Family Sociograms

1
Family Sociograms

• Linda Zimmerman
• Oakton Community College

2
Sociogram Explanation

• Sociograms
• represent the patterns of relationships and
  subgroupings within a group
• represent overall cohesion of the group

3
Sociogram Representations

• Like
• Dislike

D
A
B
C
E
4
Sociogram Representations

• Like
• Dislike

D
A
B

• Can you identify?
• The Isolate
• The Leader
• Any Alliances
• Cohesion (high, medium or low)

C
E
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Sociogram Representations

• Like
• Dislike

D
A
B

• Isolate D
• Leader A
• Alliances A B, C E
• Cohesion (high, medium or low)

C
E
6
Create A Sociogram

• Draw your family sociogram.
• Begin by placing a circle somewhere on your paper
  to represent each member of your family.
• Give each circle a name (Mom, Dad, Bob, Sally,
  Grandma, etc.)

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Creating A Sociogram

• What are the connections between the people in
  this family?
• Draw arrows to indicate who selects to be close
  to whom? What person do each of the people like
  best?
• Who do they not get along with? Use a color to
  represent dislike.
• Draw your arrows from each persons perspective.
• What are the alliances?

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SOCIOGRAM EVALUATION

• Answer these questions
• What circles did you draw first?
• How do the sizes of the circles compare to each
  other? Who is larger, and who is smaller? Why
  do you think you drew them that way?
• How are the circles placed in relation to each
  other (close, far away, on top, below, or next to
  each other)?
• Did you erase or change anything, why?

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SOCIOGRAM EVALUATION

• 5. Hold your drawing at arms length, squint your
  eyes, and look at it. Is there anything
  significant you did not mention previously that
  you now notice?
• 6. Who is the most popular (leader)?
• 7. Who is the least popular (isolate)? The
  isolate might also be the family scapegoat.
• 8. What are the major alliances? (Who is
  together?)
• 9. Are there any subgroups within the family?
• 10. Is the cohesion of this family high, medium,
  or low?
• 11. How do you feel about your familys
  sociogram?
• 12. What, if anything, have you learned?

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Follow-up Homework

• Ask members of your family to draw their own
  versions of the sociogram without seeing yours
  first.
• Do other peoples versions mesh with your
  version? Why? Why not?
• What have you learned? Write one paragraph.