OVERVIEW OF THEORIES OF

HUMAN BEHAVIOR & THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT

APPLICATIONS TO SOCIAL WORK GENERALIST PRACTICE

The following is a very general outline summarizing the theories covered in the NCSSS foundation classes of SSS
571: Human Behavior & the Social Environment. Theory application & integration with practice are demonstrated.
This outline is only a summary of highlights; all theorists, ideas, and concepts are not included.

Because human behavior is complex and the social work profession is broad, numerous theories are utilized for
social work practice at the micro-meso-macro levels. These theories focus on human growth and development,
psychological and social functioning, and social service delivery. Some theories emphasize social and economic
justice. All theories are value-laden and come out of a socio-historical context. Thus, all theories should be
critiqued with attention paid to their cross-cultural applicability.

DEFINITIONS:
Theory—interrelated sets of concepts and propositions, organized into a deductive system to explain relationships about
certain aspects of the world (e.g., the theories listed below).

Perspective—an emphasis or point of view; concepts at an earlier level of development (e.g., a “strengths perspective”) or
at a broader and higher level of abstraction (ex: a “humanistic perspective” or a “developmental perspective”)

Paradigm—an archetype or mode of thought; a general way of seeing the world (e.g., “modernism” or “post-modernism”)

Practice Model—a guide for practitioner interaction that operationalizes theory; includes concrete actions and techniques
(note: some theories have more well-developed practice models than others)

Dimension—a feature that can be focused on individually or separately, but can only be understood in relation to other
features (as in “dimensions of human behavior” or a “multi-dimensional approach” to human behavior)

[Sources: Hutchison, E. D. (2003). Dimensions of human behavior: Person and environment (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks: SRobbins, S., Chatterjee, P., & Canda, E. (Eds.) (2005). Contemporary human behavior
theory: A critical perspective for social work (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.]
Revised 8/2008
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THEORY OF FOCUS OF MAIN CONCEPTS RE: SOME SOME PRACTICE SOME PRACTICE
HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORY HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORISTS APPLICATIONS INTERVENTIONS
SYSTEMS THEORY How persons *Persons are in continual Parsons *Useful for developing *Strengthen one part
Includes: interact with transaction with their Merton holistic view of of the system or
Ecological Systems their environment Germain personsin- subsystem to impact
environment *Systems are interrelated Gitterman environment the whole
[Systems parts or subsystems system
Perspective] constituting an ordered *Enhances
whole understanding of *Ecomaps &
*Each subsystem interactions between genograms for
impacts all other parts micro-meso-macro understanding system
and whole system levels dynamics
*Systems can have of organization
closed or open *Networking &
boundaries *Systems *Enriches contextual referrals to facilitate
tend toward understanding of change
How the Bowen
equilibrium behavior
Includes: family system Satir
Family Systems affects the Minuchin
*Individual functioning *Useful for *Assessment of family
individual and Carter &
shapes family functioning understanding family development and
[Systems family McGoldrick
and family systems can systems and life lifecycle transitions
Perspective] functioning
create pathology cycles over multiple
across the
within the individual generations *Use of multi-
lifespan
generational
*Boundaries, roles, genograms
communication, family
structure influence family *Use of family and
functioning parent coaching
BEHAVIORISM & How *Imitation & reaction to Pavlov *Useful for enabling *Behavioral
SOCIAL LEARNING individuals stimulation shape Skinner behavioral & interventions such as
THEORY develop behavioral learning Watson symptomatic classical or operant
cognitive Piaget change conditioning, positive
Includes: functioning *Knowledge is constructed Bandura or negative
Cognitive theory, and learn through children physically Beck *Useful for assessing reinforcement
Behavioral theory, through and individual cognitive
acting on mentally acting on objects functioning, group & *Time-limited,
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Social Learning their family interactions problemfocused

theory environment *Intelligence is an interventions
evolutionary, biological
[Social Behavioral adaptation to *Cognitive reframing
Perspective] environment of automatic thoughts
about presenting
*Cognitive structures problems to facilitate
enable change
adaptation & organization

THEORY OF FOCUS OF MAIN CONCEPTS RE: SOME SOME PRACTICE SOME PRACTICE
HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORY HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORIST APPLICATIONS INTERVENTIONS
S
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PSYCHODYNAMIC How inner *Unconscious and S. Freud *Useful for Ego supportive
THEORY energies and conscious mental Adler understanding inner treatment:
external forces activity motivate human Jung meanings &
Includes: interact to behavior *Ego functions Horney intrapsychic processes *Clarification,
Classical impact mediate between A. Freud *Useful for education, & support
psychodynamic emotional individual and Kernberg understanding of adaptive
theory, Ego- development environment Kohut motivation, adaptation, functioning
psychology, *Ego defense Klein & interpersonal
Object-relations mechanisms protect Mahler relationships *Useful *Empathy & attention
theory, individuals from Bowlby for assessing strengths to
Selfpsychology becoming overwhelmed & ego functioning affects and emotions
by unacceptable
[Psychodynamic impulses and *Understanding of
Perspective] threats ego defense
*Internalized mechanisms &
experiences shape underscoring of ego
personality strengths
development and
functioning *Healing *Establishing,
occurs through attention building, & using the
to transferences and the treatment
treatment relationship relationship to
facilitate change
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PSYCHOSOCIAL How internal & *Human development Erikson *Useful for *General assessment
DEVELOPMENTAL external forces occurs in defined & understanding of developmental
THEORY shape life qualitatively different individual growth & functioning that can
development, stages that are development across life be compared with
[Developmental generally by sequential & may be cycle chronological age of
Perspective] life universal *Beneficial for the
stages *Individual stages of assessing individual client
development include strengths &
specific tasks to be deficits
completed & crises to
be managed *Time &
social context shape &
individualize the
meaning
of life stages

THEORY OF FOCUS OF MAIN CONCEPTS RE: SOME SOME PRACTICE SOME PRACTICE
HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORY HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORIST APPLICATIONS INTERVENTIONS
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S
TRANSPERSONAL How the *Focuses on meaning, Maslow *Provides nonsectarian *Assess and
THEORY spiritual and connection, and purpose Jung frame for understand
religious *Some people achieve Fowler understanding spiritual client’s spiritual &
[Developmental aspects of developmental level Wilber aspects of human faith development
Perspective; built human beyond the personal Washburn experience
upon existence can (ego-based) level into *Describes *Ethically and
Humanistic be transpersonal (beyond developmental process appropriately utilize
Perspective] understood self or ego) levels of beyond self spiritually-derived
consciousness and actualization interventions
How spiritual functioning. *Provides guidelines
development *There is an inherent for clinical discussions *Understand and
builds upon and tendency to express of spiritual or support clients’
goes beyond innate potentials for transcendent spiritual and religious
biopsychosocial love, creativity, and experiences beliefs, practices,
development spirituality *There is a *Stresses the and support systems
difference between importance of spiritual
psychopathological and religious support
phenomena and systems for life
spiritual growth meaning and well-
experiences being
SOCIAL How persons *Antecedents, Homan *Useful for assessing *Assess resources
EXCHANGE minimize costs consequences, personal Thibault and understanding and power inequities
THEORY and maximize expectations, and Kelley power inequities and at the
rewards interpretation shape and Blau distributed meso-macro level
[Rational Choice through social maintain behavior in the justice
Perspective] exchange present *Facilitate group and
*Self-interest determines *Basis for cost-benefit community
social exchange analysis interaction
*Unequal resources
determine power *Maximize costs,
inequities and minimize rewards in
reciprocity is essential the macro
*Six propositions: environment
--Success proposition
--Stimulus proposition
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--Value proposition --
Deprivation-satiation --
proposition
--Aggression-approval
proposition
--Rationality proposition

THEORY OF FOCUS OF MAIN CONCEPTS RE: SOME SOME PRACTICE SOME PRACTICE
HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORY HUMAN BEHAVIOR THEORIST APPLICATIONS INTERVENTIONS
S
SOCIAL How *All experience is Foucault *Enhances *Listen for cultured
CONSTRUCTIONISM sociocultural subjective and human Berger understanding of narratives
and historical beings recreate Luckmann individual and cultural
[Social contexts shape themselves through an Gergen connection *Approach practice
Constructionist individuals and ongoing, never static *Useful for with a
Perspective] the creation of process *Knowledge is understanding non- stance of “not
knowledge created through an dominant and knowing”
interplay of multiple oppressed groups in a
How social and historical nonmarginalized *View practice as
individuals forces manner “mutual interchange”
create *Social interaction is because
themselves grounded in language, relationships
customs, cultural and have “mutual
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historical contexts influence”

*All phenomenon,
including the sciences, *Recognize how
must be approached individuals and
with doubt in order to groups construct their
understand how people identities through an
construct reality ongoing, fluid
*Humans are self- process
interpreting beings

SYMBOLIC How the “self” *Human action is Charon *Enhances *Formulate

INTERACTIONISM is influenced caused by complex Mead understanding of the assessment and
and shaped by interaction between Goffman relationship between intervene through
[Social social and within individuals the individual and understanding roles
Constructionist processes and *Dynamic social society and the “self” assumed by
Perspective] the capacity to activities take place as a social individuals and
symbolize among persons and process groups through
we act according to *Provides framework individual and society
how we define our for individual, group, interaction
situation *We act in the and societal
present, not the past assessment *Provides *Focus on
*Individuals are actors alternative view of diminishment of the
on the stage and take deviance and sense of stigma for
on roles, psychopathology individuals, families,
interacting with the groups, and
environment communities
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THEORY OF FOCUS OF MAIN SOME SOME SOME

HUMAN THEORY CONCEPTS RE: THEORISTS PRACTICE PRACTICE
BEHAVIOR HUMAN APPLICATIONS INTERVENTIONS
BEHAVIOR
CONFLICT How power *All societies Marx *Informs policy *Listen for
THEORY structures & perpetuate some Marcuse and may guide evidence of
power disparities forms of Haberrmas macro-level oppression within
[Conflict impact people’s oppression & practice *Useful in individuals,
Perspective] lives injustice and formulating groups, and
structural inequity assessments communities
*Power is Feminist theorists involving
unequally divided and oppression and *Pay attention to
& some groups GLBT client the role of conflict
dominate theorists vulnerability leading to
others *Enhances client vulnerability
*Social order is understanding of
based on conflict between *Organize to alter
manipulation and persons, ideas, power
control by groups, classes, & relationships
dominant groups larger social
*Social change is structures *Recognize that
driven by conflict, dominant and
with periods of subordinate
change groups compete
interrupting for resources
periods of stability
*Life is
characterized by
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conflict not
consensus
CONTINGENCY How individuals & *Groups are open, Weber *Useful in macro *Explain & map
THEORY groups gain dynamic systems Scott practice through the direction &
power, access to with both change Lawrence providing role of
[Systems resources, & and conflict Lorsch March framework for collective action
Perspective] control over their present community work
lives, often *Groups are on behalf of the *Assess power
through collective stratified, with powerless and blocks
action different and stigmatized
unequal levels of *Provides *Build individual &
power and control assessment for community
*High identifying power strengths
discrimination and blocks
low privilege contributing to *Support upward
equals low powerlessness mobility
opportunity *Provides of oppressed
*Oppression understanding of groups
occurs when the objective &
upward mobility subjective *Empower
is systematically dimensions of oppressed &
denied *The empowerment vulnerable
social context *Useful in populations
must be administering through collective
critiqued and programs by action
deconstructed requiring a review
*Assumptions of the *Assess internal
for analyzing organizational and external
organizations: environmental fit resources to make
--there is no
structural and
best way to
process decisions
manage
within a
organizations --
organization
there must be a
match between
the environment
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and internal
resources --the
design of the
organization must
fit with the
environment