更新日:2013/09/19
Relating with an unborn baby as a family member
Akira Takada (Kyoto Univ.) and Michie Kawashima (Kansai Gaidai Univ.)
Abstract:
If we consider the family as a social system, the system goes through frequent changes. Preparing for and giving birth to a new member of family is one occasion for such change. In this study, we analyze communication between Japanese pregnant women and their family members, in order to clarify how the social relationship of the family is constructed, maintained, and re-organized when the family is about to welcome a new member. When an unborn baby is introduced into family interactions, the “participation framework” is flexibly coordinated among or amended by participants. We scrutinize the features of such a participation framework, while focusing on (1) the temporal perspective, (2) the spatial configuration, (3) footing, and (4) introduction of the physical sensations in the course of family interactions. Based on these analyses, we will discuss the following points. (1) The patterns of interaction before and after the birth are connected and manifest some degree of continuity throughout the process. (2) A pregnant woman often expresses her physical sensations, such as fetal movements, in terms of the conventional frame that reflects the culturally shared norms of the given society.
