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systems theory
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interdisciplinary field about the study of systems
Systems theory is an interdisciplinary field that studies how different parts of a system interact and work together as a whole, rather than examining each part in isolation. It matters because many real-world problems—from ecology to organizations to technology—involve complex interconnected elements that can't be fully understood by looking at individual components alone.
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Research
84,660 papers- Differentiation of self: A scoping review of Bowen Family Systems Theory's core construct.Clinical psychology review · 2022
- Family systems theory, attachment theory, and culture.Family process · 2002
- An application of Bowen family systems theory.Issues in mental health nursing · 2014
- Safety research guided by systems theory?International journal of injury control and safety promotion · 2023
- Applying dynamic systems theory and complexity theory methods in psychotherapy research: A systematic literature review.Psychotherapy research : journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research · 2024
via PubMed
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Article
Systems theory is the transdisciplinary study of systems, i.e., cohesive groups of interrelated, interdependent components that can be natural or artificial. Every system has causal boundaries, is influenced by its context, defined by its structure, function and role, and expressed through its relations with other systems. A system is "more than the sum of its parts" when it expresses synergy or emergent behavior.
Changing one component of a system may affect other components or the whole system. It may be possible to predict these changes in patterns of behavior. For systems that learn and adapt, the growth and the degree of adaptation depend upon how well the system is engaged with its environment and other contexts influencing its organization. Some systems support other systems, maintaining the other system to prevent failure. The goals of systems theory are to model a system's dynamics, constraints, conditions, and relations; and to elucidate principles (such as purpose, measure, methods, tools) that can be discerned and applied to other systems at every level of nesting, and in a wide range of fields for achieving optimized equifinality.