Human Behavior, Communities, Organizations, and Groups in the Macro Social Environment: An Empowerment Approach , Second Edition

441 Pages·2007·4.1 MB·English

Human Behavior,
Communities,
Organizations, and
Groups in the Macro
Social Environment
SECOND EDITION
Karen K. Kirst-Ashman
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
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HumanBehavior,Communities,Organizations,and
GroupsintheMacroSocialEnvironment
SecondEdition
KarenK.Kirst-Ashman
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ISBN-13:978-0-495-09514-9
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Contents
PREFACE xx
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Human Behavior in the Macro Social Environment 1
What Is the Macro Social Environment? 6
The Macro Social Environment and Generalist Social Work Practice 8
Work Within an Organizational Structure 9
Using a Seven-Step Planned Change Process 9
Targeting Any Size System 10
Ecosystems Theory and the Macro Social Environment 11
Ecosystems Theory: Basic Terms Taken from Social Systems
Theories 11
System 12
Boundaries 12
Subsystem 12
Homeostasis 12
Roles 12
Relationships 13
Input 13
Output 13
iv
Contents v
Negative andPositive Feedback 14
Interface 14
Differentiation 15
Entropy 15
Negative Entropy 15
Equifinality 15
EcosystemsTheory:BasicTermsTakenfromtheEcologicalPerspective 16
The Social Environment 16
HIGHLIGHT 1.1: SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE MAJOR CONCEPTS
IN SYSTEMS THEORY AND THE ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE 17
Energy 17
Adaptation 18
Person-in-Environment Fit 18
Stress, Stressors, andCoping 18
Relatedness 19
Interdependence 19
HIGHLIGHT 1.2: PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS 20
People’s Involvement with Multiple Systems in the Social Environment 20
A Wide Range of Professional Roles 24
HIGHLIGHT 1.3: THE HISTORY OF GENERALIST PRACTICE WITH
AND WITHIN COMMUNITIES 25
Application of Critical Thinking Skills 26
Focus on Empowerment and the Strengths Perspective 29
The Strengths Perspective 30
HIGHLIGHT 1.4: WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS? 32
Resiliency: Using Strengths to Combat Difficulty 32
Other Important Principles Characterizing Social Work in the
Macro Social Environment 34
Human Diversity 34
HIGHLIGHT 1.5: SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND THE EXPRESSION
OF GENDER 35
Culture 36
Cultural Competence 37
CompetencyOne:BecomingAwareofOne’sOwnAssumptions,Values,andBiases
about HumanBehavior 37
CompetencyTwo:UnderstandingtheWorldviewofCulturallyDiverseClients 37
Competency Three:Developing Appropriate Intervention Strategies
and Techniques 38
Competency Four:Understanding Organizationaland InstitutionalForces That
Enhance orNegate CulturalCompetence 38
vi Contents
Oppression 39
Populations-at-Risk 40
Promotion of Social and Economic Justice 40
Chapter Summary 41
CHAPTER 2 Human Behavior in Groups: Theories and Dynamics 43
Theoretical Perspectives on Groups 46
Field Theory 46
Social Exchange Theory 48
Learning Theory 48
HIGHLIGHT 2.1: ANALYSIS OF A CONVERSATION ACCORDING
TO SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY 49
HIGHLIGHT 2.2: AN EXAMPLE OF NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
IN A MACRO SETTING 50
Cognitive-Behavioral Theory 50
HIGHLIGHT 2.3: AN EXAMPLE OF PUNISHMENT
IN A MACRO SETTING 51
Psychoanalytic Theory 52
HIGHLIGHT 2.4: CASE EXAMPLE—ID, EGO, AND SUPEREGO 53
Systems Theory 53
Objectives of Groups 54
Balance Between TaskandSocio-Emotional Functions 54
GroupFunctioning 55
Empowerment Theory 55
Social Justice 56
Consciousness Raising 56
Mutual Aid 56
Power 57
Multicultural Socialization 57
Feminist Theories 58
Usinga ‘‘Gender Lens’’ 59
TheEnd of Patriarchy 59
Empowerment 60
Consciousness Raising 60
ThePersonal Is Political 61
TheImportance of Process 62
Unity in Diversity:‘‘Diversity IsStrength’’ 62
Validation 62
Understanding Groups in the Macro Social Environment:
Group Dynamics 63
Contents vii
Communication 63
Positive Verbal Communication in Effective TaskGroups 64
Nonverbal Communication in TaskGroups 64
Cross-Cultural Differencesin Communication 65
Barriers to Communication 65
Self-Disclosure 66
HIGHLIGHT 2.5: CASE EXAMPLE—SELF-DISCLOSURE 67
Interpersonal Interaction 67
Norms 67
HIGHLIGHT 2.6: CASE EXAMPLES—INTERPERSONAL
INTERACTION 68
Roles 69
Group Cohesiveness 70
Power and Status 70
Possible Sources ofPower inGroups 71
Leadership 71
Types ofLeadership 72
Leadership Skills 72
HIGHLIGHT 2.7: EMPOWERMENT BY GROUP LEADERS 73
Stages of Task Group Development 73
Stage 1: Task Group Composition 74
Definition of theGroup’s Purpose 74
The Group’s‘‘Social Context’’ 74
GroupSize 75
Stage 2: Beginnings 75
Stage 3: Assessment 76
Stage 4: Stabilization and Working 76
Stage 5: Endings and Evaluation 76
Chapter Summary 77
CHAPTER 3 Types of Groups in the Macro Social Environment 78
Task Groups 81
Teams 82
Treatment Conferences 83
HIGHLIGHT 3.1: BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFUL TEAMWORK
AND TEAM EMPOWERMENT 84
Case Exampleof a Treatment Conference 84
Treatment GroupsVersusTreatment Conferences 86
viii Contents
HIGHLIGHT 3.2: TREATMENT GROUPS 87
Administrative Groups 90
Clusters ofSupervisors and Administrators 91
Boards ofDirectors 92
Advisory Boards 92
Delegate Councils 92
Committees 93
Social Action Groups 93
HIGHLIGHT 3.3: EMPOWERMENT THROUGH GOOD LEADERSHIP 94
Social Action Groups and Empowerment 95
Increasing Understanding 95
Inspiring Others 96
Consciousness Raising 96
Providing Mutual Support 97
Using Cooperation 97
Chapter Summary 98
CHAPTER 4 Knowledge and Theories About Organizations 99
Defining Organizations 102
Organizations Providing Social Services 103
Social Agencies 104
HIGHLIGHT 4.1: COMMON TERMS 105
Organizational Theories 105
Classical Organizational Theories 107
Scientific Management 107
TheAdministrative Theoryof Management 107
Bureaucracy 108
Neoclassical Organizational Theories 109
Human Relations Theories 110
Theory XandTheory Y 110
Feminist Theories and Organizations 111
Cultural Perspective 113
Economics Theory 113
Chaos Theory 114
Contingency Theory 115
Culture-Quality Theories 116
Ecosystems Theories 116
Contents ix
HIGHLIGHT 4.2: THEORY Z 117
Viewing Organizations from a Systems Perspective 118
Which Organizational Theory Is Best? 118
HIGHLIGHT 4.3: APPLYING ECOSYSTEMS CONCEPTS
TO ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIAL SERVICE
AGENCIES 119
Chapter Summary 121
CHAPTER 5 Social Service Organizational Settings, Goals,
and Environmental Contexts 122
The Importance of Organizations for Social Workers 125
Agency Settings 126
Primary Settings 126
Secondary Settings 126
HIGHLIGHT 5.1: CASE EXAMPLE—WORKING
IN A SECONDARY SETTING 127
Mission Statements, Goals, and Objectives 128
Organizational Goals 129
Multiple Goals 130
HIGHLIGHT 5.2: OBJECTIVES INDICATE HOW
TO ACHIEVE GOALS 131
Goal Displacement 132
HIGHLIGHT 5.3: AN EXAMPLE OF GOAL DISPLACEMENT—PROCESS
SUPERSEDES PROGRESS 133
Ecosystems Theory, Organizations, and Goal Displacement 133
Goal Displacement and Generalist Practice 135
The Environmental Context of Social Service Organizations 135
Resources 135
HIGHLIGHT 5.4: CASE EXAMPLE—PERSONNEL RESOURCES 136
Legitimation 136
Client Sources 137
Relationships with Other Organizations 137
Uninvolved RelationshipsAmong Organizations 137
‘‘Complementary’’ RelationshipsAmong Organizations 138
‘‘Competitive’’ Relationships AmongOrganizations 138
The Impact of Social and Economic Forces on Social Service Organizations:
The Shifting Macro Environment 138