Week #1

Florida Atlantic UniversitySchool of Social Work

SOW 4104

Human Behavior & the Social Environment Dr. Whiteman

• Introductions

• Review syllabus

• Group selection

• Questions

• Setting the Stage: A Multidimensional Approach• Person, environment, and time separately

• Emphasis on Diversity, Inequality, and the Pursuit of Social Justice

• Knowledge of the case, the self, values and ethics

• Theory and Research in a Multidimensional Approach

COURSE REQUIREMENTS• Mid-Term Examination=30

• Final Examination=30• Analysis Research Paper &

Presentation =30• Attendance=10• Total points=100

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• Examinations: • Mid-term: October 2• Final: December 4

• Analysis Research Paper and Presentation (Group Project)• October 9: Each group must be prepared to update the

class on the topic and progress on the paper and presentation.

• October 23: Students can submit draft paper for instructor feedback

• November 6: Final paper

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• Presentations Dates:– November 6– November 13– November 20

Group Exercise

Exploring Your Motivation for the Profession — Possible Reasons

– To help others – To save people (from harm of some sort)– To fully live religious obligations– To heal the world– I can’t stand to see others suffer– People always turn to me for help– I love to talk– I’m curious– I have so much myself– I had a hard time & no one was there for me– I just like people– Social workers are who I want to work with

A Multidimensional Approach• Dimension: A feature that can be focused

on separately but that cannot be understood without also considering other features– The dimensions are embedded with each

other and interact to determine behavior

Personal dimensions – Biopsychosocial approach

• What are the major time dimensions?

Personal Dimensions

Environmental

Dimensions

Time

Dimensions

Genie’s Story

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmdycJQi4QA

The Complexity of Human Behavior: Consider Genie’sStory

• Focus on the person: What is it about Genie’s biophysical, psychological, and social self that helps us to understand her behavior?

• Focus on the environment: How did/do the geography, culture, political events, social organizations, and family relationships in Genie’s world influence her?

• Focus on time: What has changed in Genie’s life? How have past experiences and events impacted Genie’s current situation?

• How would our understanding of Genie’s story change if we had no knowledge of her prior life experiences, if we only assessed her situation based in her current functioning?

The Global Perspective• Awareness of profound differences in views of the

world• Awareness of diversity of ideas and cultures• Curiosity about different parts of the world• Location of self in the world • Awareness of view from the outside • View of systems and mechanisms of oppression

• What is Heterogeneity? • What is Diversity?

• Why is this important as a social worker?

Diversity

• Power relationships between social groups and patterns of opportunity for social groups

• Types of categorizations used to develop hierarchical social structures: – Gender– Race– Class

• These categorizations create privilege

Inequality

• What are mechanisms of oppression?

Pursuit of Social JusticeTo challenge injustice, we must recognize it and understand how it is embedded in our social institutions.

Knowledge Ingredients Necessary “TO DO” Social Work

• Specifics of the case or situation– Quality of relationship between social worker

and client

How can you improve quality of relationship?

Knowledge Ingredients Necessary “TO DO” Social Work

• Thinking processes, emotions, and social location of self

Knowledge Ingredients Necessary “TO DO” Social Work

• Social work values and ethics.– Service– Social Justice– Dignity and Worth of the Person – Importance of Human Relationships– Integrity – Competence

Knowledge Ingredients Necessary “TO DO” Social Work

• Scientific knowledge of theory and research – http://www.nrepp.samhsa.gov/

Scientific Knowledge: Theory and Research from the THEORY side

THEORY– Provides a framework for understanding

person/environment transactions – Guides interventions– Focuses our attention on particular aspects of the

person-environment-time configuration – Is based on assumptions, or beliefs held to be true

without testing or proof, about the nature of human social life

– Is composed of concepts which are put together to form propositions and statements of relationship

Scientific Knowledge: Theory and Research from the THEORY side

THEORY DEFINED– A logically related set of concepts and

propositions, organized into a deductive system, that explains some aspects of our world.

– Concepts are the building blocks of theory (i.e., acculturation, loss, self-reliance).

– Example: Risk & Resiliency theory

Scientific Knowledge: Theory and Research from the RESEARCH side

RESEARCH:• Is a problem-solving process

• Is a systematic method of seeking answers to questions

• Is empirical -- something that we experience through our senses, as opposed to something that we experience purely in our minds

• Is a way of observing events with the intent to look for patterns in those events

• Is a way to test the assumptions of theories

Scientific Knowledge: Theory and Research from the RESEARCH side

Criteria for Evaluating Research• Corroboration• Multidimensionality • Definition of terms • Limitation of sample• Influence of setting• Influence of the researcher• Social distance• Specification of inferences• Suitability of measures

Research & Theory Activity

• Select a social issue that interests you. List 5 things that you “know” about this issue.

• Think about how you know what you know. • How would you go about confirming or

disproving your current knowledge on this topic?

Homework

• Choose a perspective/theory that best explains HBSE and explain why.

• Do these perspectives/theories explain HBSE , why or why not?

• Given what you have read, what two interventions  would be most successful working with your group/population of interest?