Family types and family dimensions: The paradigmatic framework and the circumplex model

Abstract

The Paradigmatic Framework is a formal and rigorously derived systems‐theoretic model of the organization and operation of human systems, a map covering not just families but also the broader range of human social systems in general. The origins, derivation, and development of the framework and its salient features are summarized. The framework is applied to a close examination of the well‐known and influential Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems in terms of its theoretical premises and assumptions and its typological and dimensional features, placing the Circumplex Model within the larger context of other relevant theoretical models of family and the still larger context of human systems in general. Implications for research and practice in the marriage and family field are highlighted with special attention to socio‐cultural context.