Southeast Missouri State University

Southeast Missouri State University

Department of Social Work

SW 308--Human Behavior and Social Environment II

Jack L. Stokes, MSW, Ph.D Phone 573-651-2714

Office: CH 210C E-mail:

Office Hours: By Monday 9-11; Thursday 10-12 or by appointment

E-mail is the best way to contact me

I. Catalogue Description:

Introduces students to knowledge, theories, and concepts about human behavior within the context of groups, organizations, and communities. 3 Credit hours

II. Prerequisites: SW307

III. Course Purpose and Objectives:

The course purpose is to prepare students for generalist social work practice through the acquisition of knowledge, theories, and concepts about human behavior in reciprocal relationships and interaction with the social environment in the context of groups, organizations and communities. The course explores relevant knowledge and theory with emphasis on empirically based sociological, psychological, organizational, and community theory as well as systems and ecological theories.

Students will explore reciprocal interaction between and among groups, societies and economic systems and the ways in which this interaction influences the achievement and maintenance of health and well being, and learn human behavior content to prepare for advocacy work.

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

A. Understand the relationship between social work values and the selection, acquisition and application of knowledge and theory related to groups, organizations and communities systems for generalist practice.

B. Integrate relevant empirical theories and knowledge about the interaction between and among systems at mezzo and macro levels and the subsequent effect of these interactions on human behavior and access to resources

C. Understand the reciprocal relationships between human behavior and environments as they relate to group, organizational and community systems.

D. Understand the dynamic relationship between ethnic, social and cultural diversity and human behavior in group, organizational and community systems with emphasis on populations at risk including women, age, class, color, gender, marital status, national origin, religion, sex, race, culture, family structure, disabilities, and sexual orientation.

E. Recognize the ways in which group, organizational and community systems affect the achievement and maintenance of health and well being among their members.

F. Acquire the knowledge and understanding of how the basic dynamics of capitalism, laissez faire and free markets impact human behavior at multiple system levels.

IV. Expectations Of Students:

Since knowledge from this course vitally informs competent social work practice students are expected to:

A. Actively participate in class discussions and activities.

B. Complete all assignments and all examinations.

C. Attend all scheduled classes.

V. Course Content:

Unit A-- Overview of the Course (1 hour)

1. Syllabus and Assignment Clarification

2. Goals and Expectations

3. Introductions/Activity

Unit B-- Review Of Generalist Practice and HBSE (4 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 1

1. Elements of Generalist Practice

2. Why Theory?

3. What is HBSE? (see page 13)

4. Diversity issues in HBSE at the group, organizational and community level

Unit C-- The Social Systems Approach (6 hours)

Readings(s): Text - Chapter 1

NASW Code of Ethics (www.nasw-mo.org)

1. Construction of Social Systems Theory

a. the culture of social work

b. a philosophy or perspective

c. perception of purpose

d. purpose operationalized by theories or concepts and assumptions

e. technology--methods, materials, models that operationalize the theory

g. socialization into the profession

2. The Four Tier Approach

a. Tier I--Philosophy/Perspective

b. Tier II--Theory

c. Tier III--Technology

d. Tier IV--Practice

3. Social Systems Components and Dynamics

a. systems concepts

b. Parson’s four functional concepts

Unit D-- The Social Systems Perspective (6 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 2

Warren, K. Franklin, C. Y Streeter, C. L. (1998). New directions in systems theory: Chaos and complexity. Social Work, 43, 357-374.

1. The perspective, including the role of diversity in theory

2. General Systems Theory and the nature of systems

3. Ecological Theory

4. Functional Theory

5. Humanism

6. Critique of theories from a social and economic justice perspective

Unit E-- General Features of Social Systems Theory (2 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 3

1. Definitions: social organizations

2. The social systems model and concepts explored

3. Case Example

Unit F-- Human Behavior and the Social Group (4 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 6

1. Definitions and characteristics of the social group

2. Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft

3. Natural and rational will

4. Primary/secondary

5. The social group and other groups

6. Diversity issues in group dynamics

Unit G-- Theoretical Support for the Social Group (6 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 7

Movie: “Dead Poet’s Society”

1. Influence of social group on group members

2. Influence of group members on the group

3. Field Theory

4. Exchange Theory

5. Symbolic Interaction Theory

6. Diversity issues in critiquing group theories

Unit H-- The Formal Organization (5 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 10

1. Formal organization and other social systems

2. Definition

3. Organizational Theory

4. Weberian Bureaucracy/Rationalist

5. Human Relations Theory

6. Organizational Theory

7. Diversity issues in critiquing formal organizational theory

8. Social and economic justice issues in formal organizational theory

Unit I-- The Formal Organization and Systems Theory (6 hours)

Readings: Text - Chapter 11

Film: "Norma Rae" (1979) or "And the Band Played On" (1993) or "Gung Ho"

1. Rationalist and Human Relations

2. The Dialectic and its relationship to social and economic justice

3. Parson’s functional requisites

4. Structural components

5. Developmental stages of formal organizations

6. Reciprocal influences of members and the formal organization

7. Effect of formal organizations on group and community well being

Unit J-- The Community (8 hours)

Readings: Text—Chapter 14

Film: "Milagro Beanfield War" (1988)

1. Definitions

2. Ecological position: human ecology

3. Community power position

4. Community power: elitist position

5. Community power: pluralist position

6. Conflict position

7. Social systems theory

8. Vulnerable populations

9. Community effect on citizen health and well-being

10. Social and economic justice in the context of community

VI. Textbook:

Norlin, J.M., Chess, W.A., Dale, O., & Smith, R. (2003). Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Social System Theory (Fourth Edition). Pearson Education, Inc.

VII. Basis for Student Evaluation:

A. Class participation 20%

B. Written Assignments 50%

C. Examinations and quizzes 30%

Class participation explained: At a minimum, class participation entails coming to class prepared to discuss the assigned Readings connected with the current topic or topics under consideration. Further, class participation is active participation in class and in your assigned class group. In addition, there will be some in-class writing assignments that will not be able to be completed outside of the classroom. In addition, there will be some discussions and participation on the electronic bulletin board.

VIII. Bibliography:

Anderson, Ralph, and Irl Carter, I. (1990). Human behavior in the social environment: A social systems approach (4th ed.). New York; Adeline de Gruyter.

Ashford, J., L. & Lortie, K. (2001) Human behavior in the social environment: A multidimensional perspective. (2nd ed). Brooks/Cole

Besthorn, F & Canda, E. (2002). Re-visioning environment: deep ecology for education and teaching in social work. Journal of Teaching in Social Work. Vol. 22 #1/2:79-101.

Begun, A. (1999-Spring/Summer). Intimate partner violence: an HBSE perspective. Journal of Social Work Education. Vol. 35 #2:239-252.

Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Cooley, C. H. (1922). Human nature and the social order (rev. ed.). NY: Charles Scribner's Sons.

Crunkshank, M. (1992). The gay and lesbian liberation movement. New York: Routledge Press.

Fisk, M. (Ed) (1992). Justice: Key concepts in critical theory. New Jersey: Humanities Press.

Germain, C. (1991). Human behavior in the social environment: An ecological view . New York: Columbia University Press.

Gortner, H. F., Hahler J., & Nicholson J. (1987). Organization theory: A public perspective. Chicago: The Dorsey Press.

Horton, A. (1998). The prevention of juvenile delinquency: new evidence to consider. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Vol. 1 # 4:1-10.

Krist-Ashman, K. (2000). Human behavior, communities, organizations, and groups in the macro social environment: an empowerment approach. Brooks Cole.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development. MA: Harvard University Press.

von Bertalanffy, L. (1968). General systems theory: Foundations, development, applications. New York: George Braziller.

Kahn, M. & Scher, S. (2002- Spring). Infusing content on the physical environment into the BSW curriculum. The Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work. Vol. 7 # 2:1-14.

Lyons, P., Wodarski, J. Feit, M. (1998). Human behavior theory: emerging trend and issues. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Vol. 1 # 1:1-21.

Martinez-Brawley, E. (1995). Perspectives on the small community: Humanistic views for practitioners. Washington, D.C.: NASW Press.

Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and personality, 2nd. ed. New York: Harper and Row.

Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, self and society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Parsons, T. (1961). An outline of a social system. In T. Parsons et al., (Eds.). Theories of Society. NY: The Free Press.

Rose, S. (2000). Reflections on empowerment-based practice. Social Work. Vol. 45 #5:403-412.

Saleebey, D. (2001). Human behavior and social environments: a biopsychosocial approach. Columbia University Press

Saleeby, D. (1992). The Social Environment: Open Systems Applications, White Plains, NY: Longman, Inc

Schinke, S. (1998) Preventing teenage pregnancy: translating research knowledge. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Vol. 1 # 1:53-66.

Smith, N. & Kost K. (1998). Exploring the nature of the relationship between poverty and substance abuse: knowns and unknowns. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Vol. 1 # 1:67-82

Solomon, B. (1976). Black empowerment: Social work in oppressed communities, NY Columbia University Press

Szaz, T. S. (1961). The myth of mental illness: Foundations of a theory of personal conduct. NY, Harper & Row

Turner, J.H., singleton, R. & Musick, D. (1984). Oppression: A sociohistory of Black-White relations in America. Chicago:NelsonHall

Queralt, M. (1996). The social environment and human behavior: a diversity perspective. Allyn and Bacon.

Warren, K., Franklin, C., & Streeter, C. New Directions in Systems Theory: Chaos and Complexity.

Weaver, H. & Yellow Horse Brave Heart, M. (1999). Examining two facets of American Indian identity: exposure to other cultures and the influences of historical trauma. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Vol. 2 # 1/2:19-33.

The following are links which contain significant material that is relevant for HBSE courses:

§ National Association of Social Workers

§ Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Work

§ SWAN [Social Workers Advocating Network]

§ World Wide Web Resources for Social Workers

§ Gateways to Social Work/Welfare on the Net

2003-1