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Introducing the Cell to Society Framework 1. 2. Human behavior is impacted by processes ranging from those occurring at the smallest levels of biological organization to the largest levels of social and physical environmental systems. The need to root these theoretical principles on the best scientifically available data. The principles and conceptual foundations of the cell to society framework Transdisciplinary Joining together and transcendence of disciplines toward a common understanding of complex phenomena Human behavior is multidimensional in nature and requires a host of disciplines to understand • e.g., genetics, neuroscience, endocrinology, psychology, sociology, geography Evolution • Change and adaptation over time • Studies on primates have shown that change and adaptation does occur and certain behaviors or social problems are not inevitable or fixed Systems Theory The behavior of systems is generated by its underlying structure or pattern of interrelationships Key concepts • Positive feedback: system-changing innovations • Negative feedback: system-maintaining innovations • Emergence: properties that do not appear at any lower level of interactive parts • Contingency: cases not observable regularities Key concepts Transactions: exchange of information and behavioral interactions between persons and others in environment Inputs: flow of energy (i.e. stimuli) into a person or system Outputs: flow of energy out of a person or system Interface: the point of interaction or change target Adaptation: capacity to adjust to changes in environment Interdependence: mutual reliance between actors in a system and habitat Differentiation: change toward greater complexity in system Equifinality: many different means to achieve the same end Multifinality: one starting point leading to many outcomes Multiple units of analysis and disciplinary perspectives brought together to understand and intervene in human behavior across levels of analysis Begins with genes and moves to larger levels of physiological organization such as stress, emotion, and functions in the brain What is science? • A way of knowing about the world that is based on empiricism and testing Deduction • Take an idea or theory about something and gather data to assess the theory’s validity Induction • Observe facts and form a theory capable of explaining or making sense of our observations What is pseudoscience? • Use of persuasion and misinformation in support of cherished claims • Lack of empirical tests, rigorous external review and self-correction What are the pitfalls of pseudoscience? • Use of interventions by helping professionals that are not empirically tested can be potentially harmful and waste time and resources Milestones Period Transformation of single cell organism to human organism ready for growth and development Conception to birth Rapid changes to physiology, central nervous system and social receptiveness Infancy Gross and fine motor skills are developed and flowering of language and thought Early childhood Attendance at school, making friends, sense of self, development of morality Middle to late childhood Puberty and sexual activity, growing autonomy and value system, stronger reliance on peers and formation on social identity Adolescence Independence, career and work, marriage or intimate partnership, child rearing Early adulthood Greater mastery and leadership, sense of one’s own mortality, helping children and others reach independence and success Middle adulthood Adapting to diminished physical capacity, loss of life partner, life reflection, new ways to occupy time Late adulthood Psychodynamic theory Behaviorism Cognitive perspective Evolutionary approaches and gene– environment interplay Ecological systems theory Psychodynamic theory Posits that development takes place in a series of discrete stages driven by innate sexual impulses and early experiences. Early forms of this theory put forth by Freud were modified significantly by Erickson with less of an emphasis on biology and internal drives and more emphasis on external psychosocial relations. Cell to society: Psychodynamic theory is biosocial and interactive involving the cell to society domains of emotion, temperament, personality, and cognition and learning. Genes, stress and physiological adaptations, and executive functions, although likely involved, are not specified. Macrosocial context is largely ignored, though Freud extended the perspective to civilization (society) and Erickson to major societally contingent life stages such as career and employment. Behaviorism Environmental input shapes behavior of the organism. Many of these environmental inputs involve social learning via reinforcement. Thus, development is a sum of learning experiences based on specific environmental conditions. Behaviorists do not deny existence of important biological factors but what matters most is environmental contingencies. Later modifications to behaviorism involved incorporations of thoughts (cognitions). Cell to society: Although born out of physiology, limited genetic and neuroscience input. Far more emphasis on nurture as opposed to nature in this theory. Although larger social structures such as institutions (as well as broad societal factors like technology) can be linked to behavioral changes, very little study of these linkages has been undertaken. Cognitive perspective Focused attention on frame of reference or schemas that humans are born with. We need to have this structure to process information from our external environment. Humans assimilate this information in stages. Recent cognitive theories of development focus on attention, memory, and reasoning. Cell to society: Strong input from biology, but not a focus of study. Emphasis is on cognition and learning and to some extent executive functions and belief systems. However, limited roles specified for temperament and personality as well as institutions and technology. Evolutionary approaches and gene–environment interplay Heredity plays an important role in development, but the environment has great impact on the human genotype. As such, humans must adapt to environments but this adaptation is partly influenced by genetic factors. Thus, some people respond differently to the same environment. Environmental factors vary over different periods (e.g., adolescence). In these theories, not only does environment act upon humans, but individuals often select environments (and change the environment) consistent with their genotype Cell to society: Strong emphasis on genetics but also executive functions, stress and adaptation, temperament, personality, and cognition and learning. Similar to other major developmental perspectives, the role of larger social aggregates is neglected. Ecological systems theory The individual interacts with multiple levels of the environment (i.e., micro, meso, macro) to influence behavior and development across time in complex ways. Concepts such as equifinality and multifinality are prominent. This theoretical perspective is very systems oriented and does not posit discrete changes or place substantial emphasis on early experiences. Cell to society: Biology somewhat de-emphasized, as well as temperament and personality. Social factors even macro ones like institutions and communities— are given substantial weight. Successive levels of context surround the individual. Understanding human behavior includes factors that occur at multiple levels and requires the use of a host of disciplines. Change and adaptation over time is fundamental to human behavior, and can occur at the biological, individual, and cultural levels. When changes occur, adaptations in human behavior result, which initiates further change. Science is a way of knowing about the world that is based on empiricism and testing. Social work relies on science to deliver rational and effective services and uses scientific evidence to inform social policies and practices. Tremendous complexity of interactions occur over the life course ranging in involvement from the smallest units inside the body (e.g., neurons) to the largest aggregations (e.g., worldwide systems). Humans are highly plastic and depend on the social environment for experiences that stimulate healthy brain development.