A genogram is a pictorial representation of family relationships across several generations. It can be a convenient organizing device to help you identify patterns or develop hypotheses about family functioning. Here is a link to mine.
Genograms can vary significantly and are only limited by your imagination. Most genograms include basic information about number of marriages, number of children of each marriage, birth order, and deaths. Some genograms also include information on disorders running in the family (e.g., alcoholism, depression), alliances, and living situations.
Generally males are identified on a genogram with a square, females with a circle. Deaths are indicated by an X through that individual's marker. Spouses are connected with lines, separations and divorces indicated by slash lines running through the lines. Birth, marriage, divorce, death dates may be indicated by the initial and date (i.e., b. 89). Ages by numbers in the markers. Circles can include and indicate members outside the nuclear family living together. Cutoffs, alliances, enmeshments, and stressful relationships are indicated by the nature of lines connecting individuals. Alcoholism (or other relevant issue) is frequently indicated by filling in the bottom part of the individual's marker.
For this project:
- draw a genogram for at least three generations of your immediate family. A more complete listing of symbols can be found at the Genogram Analytics site. If this doesn't work, try this link to their symbols gif;
- generate as many hypotheses as possible about you or your family's function from this figure. I should be able to tell where these hypotheses came from.
While genograms can easily be done by hand, many people in this computer age like software for this. Those of you who have PCs might appreciate this bit of freeware, Genopro. I use a Mac so this referral is sight unseen. If you use Genopro, please send me your feedback.
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Page by jms
Last updated January 7, 2004
URL= http://psy1.clarion.edu/jms/cptgenogram.html