Sometimes, family is all we have. Nobody knows you like your parents, grandparents, or siblings, as they’ve shaped the way you are today, for better and worse. They make up an important cornerstone of our society, yet the study of families and their dynamics has not always been formalized.

Family Science as a field emerged to provide an evidence-based approach focused on relationships to better understand how family systems work. This social science discipline can be a useful tool to look at how the nuclear family has changed over time.

For example, women used to be stay-at-home mothers, but now they’re often as equally involved in the workplace as their male counterparts. In part, this is due to increased accessibility to tertiary education and shifting social dynamics that allow women to engage in specialized careers from law at top-tier schools to nursing through nursing degrees online.

This article will explore what family science is, have a look at its historical development, and talk about why it is an important lens to view the world through in the modern era.

What is Family Science?

Family science is an interdisciplinary field, mainly discussed through a social science lens, that focuses on the study of families and close interpersonal relationships. A number of different aspects are part of the discipline: marriage, parenting, family dynamics, communication patterns, and how external factors like culture and economics affect family life. Essentially, family science aims to understand how families operate, especially in the face of challenges, and how the strengths and weaknesses of families in different situations can inform preventive action for others. The field has a massive scope, bringing in aspects of sociology, psychology, public health, and even economics, as the reality of the family unit is that it is complicated and must be informed by as much information and as many perspectives as possible.

The History of Family Science

Researchers like Sigmund Freud and Emile Durkheim were the first to formally explore the roles and functions of families within the fields of sociology and psychology. Durkheim viewed the family as a fundamental social institution that was a key part of keeping the world around us cohesive and running smoothly. Freud, on the other hand, was more focused on how family changes us psychologically, with a particular interest in how early childhood experiences impact the development of our personality later in life.

The first formal course in family-related study emerged just before the Second World War in 1938 at the University of Chicago, indicating growing recognition of the importance of family studies. Post-WWII gave rise to the nuclear family model as a response to the economic instability of the early 20th century in the United States. Returned soldiers were encouraged to start families in closely defined units so as to stimulate the economy and prevent economic situations that would lead to a repeat of The Great Depression.

In the 1950s and 60s, family science programs started to spring up around different American universities, with many focused on understanding marriage, family dynamics, and how these affected growing young minds. The discipline continued to evolve in the latter half of the 20th century, shifting as women gained more rights, beginning with Ronald Reagan signing a bill in 1969 that allowed a married person to seek divorce without the consent of their spouse.

Suddenly, there did not have to be a precedent for women to leave marriages they were not happy in, granting much-deserved independence and signaling a massive win for the feminist movement. As families evolved, the nuclear family was no longer de-facto: single-parent families, blended families, and same-sex parent families all began to emerge leading into the 21st century.

Why does Family Science Matter?

Some disciplines are focused purely on academic pursuits, but family science has real-world implications that have the power to affect change for many people and can massively contribute to the sustainability and well-being of a society.

First of all, there are family relationships to consider. Can you think of a time when your parents didn’t understand you as a teenager? It’s something that many of us experience, and with formal studies that look at communication strategies and conflict resolution, it doesn’t have to end in tears or a screaming match. Families are all about working together, and family science can help strengthen these relationships by providing real strategies that work to build the bond you have with those you care about most.

Looking more broadly, family science can be a great tool to inform public policy. Evidence-based insights can be used by policymakers to design programs to support the development of a healthy society. For example, child welfare and parental leave guidelines can be difficult to write without studies to refer to, so family science can play a valuable role in formalizing details which are often hidden.

Finally, family science can give us insight into how familial structures and dynamics vary with culture. Our globalized society is more diverse than ever, and cross-cultural interactions are part of everyday life. As a result, understanding more about parenting styles, marriage, and elder care from people of different cultures can help with cultural sensitivity and celebration, and perhaps inform how we can understand neglected aspects of familial care in our own cultures. Diversity represents an opportunity to learn from one another, and the formalization and universality of this learning is what makes family science so useful.

Family science seems like a simple field from its name, but it is anything but. In order to provide a deep understanding of the complex dynamics of families, this area of study has to dive into many different sociological aspects of what makes up a family.

From its early roots in sociology and psychology, it has evolved into a unique and complex area of its own, all to address the changing needs of families in a world that continues to evolve and surprise. Modern life can be challenging, but with the insights provided from family science, we can improve life at home one step at a time.

Technically called the Gottman method for healthy relationships, this system represents the culmination of John Gottman’s life work and a partnership with his wife, Julie Gottman.

Gottman’s Early Work

Over the course of his academic career, Gottman became interested in relationships, marriage, and divorce. In 1986, Gottman opened what was dubbed the ‘love lab’ to investigate the science of relationships. Some of the remarkable research conducted in this lab includes a longitudinal study that could predict the likelihood of divorce with over 90% accuracy using the tools Gottman and others had developed, like the ratio of positive to negative SPAFF codes, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Criticism, Defensiveness, Contempt, and Stonewalling), physiology, the rating dial, and an interview they devised called the Oral History Interview.

As you can imagine, the results of these studies and their highly accurate predictions became incredibly well known, but Gottman was not finished. In 1996, John and his wife Julie Gottman founded the Gottman Institute to help train clinicians in their methods and help people have healthy relationships. 

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Gottman came up with a simple analogy to better describe the negative communication styles that, according to his research, can predict the end of a relationship, called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, referring to the four behaviors that are most destructive to a relationship.

• Criticism. The Gottman method for healthy relationships views criticism as an attack on your partner’s character rather than addressing specific behaviors. Unlike a complaint, which focuses on particular issues, criticism is an ad hominem attack that undermines your partner’s entire being. For example, saying, “I was worried when you were late and didn’t call. I thought we agreed to notify each other,” targets a specific behavior. In contrast, criticism would be, “You never care about how your actions affect others. You’re selfish and always think of yourself.” Persistent criticism can lead to feelings of rejection and hurt, creating a pattern that intensifies over time and opens the door to more damaging relational issues.
• Contempt.  The second horseman looks at how the use of sarcasm, mocking, name calling, and aspects of body language like eye rolling undermine any relationship. Contempt goes beyond criticism because the contemptuous person assumes moral superiority, making the other person feel less-than. An example could be belittling a partner for resting after work by accusing them of being lazy and pathetic–in doing so; you are directly attacking their personality. Contempt is highly damaging, and Gottman even found that contemptuous of each other are more likely to suffer from infectious illness and is the strongest predictor of divorce. It stems from long-standing negative thoughts and must be addressed and eliminated for a relationship to survive.
• Defensiveness. Defensiveness is when you make excuses or play the victim instead of taking responsibility. For example, if asked why you didn’t do something, you might say, “I was too busy. Why didn’t you do it?” This response shifts the blame and dismisses your partner’s concerns. Instead, a better approach is to admit your mistake and show understanding. Defensiveness usually makes conflicts worse, as it prevents healthy communication and keeps problems unresolved.
• Stonewalling. Stonewalling happens when someone withdraws from a conversation, stops responding, and avoids dealing with issues, often as a reaction to feeling overwhelmed by negativity. This can include behaviors like tuning out, acting busy, or distracting themselves. While it might feel like an escape, stonewalling usually becomes a harmful habit that’s hard to break. If you catch yourself stonewalling, pause the discussion and ask for a break to calm down. Spend 20 minutes doing something soothing, like taking a walk, and then return to the conversation when you’re ready to engage constructively.

The Seven Principles of Making Marriage Work

The Gottman method for healthy relationships is comprised of seven key principles: 

1. Building Love Maps. Gottman’s research has repeatedly posited the idea that couples must come from a place of understanding and that being emotionally educated about their partner’s world is the best way to build a basis of understanding.  The easiest way to do this in an organized format is by using one of the many exercises like love map questionnaires that both you and your partner can complete with or without a therapist. Activities like this with well-designed questions prompt a far better understanding of your partner’s world. 
2. Share Fondness and Admiration. A key factor Gottman identified that results in divorce or contributes to negative feelings in relationships is a simple lack of respect. The act of sharing fondness and admiration can counteract this by reinforcing positive feelings and mutual appreciation. Regularly expressing gratitude, admiration, and respect for your partner helps build a strong emotional connection and fosters a positive atmosphere. Small gestures like compliments or kind words can go a long way in maintaining respect and deepening the bond between partners, ultimately supporting a healthier, more resilient relationship.
3. Fostering Positive Interactions. A lot of life is how you look at it. The act of fostering a positive perspective and seeing the best in each other is emphasized in the Gottman Method. This principle encourages couples to see the best in each other and engage in positive interactions that strengthen their bond.
4. Turning Towards Each Other Instead of Away. Perhaps the easiest way to improve any relationship is to use what Gottman calls “bids” for attention. These bids for emotional connection can be small things like asking a partner, “What have you been up to?” or “How do I look?” These simple questions prompt your partner to turn their attention toward you instead of away. 
5. Learning to Manage Conflict. Arguments where someone feels like they must win are not good for marriages. Gottman promotes methods for managing conflicts that teach you how to let go of the need to always be right or to “win” in a relationship. But in a relationship, if one partner is “winning,” then both are actually losing. That’s why it’s so important to learn to accept your partner’s influence and work together.
6. Making Life Dreams Come True. One of the most beautiful things about companionship is having someone who will encourage you and help you achieve your goals and dreams in life. This can look like supporting your partner in going back to school to get an additional qualification or encouraging them to take up a hobby they have always wanted to try.
7. Creating Shared Meaning. Every couple knows at least some of what their shared interests are… and which interests aren’t. The very act of partnering with someone is creating a commonality. Gottman studied the strength of rituals and found that even simple things like spending time with your partner at the end of the day or going out for coffee stimulate connection. 

Conclusion

The Gottman method for healthy relationships is a popular and well-researched approach to couples counseling (though it’s not the only one). It’s taught widely in professional programs, from traditional marriage and family therapy degrees to programs offering an online Masters in Mental Health Counseling. 

This overview just touches on some of the basics and provides some ideas to consider for improving your relationship. If you’re looking for more help with your relationship, feel free to contact us today for more ideas and support.