ECOSYSTEMIC
PSYCHOLOGY
PYC4808
Assignment 1
Poster Guide
2024
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Document Contains:
Correct answers
Feedback from the lecturers
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Table of Contents
1. Instructions ..................................................................................................................................... 2
2. Marking Rubric ................................................................................................................................ 4
3. Example poster that got 100% ........................................................................................................ 6
Chapter 1 - Two Different Worldviews ................................................................................................... 7
MODERNISM .................................................................................................................................. 7
Chapter 3 - The Paradigmatic Shift of Systems Theory........................................................................... 9
First Order Cybernetics ....................................................................................................................... 9
Second Order Cybernetics ................................................................................................................ 17
Chapter 4: Postmodernism and Family Therapy................................................................................... 23
POSTMODERNISM .................................................................................................................... 23
4. Linking concepts for the poster: ................................................................................................... 26
African perspective ............................................................................................................................... 28
5. 2022 Poster Memo from the lecturers feedback............................................................................. 34
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PYC4808: Ecosystemic Psychology - Assignment 1:
Due date: 15 May 2024
Worth 20% of your final mark
1. Instructions
This assignment is an individual assignment, that aims: to explore your understanding of the different
knowledge systems, and how they are integrated into this module. In other words, we are exploring the
different paradigms and related aspects of ecosystemic psychology that informs the way we think.
For assignment 1 - you are required to create a poster that:
differentiates between and integrates the different knowledge systems.
Your poster should demonstrate your understanding of the content, but also your understanding of
which paradigms are linked / integrated
In order to complete this assignment you should be knowledge about:
modernism and postmodernism,
the underlying premises of first order and second order cybernetics,
and African , or indigenous knowledge systems.
However, your poster should not include only academic and theoretical concepts, but also personalised
and relational concepts (this can be done in the form of pictures, words, phrases, idioms, metaphors).
Prescribed reading for assignment 1 and summarised in this booklet:
Becvar & Becvar (2014) – chapters 1, 3 and 4
Nwoye, A. (2015). African Psychology and the Africentric paradigm to clinical diagnosis and
treatment. South African Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 305–317.
Nwoye, A. (2017). An Africentric theory of human personhood. PINS, 54, 42–66.
doi.org/10.17159/2309-8708/2017/n54a4
Recommended Reading (optional for understanding concepts):
Mkhize, N & Ndimande-Hlongwa, N. (2014). African languages, Indigenous Knowledge Systems
(IKS), and the transformation of the humanities and social sciences in higher education. Alternation,
21(2), 1023–1757.
The requirements for your poster are as follows:
Your poster must be presented on one A4 page
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Your poster must incorporate at least two different forms of information (text, images, diagrams etc.).
You will be marked for the content, integration, criticality and reflectivity of your work.
In order to successfully attempt this assignment, you must consult your prescribed material (as
indicated above). We also recommend that you read at least two of the recommended articles.
Please ensure that you submit your poster as a PDF document only. You should have a front page, the
poster (that fits on one A4 page), a reference list and a plagiarism declaration page (declaration can
be found under Additional Resources). Please do not send a poster that spans several pages.
Please ensure that your PDF document is not a read-only document (lecturers must be able to mark
assignment. Cancelation of assignment will be sent to MyUnisa email address).
Please note: You have a maximum of 3 submissions
Your poster must include in text references and a reference list reflecting all the resources you
consulted to create your poster.
Please refer to and follow the seventh edition of the American Psychological Association (APA)
referencing guidelines.
Work that is not referenced at all will receive a final mark of 0, and disciplinary action may be taken
against the student who has submitted the work.
The assignment is marked out of 50, and contributes 15% towards your final mark.
FORMAT OF YOUR DOCUMENT:
You should have a front page,
the poster (that fits on one A4 page),
a reference list
and a plagiarism declaration page
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