SYSTEMS THEORY

1
SYSTEMS THEORY

• Whitchurch, G. G., Constantine, L. L.
  (1993). Systems theory. In P. G. Boss, W. J.
  Doherty, R. LaRossa, W. R. Schumm, S. K.
  Steinmetz (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theories
  and methods A contextual approach (pp. 325-352).
  New York Plenum Press.

2
Three Distinct But Closely Interrelated
Theoretical Legacies

• Information theory focuses on the reduction of
  uncertainty which is achieved by the acquisition
  of information.
• Cybernetics a science of communication concerned
  with the transmission and control of information
  it examines the communication and manipulation of
  information in various systems.
• General Systems Theory (GST) interested in
  systems in general family systems theory is an
  extension of this branch.

3
Definitions and Terms

• Three Uses/Definitions
• General Systems Theory (GST) is used to explain
  the behavior of a variety of complex, organized
  systems.
• GST is also a process of theory construction
  which focuses on building universal concepts,
  postulates, and principles.
• GST, as a worldview, emphasizes
  interrelationships between objects.
• Terms
• Isomorphism Refers to equivalence of form there
  is a one-to-one correspondence between elements
  and relationships.
• Cybernetic system systems with feedback.

4
Core Assumptions of General Systems Theory

• GST Has Potential for Unifying Science suggests
  that there are unifying principles in every
  discipline GST is a way to consider isomorphism
  between them.
• A System Must Be Understood as a Whole
• Von Bertalanffy promoted the notion that a
  family, or any system, is greater than the some
  of it's parts.
• Lewin the whole is different from the sum of
  it's parts.
• Human Systems are Self-Reflexive
• Human systems are characterized by their ability
  to make themselves and their own behavior the
  focus of examination this is self-reflexivity.
• Self-reflectivity
• permits humans to examine their systems and set
  goals.
• permits humans to examine social influences on
  systems and behaviors, rather than naively
  accepting them as natural.

5
Research and Theory Foci

• Ongoing Family Processes
• Transactional patterns (e.g., predictable
  behavior sequences).
• Shift focus from individual to the family.
• Topics
• family functioning,
• family communication,
• family conflict,
• separateness and connecetedness,
• cohesion,
• adaptation to change.
• Example of research questions (from Montgomery
  Fewer, 1988)
• What elements of a social system are influenced
  by other parts of the system how does one
  element of a system recursively influence the
  whole system?
• How does the behavior of different components fit
  together?
• How does the fit between systems affect
  functioning?
• What is the Relationship of Family Systems to
  Other Systems

6
Major Contemporary Concepts of General Systems
Theory

• Interdependence/Mutual Influence
• Equifinality
• Definition the ability of a system to achieve
  the same goals through different routes (e.g., we
  may take different roads to campus but we all
  arrive at the same place).
• Communication patterns are organized into
  feedback loops which affect goal-setting behavior
  in systems.
• Hierarchy
• The layering of systems of increasing
  complexity, including
• Subsystems smaller parts of the same system.
• Systems
• Suprasystems larger systems (e.g., economic and
  political system).
• Controversy disagreement about definition of
  sub- and supra-systems as well as identification
  of components.

7
Major Contemporary Concepts of General Systems
Theory (cont.)

• Boundaries and Open/Closed Systems
• Boundaries define membership in a system.
• Boundaries also represent the point of contact
  between the system and other systems.
• Boundaries vary in degree of permeability, the
  degree to which they control the flow between
  systems.
• Customary approaches to operationalizing
  boundaries
• Assessment of permeability and cohesion.
• Emotional connectedness between family members.

8
Contemporary Concepts (cont.)

• Feedback and Control
• Feedback loop
• Path of communication in a system.
• Feedback is considered either positive or
  negative based on the effect it has on the
  system, not on its content.
• Types of feedback loops
• Negative
• feedback is used to maintain homeostasis. This
  type of feedback has also been called constancy
  loops and deviation-attenuating loops.
• Morphostatic feedback refers to feedback which
  promotes maintenance of existing structure.
• Positive feedback used to promote change.
• These types of feedback are also referred to as
  deviation-amplifying loops or variety loops.
• Morphogenic feedback refers to feedback which
  produces change in the system.

9
Examples of Research Emerging from General
Systems Theory

• Marital and Family Interaction
• Hess and Handel (1959) integrated GST and
  symbolic interactionism to examine the family as
  a system that socially constructs its reality.
  They suggested that there are five essential
  processes of family interaction.
• Comparison of family interaction patterns between
  normal and schizophrenic families (Mishler
  Waxler, 1968).
• Family Dysfunction individual patterns of
  dysfunction are attributed to family interaction
  patterns.
• Alcoholism Steinglass and Wolin have integrated
  a family development and systems approach,
  suggesting that alcoholism influences families in
  stages which accounts for patterns of alcoholism
  in families.
• Family violence systemic explanations are
  controversial. This research suggests that the
  failure to leave an abusive situation is a form
  of positive feedback.

10
Examples of Research (cont.)

• Marital and Family Taxonomies
• Olsons Circumplex model
• Three dimensions create sixteen relationship
  types the three dimensions are
• Cohesion
• Adaptability
• Communication
• Three general types of relationships
• Balanced
• Mid-range
• Extreme
• In general, research has revealed that balanced
  families will function more adequately than the
  other types of families.
• It has been criticized for not including a
  dimension for competence.

11
Examples of Research (cont.)

• Marital and Family Taxonomies (cont.)
• The Beavers systems model examines family
  competence (e.g., healthy, mid-range, and
  severely dysfunctional).
• Typologies melding systems with symbolic
  interactionism develop, for example, a typology
  based on the effect of family members shared
  perceptions about their social environment
  (symbolic interactionism) on the social
  environment (a systems construct) (Reiss, 1981
  see also Constantine, 1986 Constantine Israel,
  1985 Fitzpatrick, 1976, 1988).

12
Limitations of General Systems Theory

• General Criticisms focus on application of
  systems theory.
• GST is too vague and general, making it difficult
  to operationalize and evaluate empirically.
• Criticized for poor explanatory power because,
  although it provides conceptualization, it is
  difficult to clearly identify and measure
  constructs.
• Criticism of subtle assumption that all parts of
  a system have equal power.

13
Limitations of General Systems Theory (cont.)

• Feminist Critique
• Limited recognition of power in family systems
  which obscures the privilege of dominant groups.
• Systemic constructs often reflect sex bias.
  Enmeshment is pathologized, for example, while
  differentiation is promoted. This devalues a way
  of relating that is common to women.
• Clinically, emphasizes therapist neutrality.
• Ironically, it is viewed as not systemic enough.
• Interdisciplinary scholarship has demonstrated
  that all cultures utilize gender and generation
  as fundamental categories of organization, but
  systems theory ignores gender concerns.