SYSTEMS/ECOLOGY THEORY Flashcards
Systems Theory provides _____
a conceptual framework to view the world.
system: “is a set of
rderly, interrelated elements that forms a functional whole” (p. 13), examples of systems: person, family, group of students, an organization.
social systems can “help or ______
deter people in achieving personal and community well-being” (p. 13).
social work focuses on “the __________
interactions of various systems in the environment including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities” (p. 13).
generalist social work practice ______
“targets systems of virtually any size for change” (p. 13).
“conception of a system helps a social worker focus on a target for intervention” (p. 14).; social worker needs to ______
understand how a system functions and its interactions with other systems.
subsystem:
secondary or subordinate system within a larger system (e.g., subsystems within a family such as the parental subsystem).
boundary:
“invisible or symbolic line of demarcation that separates an individual, a subsystem, or a system from outside surroundings” (p. 14), generally want a boundary to maintain system integrity but still allow some permeability.
Interaction:
mutual involvement and communication between systems.
input:
“the energy, information, or communication flow received from other systems” (p. 14).
output:
“the same flow emitted from a system to the environment or to other systems” (p. 14).
homeostasis:
“the tendency for a system to maintain a relatively stable, constant state of equilibrium or balance”
equifinality:
“there are many different means to the same end” (p. 15); therefore, many different ways to view and solve a problem.
client system:
the individual, family, group, organization, or community whose goal is the focus of work, the client.
target system or target of change:
“the system that social workers [with client]need to change or influence in order to accomplish [their] goals” (p. 15).
change agent system:
“the individual who initiations [facilitates] the planned change process” (p. 15), the social worker.
action system:
“those people who agree and are committed to work together in order to attain the proposed change” (p. 15), the social worker, client and possibly others.
Ecological Theory
a conceptual framework that describes human interactions with other systems.
useful framework for generalist social work practice.
importance of social environments; “assumes a person-in-environment focus” (p. 15).
social environment:
“the conditions, circumstances, and human interactions that encompass human beings”
person-in-environment:
a focus that “sees people as constantly interacting with the various systems around them”
transactions:
the interactions that people have with others in their environments (“in which something is communicated or exchanged”
energy:
“the natural power of active involvement among people in their environment” (p. 16), energy can be in the form of communication, sharing resources, and other interactions.
interface:
“the exact point at which the interaction between an individual and the environment takes place”
adaptation:
“the capacity to adjust to surrounding environmental conditions” (p. 16), successful adaptation to change may require change in self and/or one’s environment.
coping:
“a form of human adaptation that implies a struggle to overcome problems”
interdependence:
“the mutual reliance of each person on each other person”
systems theory and the ecological perspective similarities
both provide a framework to view the world.
both emphasize systems and the dynamic interaction among systems.
share some of the same terms.
both emphasize external interactions, and helping people improve their interactions with other systems.
Major Terms in Systems
Theory
System
Dynamic
Interact
Homeostasis
Equifinality
Major Terms in Ecological Theory
Social environment
Person-in-environment focus
Transactions
Energy
Interface
Adaptation
Coping
Interdependence
shared terms
input and output
Differences:
the ecological perspective “refers to living, dynamic interactions” (p. 17), systems theory refers to a broader range of systems.
each theory emphasizes different concepts: the ecological approach “focuses on transactions between individuals and the environment at the interface, or point at which the individual and environment meet” (p. 17); systems theory is concerned with the overall structure and functioning of a system (e.g., boundaries, homeostasis).
application
Both approaches provide a framework to view the world and point to locations for social work intervention.
Systems theory might be more helpful in assessing the wellbeing and functioning of a specific system (e.g., a family), while an ecological perspective is helpful in thinking about how two systems interact (interface).
