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Morphostasis in Family Systems Theory

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy

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Name of Concept

Morphostasis in Family Systems Theory

Synonyms

Homeostasis

Introduction

In family systems theory, morphostasis is an automatic cybernetic process that is enacted to help the family self-regulate upon the introduction of new information that might be destabilizing.

Theoretical Context for Concept

Morphostasis is the tenet under Ludwig von Bertalanffy’s general systems theory that explains how systems remain consistently organized even in the face of constant environmental change. Morphostasis is a process by which members of a couple or family system react to new information in a way that self-corrects and thus maintains its norms. Morphostasis refers to those processes operating within systems that resist changes in existing strategies. Morphogenesis, on the other hand, refers to those processes operating within systems that foster systemic growth and development. At all times, there exists within a system a dynamic tension between morphostasis (stability) and...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Eli Karam

Authors
  1. Miranda Smith
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  2. Eli Karam
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eli Karam .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The Family Institute at Northwestern, Evanston, Illinois, USA

    Jay Lebow

  2. The Family Institute at Northwestern, Evanston, Illinois, USA

    Anthony Chambers

  3. The Family Institute at Northwestern, Evanston, Illinois, USA

    Douglas C. Breunlin

Section Editor information

  1. The Family Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Douglas C. Breunlin

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Smith, M., Karam, E. (2018). Morphostasis in Family Systems Theory. In: Lebow, J., Chambers, A., Breunlin, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_289-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8_289-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15877-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15877-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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