A Deeper Look: Defining Human System Perspectives Lizzette Rivera Northeastern University A Deeper Look: Defining Human System Perspectives There are many theories and perspectives that go into the social work practice, many of which are used depending on the situation at hand. These theories along with views of systems help social workers better understand and work with their clients, as well as, work at an ecological approach to use interchangeably between different types of practice. Types of Theories Social Constructionism Social constructionism is how people construct meaning in their lives through language, cultural beliefs and social interaction. Culture identity and societal positions influence not only …show more content…
It takes a look at how everyday practices of relations of culture, power, identity and social structures influence people 's surroundings. There are four common elements to this theory which include relationship between human actions and social structures, stability and change in social structures, patterns of cultures and power, and power of configurations. Relationship between human actions and social structures are “both products and influences of each other.”(Miley, 1998, p.30) Stability and change in social structures causes recursive patterns in order to maintain a stable social structure, while at the same time multiple shifts can create change. (Miley, 1998, p.30) Patterns of culture and power show that beliefs may be superior to others based on supremacy. Last, power of configurations“influences access to privilege and resources or result in marginalization, oppression and scarcity of the opportunities and resources.”(Miley, 1998, p.30) Comparison of Theories As we broaden our view and take a look at these theories as a whole, we see many similarities on how these theories work and maneuver. Change is a key point in all these theories and the acceptance that environments and people are constantly changing is an essential mindset to the social work practice. One last element that these theories have in common is the ability to assess the person in environment or vice-versa. Many of these theories must assess …show more content…
Boundaries can vary either allowing an open access to transactions and change or closed which allows for limited resources and difficulty of change in a system. Boundaries between people define the subsystems; “For example, for most social agencies, boundaries define administrative, supervisory, and direct service subsystems...[and] vary on a continuum from open to closed. The level of closeness within a system is a significant element in understanding the system 's structure.” (Miley, 1998, p.40-41) Hierarchy Hierarchy are individuals with status, privileges, and power. Titles do not always match hierarchy and it is usually the person making decisions that indicate who is in control.(Miley, 1998, p.40) In social work this is essential because it gives you information on who or where to focus on in order to make a greater impact or solve the problem. Equilibrium Equilibrium is the balance within a given system. Change is constant in order to regain equilibrium but at the same time change can also lead to a new equilibrium. In social work when funding is cut there is an immediate response to gain control and balance to the new situation. In this case an agency can look to more funds or cut staff in order to maintain the balance of funds and maintaining the agencies need to provide for it 's clients. (Miley, 1998,
First of all, through this assignment, I have learned that a theory is an interrelated set of concepts and propositions, organized into deductive systems that explain relationships among different aspects. It is an overall explanation of the person in environment configuration, and helps explain why a problem is occurring. It will also provide a social worker with a set of ideas that will help the social worker get a better understanding of the problem. In addition, there are many different theories, and perspectives that are used in the social work field to empower people and to promote a positive society for all. This particular case is associated with bio-psychosocial approach
Social workers should be able to define and describe main social work paradigms, philosophical and ideological approaches and appreciate their implications to practice, policy and research. Social workers should be also able to identify interrelations between social work paradigms, social policy and social
The Social Construction Theory is defined as the event of individuals and or groups perceive real life events and objects and put a meaning to them. Social construction is an ongoing process and views can be modified because the concept is relying upon the communication from one person to another and different people can interpret things differently. One way society has constructed ideas is with animals. Throughout history people have created stories using animals as characters and those stories were passed down from generation to generation. Those stories can influence how people feel about the actual animals.
The person-in-environment approach views a client’s problems by how they react to the environmental contexts within their environment and how they occur. According to Gordon and Richmond, it has been stated that the person-in-environment approach is the “cornerstone” of social work practice. (as cited in Rogers, 2016, p.24). A clients’ systems are the interrelated aspects of a clients’ lives where all parts come together to function. Social workers utilize and focus on a clients’ systems when applying the person-in-environment. A clients’ system is anything that they interact with and hold roles in their lives. These systems can be on a micro level which is the individual and their biology, personality, and genetics. The individuals’ mezzo level would include their immediate environment, family, school, friends, or work. A macro level would include the larger social aspects of a clients’ life such as government policies, discrimination, oppression, or social class. Social workers incorporate these interactions and how they impact clients’ and their presenting problems. This theory and approach are beneficial as it allows a social worker to find out what resources are available to the client during their time with the worker (Rodgers,
Within a society power serves a vital role of establishing and maintaining roles of dominance and submission (Bourdieu, 1977). This creates and maintains a social hierarchy of inequality that unconsciously determines the status, behavioural expectations and available resources for members of the community (Navarro, 2006). The meaning of power within a society is that it determines one’s social standing or relational position within the given community as well as the level of dominance or power they have available to exert onto others. Power, within a society is primarily created through the habitus, capital and culture of a
Thompson, N (2005) Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice, Palgrave, MacMillan (Second Edition) Hampshire (Supplementary Course Reader)
Coulshed, V and Orme, J. (2006). Social work practice. (4rd ed). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
First, there are a few special points about these theories everyone in the social work field should know about. One is that the focus is on the application and practice vs. the explanation and prediction.
Systems ideas is referring to three different types of systems, each created in a different era; general systems theory, ecosystem perspectives and complex systems theory (Healy, 2005). Systems Ideas in social work originated with general systems theory in the 1940’s and 1950’s, formulated by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy in the 1970’s (Payne, 2005). Systems Ideas are very relevant to human related professions such as; doctors, social workers and other institutions. The systems Ideas theory aids social workers to find an individual’s “fit” and “adapt” to the current society (Payne, 2005). There are many people involved in an individual’s social system, from friends and family to institutions such as schools and doctors. These can also be put into further categories formal and informal theories. Formal theories consist of systems such as institutions like social worker and doctors but informal theories include friends, family and community. In complex situations, systems ideas and theory is more appropriate to use than other more casual models of practice.
The essay looks at how social work theory is instrumental to social work practice. Using theory, one can explain and justify the intervention in this case. Glynis in Gwanmesia (2010,p.1) argues that theory notes, “A set of propositions which posit the nature of the relationships between predefined constructs or variables”. According to Orme, assessment is an ongoing process that seeks to understand the service user’s situation and sets the basis for planning, change or improvement (Bolger and Walker, no date). Making a good assessment requires knowledge and application of theory in order to recognise a person’s need (Bolger and Walker, no date).
Social construction of reality is defined as social interaction shaped by the people. Human interaction, understanding, and meaning are not shaped by or within the individual, but in coordination with other human beings. When we are making friends or enemies, we are building new relationships. This is social construction. When a company goes bankrupt, some employees become unemployed and lose hope finding a new job. This is social construction. Social constructionism means reality is always changing, and it is based on how a society perceives what is real or normal. When an earthquake happens, for example, Californians think is a product of tectonic plates moving. However, native tribes view this as a message from a god as a punishment to humans.
The girth of the status pyramid decreases as the amount of power increases. There are more people allowed to handle the basic functions of the bureaucracies. The greater the responsibility or task, the less number of people are needed to handle it; in one or two person's hands lies the responsibility and ability to control the matter. This hierarchal approach makes getting things done quick and easy. In fewer words: "The buck stops here."
The social work profession is defined as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people (ISFW, ‘Global Definition of Social Work’, 2016).” The definition may be true about the profession but it is more in depth than just that. To me, the profession’s primary focus is to help others through life as much as we can while letting them make their own choices and guiding them. In society, social workers are utilized in many different nonprofit and government roles. They serve the community in many different ways from monitoring parent visits to helping people through mental illnesses. Human beings are so complex and things that happen
The work of a social worker is complex and all encompassing. Social workers work in many capacities seeking justice, liberation, and equality. There work is global, as they work to put policies in place to govern practices. To keep up with societal shifts and generational changes there learning is continuous. As new questions rise so does the need for the continuation of research, not only to answer these questions but to implement into
Social systems are different groups of people interacting with each other in a way where their behavior is arranged by a distinguished pattern of relationships. Organization structure includes coordination, control, and administration throughout the workplace which all aim for the organization goal. The organization culture is made up through expectations, trust, principles and norms. Finally, Communication is the base in which sets everything together through a message of the vision and elaborates on what and how things are going to group together between verbal, email, phone, meetings and so much more.