STUDENT NUMBER 46600361

PYC4808

ECOSYSTEMIC PSYCHOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT NUMBER 2

UNIQUE 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
Second order cybernetics puts forth the idea that persons live in a multiverse of many equally valid observer depended realities (Becvar and Becvar 2006), and rejects the belief of independent observation.
Second order therapists acknowledge that they work with the perceptions and constructions of both their clients and themselves. Reality is something that can never be completely understood from another individual in an absolute truth. The therapist’s observations influence what he/she sees and acknowledges that there are many alternative, yet equally valid perceptions of the same phenomenon. The therapy process is influenced by the realities of everyone involved as the process takes place in a larger societal context.

4. How reality is seen by each approach
Reality is defined as a real existence or actual being as opposed to imaginary, idealized or false. It is something that actually happens in real life and is comparable with fact (Rooney 2001).Reality is something which could be observed, something which could be quantified in a finite manner. A way of looking at reality is to see it as referring to all that which forms an integral part of what an individual believes to be real(Reber 2001)
Each person is seen as being able to create their own reality and thus each person would have a different reality from the next person based on each’s unique mixture of experiences, genetics