Theoretical and Philosophical Foundations of Health and Human Services Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering philosophical paradigms, epistemological concepts, psychological theories, and human service models from the assigned lecture materials.

Philosophy

Derived from the Greek words philo (love) and sophia (wisdom), it is the study of foundational concepts that guide human thinking regarding truth, knowledge, existence, and ethics.

Epistemology

The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of knowledge, exploring what counts as valid knowledge, how new knowledge is constructed, and who determines what is true.

Logical Positivism

An observational approach to building knowledge holding that only facts empirically verified through observation can really be known, striving for objectivity independent of personal bias.

Empiricist Epistemology

An approach to knowledge grounded in observation and systematic documentation of an external world through sensory investigation, heavily influencing natural and health sciences.

Rationalist Epistemology

A knowledge framework holding that truth is deduced from first principles within the rational mind rather than gathered through sensory investigation of the outside world.

Postmodernism

A twentieth-century movement viewing knowledge structures as temporary and incomplete, focusing on deconstructing dominant narratives, social power, and marginalized perspectives.

Ontology

The branch of philosophy concerned with inquiry into Being itself and the fundamental questions regarding what kinds of entities or concepts exist in the world.

Germ Theory of Disease

A major shift in health ontology where microscopic entities (bacteria and viruses), once directly observed through technology, transformed the understanding of disease existence and causation.

Ethics

A normative domain of philosophy that investigates human behavior to determine what actions people should and should not perform, establishing norms of conduct.

Theory

A structured group of concepts used together to interpret, explain, and understand a specific phenomenon in the world, such as human health or behavior.

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

A theoretical model holding that individual health and human development are determined by factors across multiple interacting system levels, from immediate surroundings to broader historical trends.

Microsystem

In Bronfenbrenner's model, the innermost environmental layer containing the immediate settings and direct relationships experienced by an individual.

Mesosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's model, the layer representing connections and interactions between the different immediate settings within an individual's microsystem.

Exosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's model, the layer consisting of indirect environments that influence the individual even though they do not actively participate directly in them.

Macrosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's model, the layer encompassing the broader social and cultural values, beliefs, laws, and socio-political systems of a society.

Chronosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's model, the environmental dimension accounting for socio-historical changes, transitions, and time-based events that impact development.

Health Belief Model

A theoretical model proposing that health behaviors are guided by personal perceptions of disease severity, personal vulnerability, and the efficacy/power of taking preventive action.

Stages of Change Model

Also called the transtheoretical model, a framework defining health behavior adoption as a process moving through four phases: precontemplation, contemplation, action, and maintenance.

Reciprocal Determinism

A core concept in social cognitive theory holding that human beings and their environments exist in a continuous state of dynamic mutual interaction and influence.

Humanism

A philosophy emphasizing the primacy of human well-being, material living conditions, inherent human value, and rational problem-solving over abstract social theories or dogmas.

Agency

The capacity of an individual person to take direct action and effect meaningful changes in their life to advance their own best interests.

Phenomenology

The philosophical study of structures of consciousness and subjective experience as directly lived from the first-person point of view.

Gestalt Therapy

A therapeutic approach grounded in the client's present moment awareness of behavior, perception, and emotion, emphasizing creative exploration and relationships with self and others.

Existentialism

A philosophical perspective asserting that individuals are free and responsible agents who must determine their own growth, meaning, and purpose through deliberate acts of will.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

A humanistic framework structured as a pyramid outlining five levels of human needs—physiological, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-actualization—required for full growth.

Self-Actualization

The peak tier of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, defined as achieving one's full potential, including engaging in creative activities and personal growth.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Carl Rogers's concept of providing complete, non-judgmental acceptance to an individual, necessary alongside genuineness and empathy for healthy psychological development.

Deconstruction

Jacques Derrida's critical practice of analyzing language to reveal how definitions are socially contested and how language is tied to ongoing struggles over truth and authority.

Power/Knowledge

Michel Foucault's term illustrating that systems of social power and accepted forms of knowledge or truth are inseparable and mutually reinforcing.

Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem

A 1931 mathematical proof demonstrating that inside any rigorous mathematical system, there will always be truths that cannot be proven using the rules of that system itself.