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CHAPTER 18 Dorothy E. Johnson 337

systems of ingestion and elimination, as described by Person
Walike, Mead, and Sears, are also parts of Johnson’s Johnson (1980) viewed the person as a behavioral
behavioral system. The work of Kagan and Resnik system with patterned, repetitive, and purposeful
were used to support the sexual subsystem. The ways of behaving that link the person with the envi-
aggressive-protective subsystem, which functions to ronment. The conception of the person is basically a
protect and preserve, is supported by Lorenz and motivational one. This view leans heavily on Johnson’s
Feshbach (Feshbach, 1970; Johnson, 1980; Lorenz, acceptance of ethology theories, that innate, biologi-
1966). According to Atkinson, Feather, and Crandell, cal factors influence the patterning and motivation of
physical, creative, mechanical, and social skills are behavior. She also acknowledged that prior experi-
manifested by achievement behavior, another subsys- ence, learning, and physical and social stimuli also
tem identified by Johnson (1980). influence behavior. She noted that a prerequisite to
The restorative subsystem was developed by using this model is the ability to look at a person as a
faculty and clinicians in order to include behaviors behavioral system, observe a collection of behavioral
such as sleep, play, and relaxation (Grubbs, 1980). subsystems, and be knowledgeable about the physio-
Although Johnson (personal communication, 1996) logic, psychological, and sociocultural factors operat-
agreed that “there may be more or fewer subsys- ing outside them (Class notes, 1971).
tems” than originally identified, she did not support Johnson identified several assumptions that are
restorative as a subsystem of the Behavioral System critical to understanding the nature and operation of
Model. She believed that sleep is primarily a bio- the person as a behavioral system. We assume that
logical force, not a motivational behavior. She sug- there is organization, interaction, and interdepen-
gested that many of the behaviors identified in dency and integration of the parts of behavior that
infants during their first years of life, such as play, make up the system. An individual’s specific response
are actually achievement behaviors. Johnson (per- patterns form an organized and integrated whole. The
sonal communication, 1996) stated that there was a interrelated and interdependent parts are called sub-
need to examine the possibility of an eighth subsys- systems. Johnson (1977) further assumed that the be-
tem that addresses explorative behaviors; further havioral system tends to achieve balance among the
investigation may delineate it as a subsystem sepa- various forces operating within and upon it. People
rate from the achievement subsystem. strive continually to maintain a behavioral system
balance and steady states by more or less automatic
Major Assumptions adjustments and adaptations to the natural forces
impinging upon them. Johnson also recognized that
Nursing people actively seek new experiences that may tempo-
Nursing’s goal is to maintain and restore the person’s rarily disturb balance.
behavioral system balance and stability or to help the Johnson further (1977, 1980) assumed that a
person achieve a more optimum level of balance and behavioral system, which both requires and results in
functioning. Thus, nursing, as perceived by Johnson, some degree of regularity and constancy in behavior,
is an external force acting to preserve the organiza- is essential to human beings. Finally, Johnson (1977)
tion and integration of the patient’s behavior to an assumed that behavioral system balance reflected ad-
optimal level by means of imposing temporary regu- justments and adaptations by the person that are suc-
latory or control mechanisms or by providing re- cessful in some way and to some degree. This will be
sources while the patient is experiencing stress or true, even though the observed behavior may not
behavioral system imbalance (Brown, 2006). An art always match the cultural norms for acceptable or
and a science, nursing supplies external assistance health behavior.
both before and during system balance disturbance Balance is essential for effective and efficient func-
and therefore requires knowledge of order, disorder, tioning of the person. Balance is developed and main-
and control (Herbert, 1989; Johnson, 1980). Nursing tained within the subsystems(s) or the system as a
activities do not depend on medical authority, but whole. Changes in the structure or function of a system
they are complementary to medicine. are related to problems with drive, lack of functional