The Family Emotional System

An Integrative Concept for Theory, Science, and Practice

Edited by Robert J. Noone and Daniel V. Papero - Contributions by John Butler; Frances A. Champagne; James Curley; David Crews; Margaret G. Donley; Marina Farinelli; Mark V. Flinn; Randall T. Frost; Raghavendra Gadagkar; Deborah M. Gordon; Victoria S. Harrison; LeAnn Howard; Robert J. Noone; Jaak Panksepp; Daniel V. Papero; Elizabeth A. Skowron and Charles T. Snowdon

The Family Emotional System: An Integrative Concept for Theory, Science, and Practice presents an ongoing dialogue among scientists, family investigators, and clinicians related to a natural systems view of the family and human behavior that has been occurring over several decades. The concept of the family as an emotional system, as defined in Bowen theory, is presented as the principal integrative concept underlying this dialogue and an effort to move toward a science of human behavior. As a natural system, the family forms the immediate and most important context for individual development, and may be the most central and important environment shaping brain development across the lifetime of the individual.

This book explains how the family system can serve as an integrative framework within which specific factual discoveries and hypotheses from many areas of science can be brought together and understood as various manifestations of a coherent whole. The Family Emotional System provides understanding of what is entailed in conceptualizing the family as an emotional system, a sense of the breadth and depth of knowledge the sciences are contributing to this effort, and examples of how this theoretical framework contributes to family research and practice. The richness and excitement occurring in the ongoing dialogue between scientists and Bowen family systems practitioners and researchers is captured along with the promise it holds for the study of human behavior.

Lexington Books

Pages: 272 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-0-7391-9893-3 • Hardback • October 2015 • $128.00 • (£98.00)

978-0-7391-9895-7 • Paperback • July 2017 • $57.99 • (£45.00)

978-0-7391-9894-0 • eBook • October 2015 • $55.00 • (£42.00)

Subjects: Psychology / Applied Psychology, Psychology / Education & Training, Psychology / Emotions, Psychology / Psychotherapy / Counseling

The Family Emotional System

An Integrative Concept for Theory, Science, and Practice

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

The Family Emotional System: An Integrative Concept for Theory, Science, and Practice presents an ongoing dialogue among scientists, family investigators, and clinicians related to a natural systems view of the family and human behavior that has been occurring over several decades. The concept of the family as an emotional system, as defined in Bowen theory, is presented as the principal integrative concept underlying this dialogue and an effort to move toward a science of human behavior. As a natural system, the family forms the immediate and most important context for individual development, and may be the most central and important environment shaping brain development across the lifetime of the individual.

This book explains how the family system can serve as an integrative framework within which specific factual discoveries and hypotheses from many areas of science can be brought together and understood as various manifestations of a coherent whole. The Family Emotional System provides understanding of what is entailed in conceptualizing the family as an emotional system, a sense of the breadth and depth of knowledge the sciences are contributing to this effort, and examples of how this theoretical framework contributes to family research and practice. The richness and excitement occurring in the ongoing dialogue between scientists and Bowen family systems practitioners and researchers is captured along with the promise it holds for the study of human behavior.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 272 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-0-7391-9893-3 • Hardback • October 2015 • $128.00 • (£98.00)

978-0-7391-9895-7 • Paperback • July 2017 • $57.99 • (£45.00)

978-0-7391-9894-0 • eBook • October 2015 • $55.00 • (£42.00)

Subjects: Psychology / Applied Psychology, Psychology / Education & Training, Psychology / Emotions, Psychology / Psychotherapy / Counseling

Author

Robert J. Noone is co-founder of and faculty at the Center for Family Consultation in Evanston, Illinois where he also maintains a psychotherapy practice.

Daniel V. Papero is senior faculty member at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family in Washington, DC.

Table of Contents

Part I Bowen Theory and the Family Emotional System
Chapter 1 Toward a Science of Human Behavior
Robert J. Noone and Daniel V. Papero
Chapter 2 The Family Emotional System
Daniel V. Papero
Chapter 3 Multigenerational Family Emotional Process as a Source of Individual Differences in Adaptiveness
Robert J. Noone
Chapter 4 The Predictability of the Family Emotional System
Randall T. Frost
Chapter 5 The Family as an Emotional Unit Concept: Origins and Early History
John F. Butler
Part IIScientific Contributions to an Emotional Systems Perspective
Chapter 6 Epigenetic Effects of Parental Care within and across Generations
Frances A. Champagne and James P. Curley
Chapter 7 Early Context-Dependent Epigenetic Modifications and the Shaping of Brain and Behavior
David Crews and Robert J. Noone
Chapter 8Nonhuman Primate Models of Family Systems
Charles T. Snowdon
Chapter 9 The Instinctual Foundations of Infant Minds: How Primary Affects Guide the Construction of Their Higher Cognitive Proclivities and Abilities
Jaak Panksepp & Marina Farinelli
Chapter 10 Evolution of Psychological Mechanisms for Human Family Relationship
Mark V. Flinn
Chapter 11 The Family System of a Social Wasp
Raghavendra Gadagkar
Chapter 12 Ants and Families
LeAnn S. Howard and Deborah M. Gordon
Part IIIExamples of the Influence of a Family Emotional Systems Perspective on Research and Practice
Chapter 13 Emotional Systems and the Regulation of Reproduction with Ovulation as an Illustration
Victoria Harrison
Chapter 14 Mating and Parental Care: The Influence of Gender on the Primary Triangle Margaret G. Donley
Chapter 15 Understanding Autonomic Physiology and Relationship Processes in High-Risk Families
Elizabeth Skowron
About the Contributors

Reviews

This collection of fine papers is an impressive collaboration of Bowen theory scholars and eminent scientists—such a credible and exciting contribution! A must read for any who seek to better understand human functioning, the family system and its connection to the natural and biological sciences.
— Jenny Brown, Family Systems Institute & Practice and author of Growing Yourself Up

Murray Bowen developed a new theory of human behavior. It uses natural systems thinking to combine knowledge of man as a product of evolution with facts about human behavior derived from many disciplines. The book’s focus on the family emotional system as an integrative concept is precisely the right approach. Vigorous exchange between top-notch scientists and seasoned Bowen theorists/therapists has been happening for forty-odd years. Thank goodness this exchange has finally been reflected in a book. Each chapter by the scientists and Bowen theorists can stand alone, but the combination of authors from diverse fields makes for a very good read that generates a unique comprehension of the depth and breadth of Bowen family systems theory.
— Michael E. Kerr, Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, author of Family Evaluation

The Family Emotional System

An Integrative Concept for Theory, Science, and Practice

The Family Emotional System

An Integrative Concept for Theory, Science, and Practice

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