What is Theory - Day 1 Flashcards
Theory - we naturally try to what?
make sense of the world around us
Theories provide working what?
definitions of the world around us
T/F - theory should explain some aspect of the world in an organized way
True
Theory - this tendency reduces uncertainty and helps us what?
to see patterns and regularities – it makes the world less random
Theory only needs to satisfy who to be believable
the observer to be believable (doesn’t mean it’s true i.e. drinking bleach to get rid of covid which is why they have to be scientifically driven)
T/F - Theory has two parts - we naturally try to make sense of the world around us AND we want “predict” what will happen next
True
When is theory often replaced with an alternate theory?
When theory doesn’t adequately explain or predict
T/F - Theories are “absolutes”
False - they are NOT because research is always evolving with new evidence
Theories are a product of ? in which they are formulated
time
T/F - Theory is a general principle or body of knowledge, reached through scientific processes that helps to explain a phenomenon
True
Theory is reached through what? to help explain a phenomenon
reached through scientific processes
theory as a “?” interacting with practice
Map
Theory is NOT “knowledge” (which is a description of reality) AND theory is NOT “practice” (as this involves action)
theory is in the realm of what?
thinking and conceptualizing
T/F - Theories in social work connect explanations about the world and human behaviour with practice
True
Theories help people to:
- To d…
- To e…
- To p…
- To c…
Theories help people to:
- To describe
- To explain
- To predict
- To control and bring about
T/F - Theories help us when we describe cases or behaviours to the court or school systems, we anticipate outcomes for street youth and seek services to address the risk factors in their lives, and we intervene with neglectful parents
True
Theories help us connect: k…, e…, and p…
knowledge, experience and practice
T/F - Theories do not help us see things a certain way based on our social location, experience
False - We need theories or else we will see things a certain way based on our social location, experience
T/F - The fewer theories you know the more interpretations you have
False - The more theories you know the more interpretations you have
Theories should be what? (starts with S)
Scientific
T/F - Scientific theories offer formalized approaches to making sense of objects around us
true
T/F - Using scientific theory helps to:
- summarize what we already know
- to categorize and make sense of our observations
- to predict the occurrence of events and relationships that haven’t occurred yet based on the underlying explanatory principles of the theory
True
Social Work theory does not reveal or make clear so things may not be obvious
false
T/F - Social Work does not order complexity and does not help us explain and understand complex human behaviour and social phenomena
false
We use theory in Social Work because it offer G? and orders C? and helps us explain and understand complex human behaviour and social phenomena
offers guidance and orders complexity
We use theory in Social Work because it help us be Acc? in terms of justifying to our clients what approach we are taking and why, (we are basing our work on scientific knowledge not our personal opinion)
Be Accountable
T/F - Theories are based on well-researched explanations of human and social behaviour and backed up by evidence
True
T/F - Theories tell us what works and why it works but not under what conditions
False - Theories tell us what works and why it works and under what conditions
T/F - When developing a theory we need to…
ask ourselves on what basis we are making sense of this person or situation
True
T/F - When developing a theory we need to…
connect what we are seeing with regards to the client’s problem based on theory
True
T/F - value orientation and view is not implicit in each theory which may dramatically impact the nature of the helping service
false
Choose a theory with a WHAT? base that align with SW WHAT? base
value
Social Work is essentially a what? profession
values based
The values that drive social work include:
It supports goals and outcomes that are committed to social justice and the promotion of human rights.
True
The values that drive social work include…
It identifies preferred means of attaining goals i.e. collaboration and empowerment.
True
The values that drive social work include…
assuming the inherent uniqueness, worth, dignity and importance of the individual and the interdependence between the individual and society.
True
The values that drive social work views personal differences as what?
assets
social workers promote what (Social J and Social C) with and on behalf of clients.
social justice and social change
3 social work objectives include - T/F
Empowerment
Social Change Views
Problem-solving views
true
1- Empowerment: seeking the best possible well-being for clients by promoting and facilitating growth and fulfillment and enabling clients to gain power over their own lives (Humanistic and Feminist theories).
2-Social Change Views: they seek to transform society for the benefit of the poorest and most oppressed. They imply that the disadvantaged and oppressed will not obtain empowerment unless society makes transformations.
3-Problem-solving views: see social work as maintaining social order by supporting people through difficult periods so they can recover their stability
3 types of Informal Theory we use in Social Work
- Common knowledge
- Experience
- Practice wisdom
Are theories facts?
Are theories attempts to explain behaviour or observations.
False
true
When scientists/social workers explain (make sense of) their observations, their answers reflect what?
their theories.
Theories are different in intent, what are the 4 types of intent, what is when theory offers a common language and understanding of observed phenomena
Observation/Description OR Explanation
Observation/Description
T/F - The term theory is loosely used in social work, concepts, frames of reference, practice models, and philosophical propositions have all been termed theories.
True
Classifying Theories includes: • Onion-peeling theories • Faulty-engine theories • Story-telling theories • Mountain-moving theories
which one is: Focus on eliminating disadvantage and empowering people to realize their hopes for themselves, their families, and their communities. i.e. empowerment, strengths based theory
Mountain-moving theories
Classifying Theories includes: • Onion-peeling theories • Faulty-engine theories • Story-telling theories • Mountain-moving theories
which one is: Shifts the focus of attention from the past, to the here and now i.e. behaviour. i.e. cognitive behavioural theory
Faulty-engine theories
Classifying Theories includes: • Onion-peeling theories • Faulty-engine theories • Story-telling theories • Mountain-moving theories
which one is: Focus on the ways stories/narratives influence and have influenced people positively or negatively (saying I’m not smart enough – the narrative they have of their life). i.e. narrative theory
Story-telling theories
Classifying Theories includes: • Onion-peeling theories • Faulty-engine theories • Story-telling theories • Mountain-moving theories
which one is: Focus on peeling back layers of past experiences so people gain insight into their lives. i.e. psychodynamic theory (explore what happened before)
• Onion-peeling theories
Theories can be classified as: •Perspective/approach/framework •Basic theory •Practice theory •Practice models
guided actions for intervention is Practice models or Practice theory
Practice models
Theories can be classified as: •Perspective/approach/framework •Basic theory •Practice theory •Practice models
identification of principles of behaviour/development - is what Basic theory OR Practice theory
Basic theory
Theories can be classified as: •Perspective/approach/framework •Basic theory •Practice theory •Practice models
specific theories of behaviour change - is what?
Practice theory
Theories can be classified as: •Perspective/approach/framework •Basic theory •Practice theory •Practice models
Way of seeing the world - is what?
perspective/approach/framework
T/F - Social Work Approach – Lakehead, the three key aspects to the departments orientation to theory:
• Generalist social work
• Eclectic orientation
• Person-in-environment
True
T/F - All social and human problems could be understood and therefore addressed in a number of different ways – why generalist perspective is good
True
Social work theory is not separate from practice because?
practice influences theory and theory influences practice
T/F -Theories provide an organized account prescribing what social workers should do in clinical practice
true
Theory also helps social workers find what? that are not obvious in the tangle of everyday life
patterns
Informal Theory includes Induction which means generalizing from particular examples through a WHAT type of theorizing approach
“bottom-up”
Informal Theory includes Deduction - which is WHAT type of theorizing in which you look at a theory that someone has formulated and determine how your case fits in
“top-down”
T/F - Types of practice theory includes perspectives, models, and frameworks
True
The perspectives we use must fit our particular what? system
value
What allow social workers to make decisions according to general guiding principles
Perspectives
What is a belief that human beings are diverse and precise rules of how to approach a situation or problem may not fit that particular instance or individual
perspectives
What is more concrete and less value driven than perspectives
Frameworks
What are frameworks that set out actions to take in a given situation (i.e. crisis intervention)
Models
What are designed as structures to support something
frameworks
Theories are different in intent, what are the 4 types of intent, what is when theory guides what may account for behaviours observed
Observation/Description OR Explanation
Explanation
Theories are different in intent, what are the 4 types of intent, what is when theory suggests what to expect in the future
Prediction OR Explanation
Prediction
Theories are different in intent, what are the 4 types of intent, what is when theory offers ideas about how to get people to change i.e. principles/process of change
Prediction OR Intervention
Intervention
