ABSTRACT
This article is an attempt to improve the way we conceptualize "levels" in family systems. The first section reframes thinking about levels by identifying an array of different ways of thinking about levels. The next section suggests a parsimonious frame-work for thinking about levels of abstraction in systemic processes. The proposed framework integrates several earlier ways of conceptualizing levels, and helps eliminate some of the confusion, inconsistencies, fragmentation, and limitations of some earlier models. The new framework has three categories that are called Levels I, II, and III. The most abstract level (III) includes phenomena such as family paradigms and values. The intermediate level includes processes such as second-order change, regime, and "meta" processes such as metacommunication and meta-rules. The least abstract level refers to specific processes such as transformation processes and rules. The article concludes with an attempt to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed framework by showing how it can be used to eliminate a number of conceptual problems in earlier models, improve conceptual clarity, help generate new theoretical insights, and help deal with several controversies in the field.
Subject(s)
Family/psychology , Models, Psychological , Systems Theory , Adaptation, Psychological , Attitude of Health Personnel , Classification , Communication , Family Therapy/standards , Group Processes , Humans , Role , Social IdentificationABSTRACT
In contrast to some popular speculations about a massive increase in sexual behavior labeled "permissiveness without commitment," this survey of 2453 undergraduate students from four geographical areas in the United States provides data which suggest a behavioral pattern of "permissiveness with commitment." This pattern of "coitus with commitment" was evident not only for females, but for males as well. With minor exceptions, the pattern was detected for both sexes in all four geographical regions. Speculation is made about ways in which this pattern may be one outcome of the alleged intersex convergence in sexual attitudes and behavior among American college youth. Implications are drawn for the increment of theory.
