According to General Systems Theory, what is the core belief regarding a whole system?

The belief that a whole is more than the sum of its parts is central to General Systems Theory. This perspective emphasizes that when individual elements within a system interact, they create unique relationships and patterns that contribute to the system's overall behavior and function. These interactions can lead to emergent properties, which are qualities or functionalities that cannot be predicted simply by examining the individual components in isolation.

For instance, in marriage and family therapy, the dynamics between family members can produce results that are not evident when looking at each individual separately. The relationships and communication patterns among family members shape the family's overall functioning and can lead to new insights and changes that benefit the system as a whole. This illustrates the concept of synergy, where the collaborative effects of the parts lead to outcomes greater than what would occur if each part operated independently.

The other perspectives suggest either that the whole is merely a sum of its parts or that it exists in isolation from its parts, which do not accurately capture the complexities and interdependencies inherent in systems as understood within this theoretical framework.