Chapter 1 Human Behavior and the Social Work Profession

Question 1

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

Answer 1

the body that accredits undergraduate and graduate social work programs

Question 2

CSWE policy on undergraduate/graduate social work programs

Answer 2

“Social workers understand theories of human behavior and the social environment, and critically evaluate and apply this knowledge to facilitate engagement with clients and constituencies, including individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.”

Question 3

Social Work knowledge definition

Answer 3

refers to a wide range of information such as theories, empirical research, and practical experience that might be generated from different disciplines

Question 4

Social Work Theory definition

Answer 4

a set of ideas or concepts that, when considered together, help to explain certain phenomena and allow people to predict behavior and other events

Question 5

Theoretical interactions in social work; 3 main groups

Answer 5

Individual, Family and Small Groups, and Society and Larger Forces

Question 6

Human Development Theory

Answer 6

Physical processes of growth and aging, Cognition/emotions, morality, attachment, learning, spirituality, self-actualization and well-being

Question 7

Small Systems Theory

Answer 7

Family systems, group dynamics, ecological theory

Question 8

Sociological theory

Answer 8

Social action, racism, conflict, functionalist, interactionist, community organization, social justice, social constructionism

Question 9

practical knowledge or practice-based wisdom

Answer 9

knowledge generated from experience and informal observations

Question 10

empirical knowledge

Answer 10

knowledge based in observable fact

Question 11

science-based knowledge

Answer 11

developed over time through the process of research and investigation, using objective methods to test hypotheses

Question 12

evidence-based practice

Answer 12

social workers’ increased responsibility to document that their interventions are effective

Question 13

“unknowing” stance

Answer 13

suggests that people’s challenges and behaviors are inherently unpredictable and the contexts in which people live are complex and diverse

Question 14

cultural humility

Answer 14

entails a process of understanding culture through maintaining continuous curiosity and openness about others and committing to lifelong learning and self-reflection on our own culture, power, and privilege

Question 15

Evaluative Criteria for Theory (6)

Answer 15

Is it functional? Is it strong? Is it parsimonious? Is it falsifiable? Does it make practical sense? Is it philosophically sound?

Question 16

Human errors with research: problems with observations

Answer 16

Human beings have notoriously faulty memories, and our own experiences of events can be very unreliable

Question 17

Human errors with research: overgeneralizations

Answer 17

We tend to assume that what we experience can be generalized to other people and circumstances

Question 18

Human errors with research: Biases and value judgments

Answer 18

We often impose our own values, inclinations, expectations, and experiences onto an event to help make sense of it

Question 19

Human errors with research: lack of inquiry

Answer 19

We stop asking questions about an event because we think we understand it or have pursued it sufficiently

Question 20

What are the four human errors with research?

Answer 20

Problems with observations, overgeneralizations, biases and value judgments, lack of inquiry

Question 21

Criteria to consider when evaluating research (7)

Answer 21

How current is the information?
Who is the intended audience?
Who is the author?
Are original sources of information listed?
Is the information peer reviewed?
Is the information biased?
What is the purpose of the information?

Question 22

“pure theorists”

Answer 22

social workers who tend to rely on a single theory

Question 23

eclectic practitioners

Answer 23

social workers who borrow ideas and constructs from several theories

Question 24

The single theory argument

Answer 24

proponents of adhering to a particular theory maintain that the sheer number of potentially useful theories cannot be taught in sufficient depth for students to understand them adequately and apply them correctly in practice

Question 25

Other arguments for using single theory

Answer 25

Social workers get their training early in their careers and are likely to stick to the ways of thinking and practice that they learned in school
There are no guidelines or rules about how to choose concepts from one theory or another
Social workers are unlikely to get needed supervision on using multiple theories and techniques
Trying to integrate different concepts may lead to disjointed practice or even contradictory applications

Question 26

Arguments for eclecticism

Answer 26

The need to be flexible and comprehensive is inherent in social work
Rigidly adhering to only one perspective can be oppressive to clients, forcing the unique characteristics of clients and the human condition into a uniform mold
Relying on a single theory to explain all problems will cause social workers to miss the bigger picture
This line of thinking supports the idea that clients should benefit from all of the theoretical knowledge available to social workers
It is obvious that to be an effective social worker, you must have at least a working knowledge of various theories that explain human development and behavior

Question 27

Core Social Work Values (6)

Answer 27

Service
Social justice
Dignity and worth of the person
Importance of human relationships
Integrity
Competence

Question 28

Core Social Work Values: Service

Answer 28

Help people in need and address social conditions and concerns

Question 29

Core Social Work Values: Social Justice

Answer 29

Challenge social justice

Question 30

Core Social Work Values: Dignity and worth of the person

Answer 30

Respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person

Question 31

Core Social Work Values: Importance of human relationships

Answer 31

Recognize the central importance of human relationships

Question 32

Core Social Work Values: Integrity

Answer 32

Behave in a trustworthy manner

Question 33

Core Social Work Values: Competence

Answer 33

Practice within areas of competence, and develop and enhance professional expertise

Question 34

Policy courses

Answer 34

prepare you to develop, interpret, analyze, and apply social policies, which in turn influence the well-being of individuals, families, and communities

Question 35

Research courses

Answer 35

an important facet of social work education because they teach you how to evaluate practice as well as how to incorporate research into practice for more effective results

Question 36

Practice courses

Answer 36

rely heavily on theory to teach you empirically based practice methods for working with clients