York College
The City University of New York
SOCIAL WORK 360:HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENT
Instructor: Dr.
Susan Letteney Semester:
Fall 2002
Phone: (718)
262-2614 Email: letteney@york.cuny.edu
Office: 3A06 WebSite: www.york.cuny.edu/~letteney
Social Work 360: Human Behavior and
the Social Environment. 3 hrs., 3
cr., Prerequisite: Social Work 300. Prerequisite or Corequisite: Two Group II
courses and Social Work 350. Not open
to students with credit in Social Work 323. Integration of social science knowledge with the generalist
model of practice to support intervention. Emphasis on human diversity and oppression.
This course provides an integrative ecosystems framework
for the Social Work support courses, the Human Diversity (Group II)
requirements, and the other aspects of the liberal arts foundation that will
enable the students to apply a holistic perspective in using the Generalist
Model of practice. It will focus
on the ways that the ecosystems model is used in assessment and intervention
with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations.
By the end of the semester the student will be able to:
1. Describe
the ways in which the liberal arts foundation is integrated into social work
education and practice;
2. Show
the ways in which the knowledge drawn from philosophy, literature, behavioral
sciences, other liberal arts content, natural sciences, and life experience is
used by the social worker in practice;
3. Use
ecosystems concepts in assessment;
SW 360
4. Show
how various practice theories are related to specific assumptions about human
behavior;
5. Describe
major practice theories from an historical perspective and relate them to the
intellectual and political climates in which they developed;
6. Use
library resources to secure data that are needed in practice;
7. Use
basic professional norms of communication in presenting written and oral
assignments;
8. Identify
the bio-social-psychological-cultural sources of human behavior;
9. Use
the scientific method and basic research skills in evaluating assigned
readings;
10. Think
critically about human behavior;
11. Explain the
way the values of the social work profession have points of harmony and
dissonance with the dominant beliefs in Western society;
12. Describe
the ways that values influence social philosophy, individual behavior, and the
ways in which social welfare programs are operated;
13. Discuss
the way stages of the life-cycle impact on human behavior;
14. Show
familiarity with the problems of the major at-risk populations in New York
City: homeless, addicted people, recent immigrants, pregnant teenagers, persons
with HIV/AIDS, etc.
15. Use a
global perspective to consider the problems of geographic movement of
populations, nationally and internationally;
16. Identify
the common impact of oppression on various groups and relate oppression to
issues of economic and social justice;
17. Recognize
the necessity of making a life-long commitment to study.
SW 360
Required Reading:
Berger, R.L., McBreen, J.T., & Rifkin, M.J. (4th ed.). (1996). Human behavior: A
perspective for the helping
professions. White Plains, NY:
Longman.
Code of ethics (1999). Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers.
Longres, J.F.
(2000). Human behavior
in the social environment.
Itsaka, IL: Peacock.
Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association. (5th
ed.). (2001).
Washington, D.C.:
American Psychological Association.
Rauch, J.B.
(Ed.) (1993). Assessment: A source book for social work practice.
Milwaukee, WI: Families
International.
Instructional Methods:
Lecture
Discussion
Written and reading assignments
Role-play
Student presentations
Grading:
Exam # 1 (approximately fifth week of semester) 20%
Exam # 2 (approximately tenth week of semester) 20%
Assessment paper 25%
Final exam 25%
Attendance & participation 10%
į
Lateness
for class will be incorporated into the final grade.
į
Papers
submitted late will be graded down by ½ grade for each day late
(including lateness for class
on the day due).
SW 360
1.0 Introduction (1 hour)
1.1 Objectives
1.2
Structure
of the course
1.3
Grading
1.4
Discussion
of course requirements
2.0
Relationship of Human Behavior Course to Social Work
Curriculum
(3
hours)
2.1 Generalist practice
2.2 Program mission, goals and objectives
2.3 The five foundation areas of social work education: Practice, research, field, policy, and human behavior
2.4 Components of human behavior and components of the course: Biology, psychology, social structure and culture
2.5 Liberal arts base of social work education
2.6 General knowledge derived from daily living
Reading: Berger, chapter 1 and chapter 3 (p.96+)
Longres, chapter 1
3.0
Basic Philosophical Considerations That Influence
Society and Social Work (4 hours)
3.1 Major values of social work
3.2 Issues of caring
3.3 Free Will and Determinism
3.4 Positivism
3.5 Humanism
3.6 Religious and spiritual beliefs
Reading: Berger, chapter 2
Longres, chapter 2 (p. 22-23)
Longres, chapter 4 (p. 85-89)
Longres, chapter 12 (p. 361)
SW 360
4.0 History of
Social Work Theory (1
hour)
4.1 Social and political philosophies and their impact on social work:
Laissez-faire economics, Social Darwinism, Judeo-Christian values
4.2 Early moralistic thinking
4.3 The Charity Organization Society and friendly visitors
4.4 Social diagnosis
4.5 The Settlement House movement
4.6 Social surveys
4.7 Early models of reform
4.8 Early sociological contributions
4.9 Influence of psychoanalysis
Reading: Longres, chapter 15 (pp. 427-433)
5.0 Vocabulary
for Thinking About
Human
Behavior and Practice (1
hour)
5.1 Basic concepts of human inquiry: Causal and probabilistic thinking, the
appeal of tradition and authority
5.2 Logical errors to avoid: Inaccurate observation, overgeneralization,
selective observation, illogical reasoning, law of parsimony, linear causation, etc.
Reading: Rubin,
A. & Babbie, E. (1993). Research methods for social
work. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole. (chapter 1-on reserve)
**************************EXAM
# 1 (Units 1-5)************************
6.0 Using
Ecosystems in Assessment (6
hours)
6.1 The value of the systems approach
6.2 Basic vocabulary in the ecosystems approach
(steady state, homeostasis, system, boundary, niche, holon, etc.)
6.3 Systematic integration of biological, psychological, social-structural and cultural components
Reading: Berger, chapter 2 (to page 47)
Longres, chapters 2 and 3
Rauch, part 1 (recommended)
SW 360
7.0 Assessment (9
hours)
7.1 Integrating components of biology, culture, psychology and social structure
7.2 Library research on individual and social problems
7.3 Developing policy issues from direct practice
7.4 Developing patterns of critical thinking about research on human behavior
7.5 Using ecosystems in assessment
7.6 Using a strengths perspective
7.7 Using skills in the process of assessment
7.8 Writing the assessment report
Reading: Berger, chapter 3
McMillen, C. (1999). Better for it: How people benefit from
adversity. Social Work, 44 (5), 455-467.
Rauch, part 4 (recommended)
**********************EXAM
#2 (Units 6 and 7)***************
8.0 Major
Theories (12
hours)
8.1 Difference in general systems and ecological models
8.2 Use of Freudian-based concepts
8.3 AdlerÕs value for social work
8.4 Psychodynamic theories
8.5 Developmental theories
8.6 Cognitive theories
8.7 Learning and behavioral theories
8.8 Humanistic theories
8.9 Family systems theory
8.10 Oppression theory
8.11 Eclectic approach
Reading: Berger, chapters 3 and 4
Longres, chapters 8 and 15
Rauch, part 2 (recommended)
SW 360
9.0
Human Diversity, Groups At-Risk and Oppression (4
hours)
9.1 Human diversity
9.2 The impact of oppression
9.3 Major oppressed groups
9.4 Counteracting the forces of oppression
9.5 Theoretical basis of macro change
9.6 Using knowledge of human diversity in intervention and assessment
Reading: Longres, chapters 4, 7, 9
********************FINAL EXAM (Units
1-9)*****************
SW 360
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