General Theory Family Systems Ecosystems Concepts Chapters 1 3 Concept a word or phrase that stands for something else o Ex family mother role environment Variable concept that varies in kind or amount o Ex in kind male or female in amount happiness levels high or low Proposition statement about relationships between variables o Ex the amount you study influences your grades Theory set of interrelated concepts and propositions which represent a view of a phenomenon by specifying relationships among variables o Can be used to make predictions o Been tested or is widely accepted Ex Big bang theory Conceptual Framework Network of ideas to study a phenomenon Essential concepts employed and basic assumptions Most theories start out as a conceptual framework Model a visual representation of concepts and relationships General System s theory a system is an organized collection of interrelated elements characterized by a boundary and at least one functional unit 1936 o Structural characteristic Systems can be abstract or concrete physical held together by shared ideas Boundaries around the system and subsystem decides what is included and excluded Ex certain score on a test to get into FSU Family system abstract dividers between or among systems and subsystems Open welcoming hospitable members loosely defined share family info Closed isolation privacy family secrets physical boundaries Macrosystems large define and organize the institutional life of the society o Ex solar system o Ex classroom Microsystems small consist of situations involving face to face contact Subsystems components or parts of the system basic unites of the family system Hierarchy family systems are organized according to hierarchal levels Establishment of boundaries energy devoted to boundary maintenance Permeability of boundaries ease or difficulty moving in and out of the system Open closed Process random Information processing consists of inputs and outputs o Input resources that enter the system food info knowledge Matter information energy o Output what the system produces Quality of life quality of environment and waste products o Throughput transformation of resources Perceiving space timing valuing goal setting deciding managing controlling communicating exchanging storing transferring sustaining o Feedback effects of the action of the system or one part of a system are fed back returned to the system Output is subsequently processed after as input Positive feedback results in change or deviation Negative feedback system remains unchanged or return to prior state o Cohesion family closeness bonding attachment Enmeshed over identification extreme bonding strong sense of loyalty almost no individuality emotional dependence Disengaged high autonomy low bonding emotionally distant no sense of belonging or loyalty Vertical attachment between generations parent to child Horizontal attachment within generations siblings to cousins o Adaptability family changeability Chaotic high adaptability under stress negotiating or confused decision making ever changing roles and rules if any no clear leadership Rigid low adaptability under stress clear chain of command strict roles and rules authoritarian o Circumplex Model classifies family based on cohesions and adaptability Balance o Homeostasis the act of a system to maintain itself in a steady balanced state o Equilibrium relative state of balance ability to reason o Dynamic Equilibrium changing state of balance Family Rules procedural family routines family rituals relational rules bounding rules Family Systems Theory Assumptions o They have the capacity to change and are dynamic o They are information processing systems o They have boundaries o They are relatively open o They are holistic nonsummativity o They are goal oriented o They need to perform requisite tasks Family Ecosystems Framework Human vs family ecosystem O E organism to ecosystems Organism or human environed unit O or HEU o Individual internal subsystems genetics nutrition personality o Group feelings of unity share resources goals values interest and have common identity Natural Environment NE the environment as formed by nature o Space 3 D expanse in which events occur and matter energy exist o Time temporal dimension o Physical soil water air geography o Biological plants animals germs Human Constructed Environment HCE in which humans alter or create the environment o Sociocultural cultural patterns and social institutions ex rules and values o Sociophyscial constructed objects ex desk o Sociobiological alterations of plants and animals Human Behavioral Environment HBE in which socialized humans beings and their behaviors exist o Psychological thoughts and emotions o Biophysical presence and actions of others o Sociobiological interactions of others and relationships Bronfenbrenner s 5 levels of Ecosystemic Environments o Individual internal factors ex sex age health 1 Microsystem context nearest the individual experienced daily weekly Ex family 2 Mesosystem interactions between elements in microsystem 3 Exosystem social infrastructure where policies are made and publicized Ex education 4 Macrosystem overarching cultural values and beliefs rules about what is acceptable school friends church media political Ex customs biases 5 Chronosystem reflect changes that happen over time ex women s rights Eco systemic Principles o Humans are part of a total life system holistic o Range in scope large to small o Parts and wholes are interdependent o Guided by sets of rules Physical biological laws of nature cant change much Human derived rules social norms changeable o Goal oriented o Ecosystems have different degrees of openness and permeability o Feedback is important o Varying degrees of freedom to control and modify environment o Self regulating o Ecosystems are energy transformation systems o Families take in resources and transform them into energy to meet needs and achieve goals matter and information Resources o Material tangible housing and transportation o Human intangible love health energy time Human Capital sum of skills and traits used to achieve goals o Investing in this is a life long goal for those in helping professions FLE Interface energy exchange information and human skills between input and output Family Development Theory Assumptions o They will have children o They will develop in different ways o They must perform time specific tasks o They must perform task to facilitate development of
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