Ch. 2: Conceptual Foundations - General Systems Theory Flashcards
Ludwig von Bertalanffy
- father of GST
- life was found in “organisms”: a self-regulating form of life with mutually dependent, interactive parts of subsystems
- An organism as an open system engaged in continuous inflow and outflow of energy/info with its enviornment
The family therapy movement has its foundations in what two independent but related theoretical paradigms?
GST and cybernetics
Who was the father of cybernetics?
- Bateson
- interested in self-correcting systems
- viewed communication as the means through which systems maintain themselves through positive and negative feedback loops
- focused on paradoxical communication styles
GST basics
- von Bertalanffy was the founder
- the whole is greater than the sum of its parts
- global and expansive and not reductionist
- roots in biology and cybernetics
- the whole has characteristics and properties (“emergents”) that are not present in its parts
What key family therapy concepts have emerged from von Bertalanffy GST?
- equifinality
- equipotentiality
- isomorphism
- the ripple effect
- boundaries
- hierarchy
- subsystem
General living systems theory
- James Miller
- theory rests on principle of isomorphism
- GLST has been applied to all living systems from simple cells to human groups
Isomorphism
2 or more systems or subsystems exhibit similar or parallel characteristics, especially in supervision when roles and interactions between therapist and supervisor mimic those of the family being discussed. For example, a therapist seeing a family that rejects all suggestions for change becomes similarly rejecting of his/her supervisor’s suggestions.
Cybernetics
- interested in organization, pattern, and process
- refers to the control mechanisms that provide feedback to the primary system
Cybernetics: Term: Boundary interface
the regions between each subsystem of the family and between the family and the suprasystem. The interfaced is referred to as the familial boundary
- therapist functions in the boundary interface between family and environment
Cybernetics: Types of boundaries
rigid, clear, or diffuse
Cybernetics: Boundary: open system v. closed system
- open: interact relatively freely with the environment
- closed: more isolated and resist such interaction with environment
Cybernetics: How do families manage their boundaries?
Models and maps. Ts need to be able to understand these in order to negotiate and alter family boundaries
Cybernetics: Circular or mutual causality
the relationship in which A and B do, say or feel mutually influence one or another
- “it doesn’t matter whether the chicken or the egg came first. They interact in a mutual circle of causality”
Cybernetics: Entropy
refers to a system’s tendency to break down that, over time, threatens the survival of the system
Cybernetics: Negative entropy
- Is a systemic state that emerges when a system is balanced between openness and closedness
- info is allowed to enter the system, and change can occur when appropriate.
Cybernetics: Equifinality
The idea that an organism or system can reach a certain end state from a variety of different sources, conditions, and means or from different initial states
example: depression may stem from bio imbalance or from trauma
Cybernetics: Equipotentiality
different end states can occur from the same initial conditions
Example: a single traumatic event may result in PTSD. OR it may have little impact or lead to growth.
Cybernetics: Feedback loops
- core of cybernetics
- a circular mechanism whereby feedback is introduced into the system in a lopping chain of events that influence one another
- feedback occurs from outside the system and input occurs from within the system
- positive and negative
Cybernetics: Positive feedback loop (amplifying)
Mechanisms by which families respond to changes or deviations in homeostasis. Positive feedback loops attempt to change the system from its steady state to a new steady state. It exacerbates the reaction.
Example: kid is throwing a tantrum. Parent responds and starts screaming at kid to stop. Kids tantrum gets worse. Thus, the deviation from homeostatis increases.
Cybernetics: Negative feedback loop (attenuating)
Corrective information that flows back into the family system that services to minimize deviation, keep the system functioning within prescribed limits, and discourage change
Example: Thermostat. When outside temp drops below inside temp (passes the “limit”), the heat turns on until pre-set temp is reached (back to homeostasis)
Example: Kid is throwing a tantrum and passes the limit. Parent reacts to bring the behavior back to homeostasis. When the child stops acting out the parents response ceases.
Cybernetics: Homeostasis
The tendency of a system to resist change and maintain equilibrium/steady state.
- maintained by negative feedback loops
- emerged from cybernetics
- Don Jackson emerged principally from cybernetics
Cybernetics: Metaphor
Symbolic representation that captures the basic and essential features of an object or event by using a description of a different category of objects or events.
Cybernetics: Morphogenesis
- Describes a system’s tendency towards growth, creativity, change, and innovation
- similar to amplifying feedback looks in that they bring the values of behavior into new ranges.
Cybernetics: Morphostasis
- Describes a system’s tendency towards stability
- function similarly to attenuating feedback loops
- both reduce any deviation from existing values or established system goals
Cybernetics: Process
- A term used to describe the dynamics of a system, often contrasted with “content”
- the HOW of an interaction
example: occasional marital argument
- differentiate between structure and process… if behaviors occur frequently, predictably, and with a definable pattern, then they might be a structure.
Cybernetics: Recursiveness
- refers to reciprocal or circular causality
- speaks to the mutual interaction and influence that occur between people, events, and their ecosystems
- example: a distancer cannot exist without a pursuer and vice versa
- causality is circular and located at the interface of the relationships
Cybernetics: Ripple effect
Refers to how a change that occurs at a level of a system will result in changes across other levels of the system.
Cybernetics: Structure
- the interrelationship among system elements that make up the organization of the system
- first order change = structures can be affected without altering the organization of the system
- second order change = the organization’s rules and structure are changed
Cybernetics: System
A bounded set of interrelated elements with coherent and patterned behavior.
- closed and open systems
Human systems theory: what is the primary domain?
- communication
- communication has been used at the foundation for other theories that attempt to explain family systems and how they regulate organizational structure, patterns, homeostasis, and change
Human systems theory: Decomposition Law
- States that a genuine systemic analysis must include an understanding of system components, which are the two aspects of an individual’s participation in a system. - The focus is both on what passes among individuals and what goes on within the individuals.
- all behavior is communication; one cannot NOT communicate
Human systems theory: Cognitive maps
- Mental models by which incoming information is perceived, understood, transformed, and stored, together when a corresponding repertoire of behavioral options
- maps are based on the integration of experiences
- each part of the cognitive map (input and output) forms the individual’s internal representation of reality
- Cog maps shape actions and communication
- May be flexible, able to change and expand cumulatively with new information and experiences
- or they may be rigid and limiting
- Maps have both language and spatial aspects with a private vocabulary and imagery that determines how incoming communication is interpreted.
Communication theory
- originated by the MRI group
- the study of the process by which verbal and nonverbal information is exchanged within a relationship
- Communication can be:
… analogic, with little structure but is rich in content
… digital, which is verbal communication perceived and interpreted based on meaning - communication has both form and meaning
Communication theory: What are the 4 types of communication?
- haptic
- kinesthetic
- paralinguistic
- streptic
Communication theory: Haptic communication
- communication through touch
- “symbolic”
Communication theory: kinesthetic communication
- Communication through body movement
Communication theory: paralinguistic communiaction
- Communication through tone, pace, and inflexion
Communication theory: streptic communication
- communication through sounds such as whistles and claps
Communication theory: Meta-communication
- communication messages, usually nonverbal, that qualify or clarify another communication (communication about communication)
- The nonverbal message may be congruent with the message (A pat on the back that accompanies, “Good job”)
- The nonverbal message may be incongruent (“Nothings wrong”, said through clenched teeth)
- With incongruent communication, usually the nonverbal message settles the discrepancy.
Communication theory: Types of communication patterns that are dysfunctional in that they are attempts to “not communicate”
- The constant message - if the same message is repeated, its meaning diminishes, and the receiver tends to ignore it
- The self-canceling message - messages that invalidate themselves
- Tangential communication - nonsense, irrelevant, and distracting communication
- Hyperbolic communication - the regular use of hyperbole
- Echoing communication - repeats the message and offers no new information
- Symptomatic communication - physical, mental, or emotional symptom communication
- Impervious communication - the intended recipient is unreceptive to communication, resulting in less communication
- Literal-figurative cross communication - taking what is meant figuratively as though it were literal
