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Theoretical Perspectives on Sibling Relationships
Author(s) -
Whiteman Shawn D.,
McHale Susan M.,
Soli Anna
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of family theory and review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.454
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1756-2589
pISSN - 1756-2570
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-2589.2011.00087.x
Subject(s) - citation , library science , state (computer science) , sociology , genealogy , operations research , history , computer science , mathematics , algorithm
Although siblings are a fixture of family life, research on sibling relationships lags behind that on other family relationships. To stimulate interest in sibling research and to serve as a guide for future investigations by family scholars, we review four theoretical psychologically oriented perspectives—(a) psychoanalytic‐evolutionary, (b) social psychological, (c) social learning, and (d) family‐ecological systems— that can inform research on sibling relationships, including perspectives on the nature and influences on developmental, individual, and group differences in sibling relationships. Given that most research on siblings has focused on childhood and adolescence, our review highlights these developmental periods, but we also incorporate the limited research on adult sibling relationships, including suggestions for future research on this fundamental family relationship.