceptualizing the family and family identity—is researching and theorizing these emergent, sometimes diverse, and often concealed family dynamics. The papers in this special issue suggest that the family continues to be an important link between sociology and psychology, a multifaceted and analytical tool that brings researchers and practitioners benefit.

We acknowledge that some subjects were not represented well in the articles, such as the experiences of non-heterosexual family members. This requires investigation in a contemporary context that differs from the past. Additionally, there is a lack of evidence-based research on family influences based on individual variables like sexual orientation, attraction, and gender identity. As the family evolves and influences new generations, it is important to study these intersections. Young people with close relationships to their grandparents or those in neoparenting can provide insight into the ever-changing nature of families. It is crucial for us as educators and mental health professionals to understand the complexity of these changes. Family changes shape personal and social identity, connecting sociology and psychology across generations. This uncertainty and fluidity should prompt us to continue the conversation between psychology, sociology, and other disciplines to guide future research.