| A | B |
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| What is a system? | A system is a set of elements that are orderly and interrelated to make a functional whole. A large nation, a public social services department, and a newly married couple are all examples of systems. We will refer primarily to social systems—that is, those systems that are composed of people and affect people. |
| Boundaries | Boundaries are the borders or margins that separate one entity from another. For example, your skin provides a boundary between you as an independent, living system and the external environment. Similarly, a boundary encompasses the students enrolled in the class that’s using this book. You’re either part of the class or you’re not. A boundary may exist between parents and their children. A boundary may also exist between the protective service workers in a large county social service agency and those who work in financial assistance. |
| Subsystem | A subsystem is a secondary or subordinate system that is a component of a larger system. Obvious examples of subsystems are the parental and sibling subsystems within a family. The group of protective services workers in the large social services agency forms one subsystem, and the financial assistance workers another. These subsystems are set apart by designated boundaries, yet still are part of the larger, total system. |
| Role | A role is the culturally established social behavior and conduct expected of a person in any designated interpersonal relationship. Each individual involved in a system assumes a role within that system. For instance, a person in the role of social worker is expected to behave in certain “professional” ways as defined by the professional’s code of ethics. |
| Relationship | A relationship is a reciprocal, dynamic, interpersonal connection characterized by patterns of emotional exchange, communication, and behavioral interaction. For example, a social worker may have a professional relationship |
| Input | Input involves the energy, information, or communication flow received from other systems. A parent may receive input from a child’s grade school principal, noting that the child is doing poorly in physical education. A public agency may receive input from the state in the form of funding. |
| Output | Output, on the other hand, is the response of a system, after receiving and processing input, that affects other systems in the environment. For instance, output for a social services agency for people who are substance abusers might be 150 hours of individual counseling, 40 hours of group counseling, 30 hours of family counseling, 10 hours of drug education at local schools, and 50 hours of liaison work with other agencies involved with clients. |
| Feedback | Feedback is a special form of input in which a system receives information about its own performance. |
| Positive feedback | This involves a system receiving information about what it is doing correctly in order to maintain itself and thrive. Getting a 97 percent on a history exam provides a sixth grader with the information that she has mastered most of the material. An agency that receives a specific federal grant has gotten the feedback that it has developed a plan worthy of such funding. |
| Negative feedback | Boundaries are the borders or margins that separate one entity from another. For example, your skin provides a boundary between you as an independent, living system and the external environment. Similarly, a boundary encompasses the students enrolled in the class that’s using this book. You’re either part of the class or you’re not. A boundary may exist between parents and their children. A boundary may also exist between the protective service workers in a large county social service agency and those who work in financial assistance. |
| Interface | An interface is the point where two systems (including individuals, families, groups, organizations, or communities) come into contact with each other or communicate. For example, one interface is the written contract established between a field instructor in an adoptions agency and a student intern placed under his or her supervision. |
| Differentiation | Differentiation is a system’s tendency to move from a more simplified to a more complex existence. Relationships, situations, and interactions tend to get more complex over time. For example, in the life of any particular family, each day adds new experiences. New information is gathered, and new options are explored. The family’s life becomes more complex. And as a social services agency continues over time, it may develop more detailed policies and programs |
| Entropy | Entropy is the tendency of a system to progress toward disorganization, depletion, and death. Nothing lasts forever. People age and eventually die. Young families get older, and children leave to start their own families. |
| Negative entropy | Negative entropy is the process of a system toward growth and development. In effect, it is the opposite of entropy. Individuals develop physically, intellectually, and emotionally as they grow. Social service agencies grow and develop new programs and clientele. |
| Equifinality | Equifinality refers to the fact that there are many different means to the same end. It is important not to get locked into only one way of thinking. In any situation, there are alternatives. Some may be better than others, but nonetheless there are alternatives. |
| What are transactions? | People communicate and interact with others in their environments. These interactions are referred to as transactions. Transactions are active and dynamic because something is communicated or exchanged. They may be positive or negative |
| Micro | Refers to an individual |
| Mezzo | Refers to a small group such as a family work group |
| macro | Refers to a system focusing on social, political, and economic conditions and policies that affect people’s quality of life |
| Ecological approach | The ecological model might be considered an offshoot or interpretation of systems theories. An ecological approach pro vides a more specific view of the world within a social work perspective. The ecological perspective tends to place greater emphasis on individuals and individual family systems. Systems theories, on the other hand, assume a broader perspective. They can be used to describe the dynamics in a social service agency or the functioning of a human family. |
| Social planning | Social planning approach, emphasizes a technical process of problem solving. The approach assumes that community change in a complex industrial environment requires highly trained and skilled planners who can guide complex change processes. |
| Locality development model | The locality development model (also called community development) asserts that community change can best be brought about through broad participation of a wide spectrum of people at the local community level. The model seeks to involve a broad cross section of people (including the disadvantaged and the power structure) in identifying and solving their problems. Some themes emphasized in this model are democratic procedures, a consensus approach, voluntary cooperation, development of indigenous leadership, and self-help. |
| Social action model | The third model, the social action approach, assumes there is a disadvantaged (often oppressed) segment of the population that needs to be organized, perhaps in alliance with others, in order to pressure the power structure for increased resources or for treatment more in accordance with democracy or social justice. Social action approaches at times seek basic changes in major institutions or seek changes in basic policies of formal organizations. Such approaches often seek redistribution of power and resources. Whereas locality developers envision a unified community, social action advocates see the power structure as the opposition—the target of action. |
| Apgar scale | It's a simple and effective method used to measure your newborn's health and to determine if she needs any immediate treatment. |
| Homeostatis | Homeostasis is the tendency for a system to maintain a relatively stable, constant state of balance. If something disturbs the balance, the system will readjust itself and regain stability. A homeostatic family system is one that is functioning in such a way that it can continue to function and stay together. |
| Spina bifida | Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the bones of the spine (vertebrae) do not form properly around the spinal cord. The spinal column has not fused shut and some nerves remain exposed. |
| Low birth weight | Birth defects, chronic health problems of the mother, smoking, alcohol, infections in the mother, infections in the fetus, socioeconomic factors |
| Piaget’s 4 stages | Sensorimotor: (birth to about age 2); Preoperational: (begins about the time the child starts to talk to about age 7; Concrete: (about first grade to early adolescence); Formal Operations: (adolescence)) |
| Piaget’s 1st stage | Sensorimotor: (birth to about age 2) |
| Criticism of Freud and his contribution | xxx |
| mechanism | xxx |
| Denial | xxx |
| repression | xxx |
| Reaction | xxx |
