Ochs & Taylor 1992

In 1992, Ochs and Taylor examined how the family is a political institution through conversational interactions. They argued that members of the family would review, judge, formulate codes of conduct, make decisions and impose sanctions. Ochs and Taylor studied conversations at dinner times which they argue is the first time a whole family can interact with each other by giving stories about their day which draws in the participation of other members. Their findings state that mothers tended to be the introducers of the conversations the majority of the time and children only introduced 1/3 of the time. The class pattern was that the women would select fathers as primary recipients who would be the problematizes. The mother would usually be the person who would try to solve the problem.

PRIMARY DATA: Power within the family.

I recorded conversations on three occasions - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday dinner time to be able to compare all of them.

Monday 8th February

Mum - this tastes lovely

Jack - what does it have in it

Dad - Chicken, Bacon and mushroom

Jack - You see I actually prefer this to the mince

(20)

Mum - That’s a nice t shirt I recognise that

Dad - It’s mine isn’t it

Laura - Yeah

(10)

Dad - (Whistles) I don’t think this is quite saucy enough, maybe I should have made the sauce less thick but I was a bit worried about it being too wet

(10)

Mum - How was your day

Laura - Good thanks how was yours

Mum - Good

Dad - Deb did you manage to get that present round to Lin’s

Mum - yeah I took it round just before work as she was going to pat’s funeral in the evening so she would not have been in if I went after work

Dad - Ah right did you spend much time at hers

Mum - No not really I only managed to pop the present in and have a quick chat

Tuesday 9th February

Mum - Alex you haven’t been home for a few nights now how has work been Busy

Alex - yeah been pretty busy i’ve just been staying at Marrick’s the past few nights

Mum - Who’s marrik

Alex - Someone from work we went out Saturday night for drinks with all the work lot

Dad - are you going to be home for dinner Friday night as I was thinking of inviting Grandma over for dinner

Laura - I’m not gonna be here on Friday I'm going out for a meal

Dad - well what day are we supposed to do it then

Mum - What about sunday

(20)

Alex - what time did you go to bed last night Jack

Jack - why

Alex - because you woke me and Dad up in the night when you were in the kitchen

Jack - oh sorry

Mum - so what time

Jack - About 5am

Dad - you really need to start getting back into a routine of sleep pattern otherwise you’ll completely mess up your sleep cycle

Jack - it’s not like i’m doing much anyway

Dad - That’s not the point

Alex - I can’t believe you won’t do anything to help your future, your being so lazy you really need to get yourself together

Wednesday 10th February

Mum - Have you been at work the whole day then

Alex - no we were up until 7:30 cleaning the bar

Mum - that’s a bit late

Alex - we are introducing cheesecake at work

Mum - oh really what flavour

Alex - its not coming out until march but its just basic cheesecake

Mum - do you think you’d be able to sneak a bit home so i can be your cheesecake tester

Alex - (laughs) yeah maybe

Mum - i’ll have to remind you, they’re upping their game bringing in cheesecake

Mum - so you’ve been home since half 1

Laura - no Alex didn’t come until twenty to two

Mum - oh so did grace come back with you

Laura - yeah she left ah half 5

Mum - ah that’s nice

(10)

Dad - so what do you mean my mum was vacant

Mum - when i got there she was so pleased to see me but after a few minutes of being there she started acting a bit strange and started asking some questions about Dave so i tried to be bubbly and happy and tried to cheer her up with hugs but she just started crying

Interruption/ Dad - should of played boggle

Mum - yeah but I'm not very good at it

ANALYSIS:

From the data I collected based on conversations In my family at dinner times, my data supports Ochs and Taylors research. Throughout all three of the conversations, my mum was the introducer who directed questions at people individually. The conversation was based around discussing how each persons day was and what they had done. Ochs and Taylor state that 'mothers introduced the most' - my data supported the theory. The person with the most utterances was my mum who also spoke for the longest amount of time which contrasts with the length my dad spoke which was a lot less than my mum. On one occasion, when my dad spoke, he interrupted my mum. This supports the idea that men are competitive speakers who try to get their side of the conversation across regardless of the fact it is rude to interrupt. In 2 out of 3 of the conversations, my mum was the person who ended the conversation which demonstrates her power. My data also supports the theory as there was a problematizer who was my dad. In one conversation, my dad judged my brother and got his opinion across about him, as well as my eldest brother who added to this. Overall, my data does support Ochs and Taylors theory and the only way it could be argued that it is challenging it is the idea that it was the mother who would try to solve the problems. In this case, no one solved the problem or the judgemental comments, everyone ignored it and the conversation ended.