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As we have seen, a systems perspective is an integrated way to understand the individual, the family, and the relationships created by their dynamic, interconnected, interdependent interactions. The field of consumer sciences actually promoted the idea of systems theory applied to the family well before it became prominent in other fields of the social sciences. An ecological approach to the family emphasizes the interrelationships of a group of organisms that form a community or more specifically, ...this interdependent relationship focuses on the home as a life support system for family members (Hook & Paolucci, 1970, p. 315).A family ecological approach means that the home plays an integrative role in the society as a whole. Especially in America, we have expanded our ideas about the importance of the family to include "quality of life" issues. Ecology is a branch of science that investigates and describes the reciprocal relationship between organisms and their environment.
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