Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026
07:59
Using a Comparative Species Approach to Investigate the Neurobiology of Paternal Responses
Published on: September 19, 2011
"Choice" in filial care work: moving beyond a dichotomy
Laura M Funk1, Karen M Kobayashi
1Centre on Aging, University of Victoria, Sedgewick Rm A123, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, British Columbia, Canada, V8W 2Y2. lmfunk@uvic.ca
Canadian Review of Sociology = Revue Canadienne De Sociologie
|December 24, 2009
Summary
Filial caregiving involves both choice and obligation, which are not mutually exclusive. Understanding these complex motivations requires considering societal and personal contexts, challenging simplistic dichotomies.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Gerontology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Theorists and researchers often present filial caregiving as a dichotomy between choice and obligation.
- This binary view fails to capture the nuanced reality of family caregiving experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically examine the concept of choice in filial care work.
- To challenge the simplistic dichotomy between choice and obligation in caregiving literature.
- To explore the relational and contextual nature of motivations in filial care.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of theoretical and empirical literature on filial care.
- Examination of the ideological underpinnings of the choice-obligation dichotomy.
- Exploration of macro- and micro-contextual influences on caregiving motivations.
Main Results:
- Choice and obligation are not mutually exclusive but are relational and contextual.
- The dichotomy is ideological, potentially leading to the downloading of governmental responsibility onto families.
- This simplistic view obscures the complexity of filial relationships and can cause psychological ambivalence.
Conclusions:
- The choice-obligation dichotomy is an inadequate framework for understanding filial caregiving.
- A more nuanced, contextual, and relational approach is needed to appreciate caregiving motivations.
- Recognizing the complexity of filial care is crucial for policy and individual well-being.
Related Concept Videos
00:55Parental Care
Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
01:27Parenting Styles
Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
01:29Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings
Other adult family members and siblings play a crucial role in shaping children’s social and emotional development. While parents or primary caregivers are often the central figures in early attachment and socialization, other adults in a child’s life, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles, can significantly influence developmental outcomes. These influences depend on each adult’s personality and may help compensate when a primary caregiver is emotionally distant or inconsistent. For...
01:30Family Therapy
Family therapy conceptualizes psychological challenges as arising from dysfunctional interactions within the family unit, rather than as isolated issues within individuals. This approach seeks to address and transform the patterns of communication, roles, and relationships within families to promote healthier dynamics and emotional well-being for all members.
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...
Strategic Family Therapy
Strategic family therapy emphasizes resolving communication barriers and improving problem-solving abilities...
01:30Ethical Dilemmas II
Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:
01:28Adler's Individual Psychology
Alfred Adler, a prominent figure in psychology, founded the school of individual psychology. In contrast to Freud's emphasis on sexual or aggressive motives, Adler suggested that individuals are primarily motivated by their purposes and goals. He believed that people strive for perfection rather than pleasure. Adler argued that individuals could creatively act upon their genetic inheritance and environmental experiences to shape their own lives, emphasizing conscious motivation over unconscious...