Family and dynamic systems theories have emerged from basic principles of general systems theory (von Bertalanffy, 1968). In this project we are exploring how the modeling frameworks being used in ecology (nonlinear dynamic models) can be used to study family systems. First, we review some of the theoretical principles at the core of dynamic systems theory that can be applied to the study of families. Second, we briefly summarize how the taxonomies used in biological ecology to describe interspecies interactions (e.g., symbiosis) have been articulated using the general mathematical framework for nonlinear dynamic models. Third, we consider how this ecological framework is being applied in the study of family systems.
