System approach: simple, with examples

The most precious thing for a person is to hope for a "magic pill" - an illusory opportunity to solve difficult situations simply. And what does "complex" mean? Have components that are related in one way or another. But this means that the situation has a structure that can be regarded as a system. So, you can apply a systematic approach to solving the problem . This method helps to make the issue easier, but without compromising the effectiveness of the measures taken.

A systematic approach is the consideration of an object or phenomenon in a multitude of relationships that allow one to predict changes in the object of consideration. Elements of systems can be very many, and their connections are ambiguous. And yet, there are principles that help make life easier for the scientist. They are called "principles of the system approach". With their help you can overcome the "curse of complexity". Let's illustrate ideas with examples from psychology.

The principle of dedication : the system does everything to achieve the goal, even if circumstances change. As we see, this principle is easy to explain such a complex phenomenon as the conservatism of the individual. The fact is that the goals are not formed by the strongest aspects of our psyche, so we can not expect flexibility.

The principle of tolerance: only those systems that can tolerate certain deviations from the parameters convenient for them are viable. In practice, this is manifested by the fact that the level of human achievement is related to his ability to tolerate discomfort. So do not complain about the inconvenience - you need to learn to tolerate or eliminate them, but do not despair. The systemic approach asserts that tolerance is highly paid.

The principle of emergence - each system has properties that can not be derived from the properties of individual elements and the connections between them. When two persons form a family, something like a new psyche is formed, common to family members (it's not for nothing that the new guardian angel is given to the couple). And the "spirit" of such a new family can be different from the "spirit" of every single member of the family.

The principle of consent - the goals of the system and subsystems should at least not contradict, ideally, coincide, although this almost does not happen. Hence the mass of disagreements in everyday life. For example, the parents' goals are to give the son a higher education, and the son's goals are to get the maximum pleasure from life. And when there is a choice between entertainment and the evening of work, systemic contradictions begin. This is a conflict of values.

The principle of causality - any change necessarily associated with other changes. Take as an example a full woman: until there is enough reason to lose weight, it will not take up business. And many live for years.

The principle of determinism - the system changes only due to external reasons. And do not deceive yourself. Goals are set "outside". Let us take the problem of self-education. A person reads additional books not because he set himself a goal, but because he realized that he lacks knowledge. That is, the reason is still external, but it's up to the individual to decide how to solve the problem-reading literature; By the way, from this principle follows the existence of God. But this is a separate topic.

The principle of diversity - the stability of the system is due to the variety of characteristics of the elements. Of course, if there is no contradiction. In accordance with this principle, a family consisting of very different people is more likely to cope with a variety of problems than consisting of similar people with similar problems.

The principle of entropy - an isolated system dies. Of course, it sounds sad. But the fact is that if a person loses touch with the environment, he degrades. We remember that goals are set from outside and are controlled from the outside. The system overcomes its imperfections. And if there is no interaction, then degradation is inevitable. So, if a person loses interest in life, then his mental activity gradually or immediately fades.

There are other principles, but the ones outlined are basic for understanding what a systematic approach is.