Family communication patterns

Abstract

The Family Communication Patterns (FCP) scale is a foundational psychological scale used to classify familial communication environments. Developed initially by McLeod, Atkin, and Chaffee, this instrument measures how families manage information exchange and conflict. The scale operates along two primary, orthogonal dimensions: Concept-orientation, which emphasizes open discussion and intellectual development, and Socio-orientation, which stresses harmony, deference to authority, and social conformity. The combination of scores on these two dimensions allows researchers to categorize families into four distinct communication types: Consensual, Pluralistic, Protective, and Laissez-Faire.

Keywords

Family communication, Concept-orientation, Socio-orientation, Communication climate, Adolescents, Family structure, Media use, Psychological scale.

Authors

Jack M. McLeod, Charles K. Atkin, Steven H. Chaffee.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the FCP scale is to assess and quantify the overarching communication climate within a family unit. By measuring the relative emphasis placed on two core dimensions—social harmony versus intellectual exploration—the scale facilitates the classification of families into established typologies (e.g., Pluralistic or Protective).

This classification is crucial for understanding how familial environments mediate the acquisition of social norms, decision-making processes, and receptivity to external information, particularly media content. The FCP scale has been widely utilized in communication and sociology research to predict a variety of outcomes related to socialization and political development.

Construct

The FCP scale measures the theoretical construct of Family Communication Patterns, which posits that family interaction is driven by the simultaneous operation of two independent dimensions. The Concept-orientation dimension reflects the degree to which parents encourage their children to express their views, challenge ideas, engage in critical thinking, and explore a wide range of issues. High scores here indicate an environment where communication is open and intellectually stimulating.

Conversely, the Socio-orientation dimension measures the extent to which parents prioritize traditional family hierarchies, social harmony, obedience, and the avoidance of conflict. High scores on this dimension suggest a climate where children are expected to defer to parental authority and maintain smooth social relationships, often inhibiting open discussion of controversial topics. The interaction between these two dimensions defines the characteristic communication style of the family.

Validity

The validity of the FCP scale has been extensively supported across decades of research, particularly its construct validity. Studies have consistently demonstrated that the two dimensions—Concept-orientation and Socio-orientation—are empirically distinct and largely orthogonal, aligning with the theoretical framework proposed by McLeod and Chaffee. This orthogonality is foundational to the scale’s ability to categorize four distinct family types.

Criterion validity is often established by correlating FCP scores with external variables, such as children’s media consumption habits, political socialization, and academic achievement, showing predictable relationships based on the derived family type. For instance, families scoring high on Concept-orientation often produce children who are more critical consumers of news media.

Reliability

Reliability analyses typically focus on the internal consistency of the two subscales. Research utilizing the FCP scale often reports acceptable to good internal consistency, with Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients generally falling in the range of 0.70 to 0.85 for both the Concept-orientation and Socio-orientation subscales. These coefficients indicate that the items within each dimension reliably measure a single underlying component of the family communication climate.

Factor Analysis

Initial and subsequent factor analyses of the FCP items consistently support a two-factor structure corresponding to the theoretical dimensions. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) typically isolates two strong, independent factors: one representing the emphasis on authority and conformity (Socio-orientation) and the other representing the emphasis on open exchange and critical thinking (Concept-orientation). This clear factor separation confirms the scale’s utility in distinguishing between the two fundamental mechanisms governing family interaction.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale.

Format: Likert scale response format using a 4-point frequency rating.

Language Available: English (Original), widely adapted internationally.

Population Group: Family members (parents and adolescents).

Age Group: Typically utilized with parents and their adolescent children (ages 12-18).

Population Details: Originally validated using self-report and other-report measures from a Wisconsin sample, focusing on the relationship between family communication and media use.

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the frequency of specific communication behaviors within their family unit using the options: “often” (3), “sometimes” (2), “rarely” (1), and “never” (0).

Keywords

Communication measurement, Family dynamics, Parent-child relations, Communication climate, Adolescents, Media socialization, Socio-orientation, Likert scale.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source.

Correspondence Address: Refer to the original publication by McLeod, Atkin, and Chaffee (1972).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale items are often cited as being in the public domain for academic research due to their broad use and age. The original item development and testing phases cited in the source date back to studies conducted in 1969 and 1970, formalized in the 1972 publication.

The scale is frequently made available without fee for non-commercial research purposes, as indicated by its listing in public domain archives. The source documentation for the items is available here: http://libraries.uta.edu/helen/test&meas/Public%20Domain/family_communication_patterns_scale.htm

Reference’s

McLeod, Jack M., Atkin, Charles K, and Chaffee, Steven H. Adolescents, parents, and television use: Self-report and other-report measures from Wisconsin sample. IN: Television and social behavior; reports and papers. A technical report to the Surgeon General’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior. Edited by George A. Comstock and Eli A. Rubinstein. Editorial coordination: Susan Lloyd-Jones. Rockville, Md., National Institute of Mental Health; [for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U. S. Govt. Print. Off.,] Washington, 1972. Volume 3, Page 239-313.

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Items of the Family communication patterns

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The original scoring uses a 4-point scale: often (3), sometimes (2), rarely (1), never (0).

Socio-orientation items:

• Say that (their, your) ideas are correct, and (you, he) shouldn’t argue with them (1969 and 1970)
• Answer (your, their) arguments by saying, “You’ll know better when you row up.” (1969 and 1970)
• Say that (you, he) should give in on arguments, rather than risk making people angry. (1969 and 1970)
• Say that are some things that just shouldn’t be talked about. (1969 and 1970)

Concept-orientation items:

• Say that (you, he) should always look at both sides on an issue. (1969 and 1970)
• Say that getting (your, his) opinion when the family is discussing something. (1969 and 1970)
• Ask for (your, his) opinion when the family is discussing something. (1969 and 1970)
• Say that every member of your family should have some say in family decision.
• Admit that kids know more about things that adults do.