PYC4808
ECOSYSTEMIC PSYCHOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT 6
GUIDE
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS:
Introduction and conclusion points
Examples of UNISA as a system in FOC and SOC
Textbook or journal article summaries for each question
In-depth elaborations of the African perspective plus summarised articles
Breakdown of each question with examples and tables
Guide to APA 7 referencing
,Table of Contents
Assignment 6 Instructions .......................................................................................................................................... 2
Document Structure .................................................................................................................................................... 2
Document Format........................................................................................................................................................ 2
Points to remember..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents example ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Case Study and Assignment 6 Questions .......................................................................................................................... 3
Questions and answers analysed .................................................................................................................................... 6
Summary of the journal article mentioned in the above paragraph ............................................................................ 6
Question 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Question 2 ................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Question 3 ................................................................................................................................................................... 21
AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE SUMMARIES: ........................................................................................................... 29
Question 4: .................................................................................................................................................................. 37
APA 7TH EDITION REFERENCING GUIDE........................................................................................................................... 37
IN TEXT REFERENCING OF THE ECOSYSTEMIC PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOK 2022: ...................................................... 46
What to include in your introduction and conclusion .......................................................................................... 47
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 47
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................... 47
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,Assignment 6 Instructions
Unique assignment number 639262
(Due date 15 September 2022 at 23h55)
Assignment 6 is the final assignment for PYC4808
Counts 35% towards your final mark.
This assignment is marked out of 100
Document Structure
Cover page
Table of contents
Assignment answers to the questions (Maximum of 10 pages)
References
Plagiarism declaration (at the end or the start)
Document Format
Arial 11 or Times New Roman 12 font
Double Line spacing (2; this is according to APA 7 formatting)
Margins set to 2.54 cm or “normal” (this is according to APA 7 formatting)
Include page numbers
Points to remember
Assignment 06 requires you to apply your theoretical and conceptual knowledge of Ecosystemic
psychology to a case scenario.
Please number your answers according to the assignment questions. Do not create your own
numbering structure. Therefore, do not number your introduction and conclusion. Just number
the answers to the assignment questions
Submit your assignment in PDF on myUnisa.
APA 7th edition referencing guidelines. You must provide both in-text referencing and a
reference list.
There is no new reading material needed for this assignment. Review all previous work covered,
in order to answer the questions of assignment 6, which is largely aimed at you applying what you
have learnt (University of South Africa, 2022).
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,Table of Contents example
YOU CAN ORGANISE IT DIFFERENTLY, THIS IS ONLY A RECOMMENDATION
How to set up the questions in your document recommendation:
Case Study and Assignment 6 Questions
Case Scenario
Covid-19 has brought about many new challenges across various contexts. In order to slow the infection rate, a
national lockdown was enforced, which on one hand was aimed at protecting the population from the effects of
Covid-19 and slowing down the spread, with new terminology such as "lock-down, self-isolation, social
distancing, flatten the curve....new normal" surfacing (Pillay & Barnes, 2020). On the other hand, the solution to
the problem created many individual, familial, social, community, educational, occupational, financial and other
challenges. Reflect on the changes that took place both in the country, but within the context of academia,
teaching and learning. You may even find it helpful to write a page of your own personal challenges and insights
gained over the last two years with regards to the changes we have all experienced, to varying degrees.
Once you have thoroughly reflected on the above, answer the questions below, in relation to you as a
student at Unisa.
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,Question 1
In view of the above excerpt, as a student of Unisa, a Open Distance Learning Education Institution, provide a
first order cybernetic analysis of Unisa as a system. In your answer, describe the context as a first order
cybernetic thinker, and apply at least five (5) first order cybernetic principles/concepts to your analysis. (25
marks)
Question 2
In view of the above excerpt, as well as your answer for question 1, include yourself in the observed, and
provide a second-order cybernetic analysis of Unisa as a system. In your answer, describe how a second-order
cybernetic thinker would contextualise Unisa, and apply at least five (5) second order principle/concepts to
your analysis (25 marks)
Question 3
Second order cybernetics can be viewed as a meta-perspective. In line with this premise, answer the questions
below:
3.1 According to Becvar and Becvar (2014), systemic thinking is not an either/or approach. Discuss this
statement and justify how FOC and SOC can be integrated in a complementary manner. (10
marks)
3.2 In all professions there are both explicit and implicit ethical guidelines, which have been drawn up to
ensure efficacy and competency. Discuss the ethical considerations to bear in mind if you were working from an
ecosystemic perspective (include the ethical considerations for both FOC and SOC). (10 marks)
3.3 In your opinion, how can African ideologies and indigenous knowledge systems be incorporated into
ecosystemic psychology? (10marks)
3.4 Provide a critique of ecosystemic psychology in which you cover both its merits and
its shortcomings. (10 marks)
Question 4:
This is not a question, however, a mark will be awarded for referencing. You need to include both in-text
references and a reference list that follows the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th edition
guidelines. (10 marks) (University of South Africa, 2022).
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, The CASE STUDY originates from this article:
Pillay, A.L., & Barnes, B.R. (2020). Psychology and Covid-19: impacts, themes and way forward. South African
Journal of Psychology, Vol 50(2), 148-153 DOI: 10.1177/0081246320937684 journals.sagepub.com/home/sap
ACTIVE LINK TO DOWNLOAD ARTICLE:
https://sci-hub.se/10.1177/0081246320937684
THIS ARTICLE IS SUMMARISED ON PAGE 6 OF THIS DOCUMENT
THE SUMMARIES BELOW ARE BASED ON THE PRESCIBED TEXTBOOK
Becvar, D. S., & Becvar, R. J. (2014). Family Therapy: A Systemic Integration. (8th, Ed.) Pearson Education, UK.
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