Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The theory suggests that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another families are systems of interconnected and interdependent individuals, none of whom can be understood in isolation from the system
Overfunctioner-Underfunctioner Dyad
Another example of circular causality is the overfunctioner-underfunctioner dyad In the overfunctioner-underfunctioner dyad, one member of the couple (the overfunctioner) is very responsible. This person wants things to be planned out. In contrast, the other member of the couple (the underfunctioner) may be less responsible, more fun-loving, more spontaneous, etc. Imagine a married couple as they deal with finances in the family. The overfunctioner thinks that its important to budget and to stay within a budget. The underfunctioner thinks that sometimes you just have to be willing to splurge and enjoy!
Overfunctioner-Underfunctioner Dyad
The overfunctioner tends to see the underfunctioner as irresponsible and immature. The underfunctioner tends to see the overfunctioner as controlling & rigid. Just as we saw in the distancer-pursuer relationship, the more the overfunctioner overfunctions, the more the underfunctioner (in reaction) will tend to underfunction, AND VICE VERSA The causality is circular! Once the cycle has started, each persons behavior contributes to the other persons behavior.
Circular causality
The distancer-pursuer and overfunctionerunderfunctioner are just two examples of the sorts of circular patterns that can develop in families. There are many other possibilities. A good clue to a circular pattern is when people tend to respond in predictable ways to each other, and their responses may become more extreme or even stubborn over time.
A Question to Ponder
What circular patterns have you seen in your own family or other relationships?