According to Smith and Hamon which of the following is NOT an assumption of the family ecological framework?

• A. Humans will react to something according to the meaning that the thing has for them
• B. Systems respond to events with equal emphasis
• C. The environment shapes behavior
• D. Change is a constant feature

Answer: (A)

The family ecological framework centers on how behavior arises from dynamic, reciprocal influences across nested environments. People and families are embedded in multiple systems—family, community, institutions—and these environments shape how people act, adapt, and change. Change is seen as a constant feature because systems continually realign as conditions shift, and different parts of the ecology contribute varying levels of influence in different situations. The statement that people react strictly according to the meaning something has for them reflects a more cognitive, meaning-centered view, not a core assumption of the ecological framework. So that option is not an assumption of Smith and Hamon’s approach, while the others align with environmental and systemic influences, ongoing change, and differential weighting of subsystems.