...Introduction The purpose of this essay paper is to critically compare the epistemology governing the first and second order cybernetic approaches. (Epistemology is defined by Becvar and Becvar (2013), as the study of how we know what we know, and how we can make valid knowledge claims based on a particular theoretical framework. It focuses on the assumption that underline a particular framework and whether the knowledge claim made by that theory is logically consistent with its own assumption). In doing so, the student will answer the following questions: 1. Name and define the first-order cybernetic principles as described in the book The first order cybernetic is also known as simple cybernetic. Becvar and Becvar (2013), describe the first order cybernetic metaphorically by using the black box. They stated that it is a system whose operation we attempt to understand by observing what goes into and what comes out of it, analysis of inputs and outputs. In addition, we place ourselves outside the system as observers of what is going on inside the system. We are more interested in understanding the interaction and relationships within the system. The observer stays outside of the system being observed and views him/herself as being in a position to facilitate adjustment in the system without taking into consideration his/her participation. The following are the principles of this approach as stated in Becvar and Becvar (2013): * Recursion: this principle states...
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...Table of Contents * First Order Cybernetic principles: named and defined * Second Order Cybernetic principles: named and defined * How reality is seen by each specific approach * How health and pathology are addressed by each approach * How first and second order cybernetics deal with therapy * The role and function of the therapist in each approach * Critical ethical concerns about each specific perspective * How both approaches can be integrated in a useful and complementary way * References * First Order Cybernetic principles * Recursion - The principle of recursion or reciprocal causality is based on the premise that individuals and elements are constantly interacting and influencing each other. Meaning is derived from the relationship between individuals and elements as each defines and is defined by the other. Each of us, therefore, shares in the destiny of the other (Becvar & Becvar, 2013). Just as every individual is influenced and is being influenced by every other individual, the same can be said for every system. Recursion sees all individuals as members of a world community who are connected at every level of the system. * Feedback - Feedback is the process whereby information about past behaviour is fed back into the system in a circular manner. Two types of feedback occur, namely positive and negative feedback. Positive feedback refers to forces which try to alter the system’s rules, interaction...
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...Epistemologies governing the first- and second-order cybernetic approaches: Ivan Bronkhorst Student number: 51863456 PYC4808 Assignment 2 Table of Contents 1. First Order Cybernetic (FOC) principles: 3 Recursion: 3 Feedback: 3 Morphostasis /Morphogenesis: 3 Rules and Boundaries: 3 Openness/Closedness: 4 Entropy/Negentropy: 4 Equifinality/Equipotentiality: 4 Communication and Information Processing 5 Relationship and Wholeness: 5 2. Second Order Cybernetic (FOC) principles: 6 Wholeness and Self-Reference: 6 Openness/Closedness: 7 Autopoiesis: 7 Structural Determinism: 7 Structural Coupling and Nonpurposeful Drift: 7 Epistemology of Participation: 8 Reality as a Multiverse: 8 1. First Order Cybernetic (FOC) principles: Recursion: Recursion is focused on the relationship between individuals and given elements in isolation. Recursion is, thus, focuses on how individuals and elements interact with, and influence one another respectively (Becvar & Becvar, 2014, pp. 69-70). In my opinion recursion in FOC refers to the circular causality or impact, if you will, that individuals and/or given elements have on one another. For instance, a child is extremely fearful of his father and, thus, doesn’t like talking to his father. His father, in turn, gets angry and strict when his son does not talk to him on a regular basis seeing as this makes him feel unwanted as a father. This behaviour from the father fuels the fear of the child creating a negative cycle...
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...ASSIGNMENT NUMBER 588438 TOPIC: FIRST AND SECOND ORDER CYBERNETICS TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction 1 2. First order cybernetics 1 3. Second order cybernetics 1 4. How reality is seen by each approach 2 5. How health and pathology is addressed by each approach 3 6. Role and function of therapists 4 7. Ethical concerns 4 8. How first and second order cybernetic approach can be integrated In a useful and complimentary way 5 9. Conclusion 6 10. References 7 1 1. Introduction Cybernetics refers to the principles that regulate the dissemination of information or messages. Cybernetics has to do with the basic principles underlying the control, regulation, and exchange and processing of information. The influence of cybernetics is apparent in the Eco systemic approach because it stresses relations and connections and highlights the study of interactional patterns between and within systems. Cybernetic theory regards the construction of reality as a non-linear concept, it is concerned not so much with what systems consist of, but how they function. First and second order cybernetic approaches are consistent with each other, in the assumption that reality is understood as perceptually constructed or created. (Becvar and Becvar 2006). This reality may be explained and interpreted in the first order therapy from an isolated remote position while a second order approach is aware that it is not possible...
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...In first order cybernetics, reality is discovered through observation without the observer being influenced in process. To ensure such, the observer place themselves outside the system, where they can observe what is goes into and comes out of it so that they can initiate change (Becvar & Becvar, 2009). In second order cybernetics, the observer is recognised as a part of, or participant in that what is observed. Perception of both the observer and the observed is recognised. Reality is constructed other being recognised as something that is out there. Becvar & Becvar (in Baron, 2007) is cited as stating that, first and second order cybernetics are consistent with each other in the assumption that, reality is understood as perceptually constructed or created. Baron (2007) noted that, reality from first cybernetics approach maybe explained and interpreted from an isolated remote position, while a second order approach is aware that it is not possible to understand other’s reality without being a part of it during the process. The focus on context and communication is of utmost relevance in both approaches. The therapists attempt to understand the context through examination of individual perceptions, meanings and prevailing social system within which the relationships are included. Becvar & Becvar (2009) emphasized that, from a cybernetics perspective, meaning is derived from the relation between individuals and elements as each defines the order. But second order cybernetic therapist...
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...PYC4808 Ecosystemic Psychology Assignment Two Question 1 : Name and define the first-order cybernetic principles as described in your prescribed textbook. When viewing first-order cybernetics, we observe from the outside of what is going on in the system. We do not view ourselves as part of the system and do not concern ourselves with what the system does or why it does it. What we are concerned with is describing what is happening in the system. We aim to answer questions such as, “who are members of the system?, what are the characteristic patterns of interaction in this system?, what rules and roles form the boundaries of the system and distinguish it as separate from other systems?. “(Becvar & Becvar 2014. Pg 69 ) In first-order cybernetics we also attempt to find out how freely information is transmitted in and out of the particular system, as well as view the balance between change and stability within the system. Consistent with the element of recursiveness, the system is one that has reciprocal causalty and not linear and both people and events are mutually interactive and influenced. In order to analyze the family system, relationships and interactions amongst members are viewed instead of viewing the individuals in isolation. From the perspective all systems are influenced and influence each other. From a cybernetic perspective, we acknowledge that an isolated cause/effect event is only a small part of a large pattern of circularity. “Feedback refers to the...
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...……………………………………………………………………………………………………………page 7 Question 6……………………………………………………………………………………………………………page 8 Question 7 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………page 9 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..page 10 . Question 1: First – order cybernetics adheres to a set of principles that we can name and define as follows: 1. Recursion: Recursion can be defined as “ relating to or constituting a procedure that can repeat itself indefinitely or “ one step of a procedure involves invoking the procedure itself “.( Wikipedia 2015). If we translate this principle to simple cybernetics we can say that this theory does not seek a linear cause of a situation like in A occurs and then B occurs because of A. But sees, for example, people in a family influence each other and each other’s behaviours and this is a constant flow of influence. So the reciprocal relationship is important : “ …meaning is derived from the relationship between individuals …. as each defines the other “.(Becvar and Becvar 2014 8th ed , p 70 ). The use of this principle prohibits that we only see part of what is happening in a family but focus on the whole. 2. Feedback: When a process is in action we want to evaluate what is happening. In first-order cybernetics we do not look for a good or bad result. We talk about positive and negative feedback. If a family goes through life changes for example a baby is born the roles of the father and mother...
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... page Introduction 2 1 First-order cybernetics principles 2 2 Second-order cybernetics 4 3 Perception of reality 5 4 Health and pathology 6 5 The role and function of therapy 7 6 Ethical concerns 8 7 Integration of first- and second-order cybernetics 8 Conclusion 9 Reference list 10 A comparison of first- and second-order cybernetics Introduction When considering psychology most think of individual psychology. But in more recent years, systems theory or cybernetics as a school of thought in psychology has grown in its influence in the field. Within cybernetics there are two different approaches, namely first-order or simple cybernetics and second-order cybernetics. What student hopes to achieve with this assignment is a better understanding of these two by exploring what sets them apart. 1 First-order cybernetics principles In describing first-order cybernetics, Becvar and Becvar (2014) use the following principles to highlight its fundamental assumptions. 1.1 Recursion People and events do not exist in isolation but within a context, more specifically within the relationships in which they are involved in. Recursion refers to the fact that all elements involved in a relationship influence each other as they are constantly interacting. 1.2 Feedback It is the part of recursion that allows a system to correct itself by using the information given about past behaviours in order to make changes or remain as it...
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...TABLE OF CONTENTS Title 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. page Name and definition of first order principles………………………………..1 Name and definition of second order principles……………………………2 How is reality seen from each approach……………………………………2 Health and pathology in FOC and SOC…………………………………….3 The role and function of the therapist……………………………………….3 Critical and ethical concerns…………………………………………………3 Ideas around first and second order cybernetics………………………….4 References…………………………………………………………………….5 FIRST ORDER CYBERNETICS PRINCIPLES Recursion and mutual interaction-People and events are seen in the context of mutual interaction. When we are viewing the world from a system, we are not interested in the cause of a particular behavior or situation. Responsibility and power exist as a bilateral process, with each individual and element participating in the creation of a particular reality. Any complex person or agency that influences a complex interactive system thereby becomes part of that system and no part can ever control the whole. Batson(1970). This means that we do not exist in isolation, but rather in relationships where interaction is mutual. Feedback-Feedback is a process whereby information about the past is fed back into the system in a circular manner (Becvar&Becvar,2013). In first order cybernetics positive and negative feedback describe the process of change. Feedback refers to the impact of the behavior upon the system and the response of the system to that behavior. Feedback does...
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...| PYC4808 – ECOSYSTEMIC PSYCHOLOGY | Assignment 2 | | | Table of Contents Introduction Error! Bookmark not defined. Question 1 3 1.1 First order cybernetic principles. 3 Question 2 5 2.1 Second order cybernetic principles. 5 Question 3 7 3.1 Reality as seen by each specific approach. 7 Question 4 8 4.1 Health and pathology as addressed by each specific approach. 8 Question 5 8 5.1 Each respective perspectives means of dealing with therapy. 8 Question 6 9 6.1 The role and function of the therapist in each of these approaches. 9 Question 7 9 7.1 Critical ethical concerns raised by each specific perspective. 9 Question 8 10 8.1 Ideas on how the first- and second order cybernetic approaches can be integrated in a complementary way. 10 Question 1 1.1 First order cybernetic principles. First order cybernetics, also known as simple cybernetics, endeavours to place the individual outside of the system, to act as an observer. The individual is not seen as part of the system or in any way linked to the actions of the system. By doing this the individual tries to identify the members of the system, their characteristics, their interactional patterns as well as the boundaries which have been formed by the rules and roles within the system. Furthermore, simple cybernetics is based on the following basic principles: Recursion refers to the assumption where the focus is not on the individual but on the events and interactions between...
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...Different Worldviews The Framework of Individual Psychology The Framework of Systemic Family Therapy Basic Concepts of Systems Theory and Cybernetics Family Therapy or Relationship Therapy? Summary Chapter 2: The Historical Perspective Planting the Seeds: The 1940s Cybernetics Development of Interdisciplinary Approaches Gregory Bateson Putting Down Roots: The 1950s Bateson (Continued) The Double-Bind Hypothesis Nathan Ackerman Murray Bowen Carl Whitaker Theodore Lidz Lyman Wynne Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy John Elderkin Bell Christian F. Midelfort Overview of the 1950s The Plant Begins to Bud: The 1960s Paradigm Shift The MRI Salvador Minuchin Other Developments Blossom Time: The 1970s Psychodynamic Approaches Natural Systems Theory Experiential Approaches Structural Approaches Strategic Approaches Communication Approaches Behavioral Approaches Gregory Bateson Connecting and Integrating: The 1980s Other Voices The Limits of History Controversy, Conflict, and Beyond: The 1990s The Feminist Critique Family Therapy and Family Medicine Integration and Metaframeworks Managed Care The Twenty-First Century: Continuing Concerns and Emerging Trends Summary Chapter 3: The Paradigmatic Shift of Systems Theory A Cybernetic Epistemology Recursion Feedback Morphostasis/Morphogenesis Rules and Boundaries Openness/Closedness Entropy/Negentropy ...
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...as the convention for citation and referencing. Each significant contribution to and quotation in this assignment from the work or works of other people has been attributed and has been citied and referenced This assignment is my own work I have not allowed and will not allow anyone to copy my work with intention of passing it off as his or her own work I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment or part of it is wrong and declare that this assignment is my own work Ecosystemic Psychology (PYC4808) Assignment: 01 Unique number: 199603 Introduction Ecosystemtic is an ‘‘approach that presuppose a way of looking at human functioning where the focus is on systems and where ecological and cybernetic principles provide the point of departure’’ (Becvar & Becvar.2013). This branch of psychology helps us understand the abilities and limitations of the human mind. Epistemology refers to ‘‘a particular way of thinking which determines how we know and understands the world around us’’ (Bateson; 1979). This clearly means that it helps us to think beyond our thinking capabilities and acknowledge the diversity of the world. This assignment is based on the Ecosystemtic approaches such as...
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...in: R.A. Meyers (ed.), Encyclopedia of Physical Science & Technology (3rd ed.), (Academic Press, New York, 2001). Cybernetics and Second-Order Cybernetics Francis Heylighen Free University of Brussels Cliff Joslyn Los Alamos National Laboratory Contents I. Historical Development of Cybernetics....................................................... 1 A. Origins..................................................................................... 1 B. Second Order Cybernetics............................................................ 2 C. Cybernetics Today...................................................................... 4 II. Relational Concepts................................................................................ 5 A. Distinctions and Relations........................................................... 5 B. Variety and Constraint ................................................................ 6 C. Entropy and Information.............................................................. 6 D. Modelling Dynamics .................................................................. 7 III. Circular Processes................................................................................... 8 A. Self-Application......................................................................... 8 B. Self-Organization ....................................................................... 9 C. Closure .....................................................................................
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...1. A three- generational genogram p 4 2. A Ecological map of the Bird Family in Context p 5 3 (a) The story as seen from the perspective of each one of the family members p 6 (b)The story from the vantage point of the family’s position in the family cycle p 7 4. A first- order cybernetic description of the case p 7 * Recursion p 8 * Feedback p 8 * Morphostasis/Morphogenesis p 9 * Rules and boundaries p 10 5. A second-order cybernetic description of the case p 10 * Wholeness and Self-Reference p 12 * Autopoiesis p 12 * Structural Determinism p 12 * The Epistemology of Participation p 13 * Structural Coupling p 13 Conclusion p 13 References p 14 Introduction Ecosystemic psychology emphasises as central idea that the patterns which connect, rather than the thing in itself, is important. Applied to the domain of living systems, a focus emerges which regards the process of living, or the relational system through which people live, as the subject matter of our observations, descriptions and research (TUT 101, PYC 4808: p 5). In the following discussion we are going to consider and discuss a given case study from first and second order cybernetics by applying first and second order cybernetic principles. We explore what the individual perspectives of the family members may be and the vantage point of the family’s position in the family’s life cycle. We are also going to construe a three-generational genogram of the given family system as well as an ecological...
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...PYC4808/101/0/2014 Tutorial letter 101/0/2014 Ecosystemic Psychology PYC4808 or PSY474V Year module Department of Psychology IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This tutorial letter contains important information about your module. 2 CONTENTS Page 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Tutorial matter ................................................................................................................................. 5 2 PURPOSE OF AND OUTCOMES FOR THE MODULE ............................................................... 5 2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Outcomes ....................................................................................................................................... 6 3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .................................................................................... 7 3.1 Lecturer(s) ...................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Department ..................................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 University .......................................................................................................
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