A comprehensive summary of the PYC4808 Ecosystemic psychology coursework for examination purposes. Including - definitions, a comparison of individual vs systemic family psychology, shift of systems theory, first and second order cybernetics principles, a comparison of first and second order cybern...
PYC4808 – ECOSYSTEMIC PSYCHOLOGY
Definitions:
Epistemology
•The theory of knowledge and its underlying origins
Theory
•A set of connected principles serving to explain a group of phenomena of interest, informed by particular
epistemologies
Cybernetics
•The science of feedback and how positive and negative feedback loops can help self-regulate a system
Paradigm
• distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories
Model
•A projection of the substance of a less understood or developed domain onto the structure of a more developed
system
•Models are embedded within particular theories
Technique
•A rehearsed/practiced procedure/skill to achieve a particular outcome
INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOGOLY SYSTEMIC FAMILY THERAPY
Asks why? Asks what?
LINEAR cause & effect – each cause has an effect RECIPROCAL causality – Mutual interactions of cause &
effect
Subject/object dualism – Objects are perceived by subjects Dialectical – Examines object in relation to other subjects
Either or dichotomies – Distinguished contrast between 2 Holistic – Focus on whole context, not just individual events
things (black or white) in isolation
Value – free science (no judgement) Subjective/perceptual – Interpretative
Deterministic/reactive – Actions are consequential Freedom of choice/proactive
Laws & law-like external reality Patterns – Family operates based on patterns of interaction
Historical focus – looks at history for precursory causes Here-and-now focus – Focus on existing interactions &
causality
Individualistic – More interested in people than society as a Relational – Concerned with the way things & people are
whole connected
Reductionistic – Reduces complex phenomena to simple Contextual – Based on context
term
Absolutistic – The holding of absolute principles of theory Relativistic – Relative to background & context
Western, lockean, scientific tradition Kantian tradition – Rational beings have dignity & should be
treated with respect
Favours retification – Practice of labelling a behavioural Avoids retification
pattern then using it as an explanation
, TECHNIQUE
A rehearsed or practiced procedure or skill to achieved a
EG - FREE ASSOCIATION
particular outcome in accordance with a MODEL used
MODEL
A projection of the substance of a less A MODEL is embedded within particular
EG - PSYCHOSEXUAL DEVELOPMENT
understood or developed domain onto the THEORIES, informed by specific
STAGES OF FREUD
structure of a more developed system EPISTEMOLOGICAL assumptions
THEORY
A set of connected principles serving to Informed & specified by particular
EG - PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY
explain a group of phenomena EPISTEMOLOGIES
EPISTEMOLOGY (PHILOSOPHY)
Pertains to how rules that govern our
Shapes our thinking & worldview EG -CONSTRUCTIVIST EPISTEMOLOGY
thinking are created & shared
FIRST ORDER CYBERNETICS (SIMPLE CYBERNETICS)
Paradigmatic shift of SYSTEMS THEORY ➢ First order therapists stand outside the system as observers
➢ Systems theory & cybernetics based on Do not see themselves as part of the system
the same assumptions: ➢ Shifts analysis from individual to system
➔ Asks what? ➢ Concentrates on interaction between members of the system
➔ Reciprocal causality ➢ Analyses people in their contexts
➔ Holistic
➔ Dialectical
➔ Subjective/perceptual
➔ Freedom of choice/proactive 1 RECURSION & MUTUAL INTERACTION (reciprocal causality)
➔ Patterns ➢ Sees people & events in the context of mutual interaction & mutual influence
➔ Here-and-now focus ➢ In recursion, meaning is derived from the relationship between individuals &
➔ Relational elements
➔ Contextual ➢ Causality becomes RECIPROCAL (reciprocal actions follow from others initial
➔ Relativistic actions)
➢ Both SYSTEMIC & ECOSYSTEMIC theory Found only in the interaction between individuals & systems which
views people in the context of their living mutually influence each other
systems and not as individuals ➢ Circular causality (pseudo feedback & mutual causality) – Mutual interactions
➢ Ecosystemic psychology focuses on of causes & consequences
behaviour exhibited through the family’s The effect of an event or variable returns indirectly to influence the
interaction, not the behaviour of the original event itself by way of one or more intermediate events/variables
individual
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