Every person is an open social system, made up physically of a hierarchy of components such as cells, organs, and organ systems; emotionally of levels of needs and feelings; and socially of a relative rank in a hierarchy of prestige, such as boss, peasant, adult, or child. While internal stimuli are at work, such as those governed by the nervous and endocrine systems, outer stimuli also affect the person-for example, the feelings of others, or the external environment.
 |
The boundaries or environment-such as one`s skin, the limits set by others, one`s status, home, and community-influence the person`s needs and goal achievement. To remain healthy, the person must have feedback: the condition of his skin tells him about temperature; an emotional reaction of his skin tells him about temperature; an emotional reaction signifies a job well done or a failure; a pain signifies malfunction or injury.
A person is an open system, receiving stimuli from the outer world and in turn influencing that world through his behavior. Other social systems are the family; church; economic, political-legal and educational institutions; and health care agencies.
Linkage occurs when two systems exchange energy across their boundaries. For example, industry, the church, or the health agency draws energy from its linkage to the family. In return, industry is willing to contribute to family welfare funds, United Fund, mental health campaigns, or ecological improvements. The church maintains its role as prime defender of family stability. The health agency sets standards of health care.
References :
Murray, RB and Zentner JP., Nursing Concepts for Health Promotion, Second Edtion, Prentice-Hall, Inc, Englewood Cliffs, N.J, 1979.
Anderson, Ralph, and I. Carter, Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Chicago : Aldine Publishing Company, 1974.
