Human behavior midterm module 3

Person-in-environment perspective

Micro approach

• individual

• IQ

• Age

• gender

• income

mezzo approach

• neighborhood

• coworkers

• family

• place of worship

macro approach

• government

• politics

• community

• cultural values

strengths of micro, mezzo, macro approach

• comprehensive

• useful in assessment

• dynamic interaction

• causes of problems at multiple levels

limitations of micro, mezzo, macro approach

• too broad

• difficult to define

• no consistent set of concepts

ecological theory

emphasizes physical settings in which people live, how to live, and how settings interact to affect people and their experiences

microsystem

• school

• playground

• home

• daycare

• work

mesosystem: interaction between microsystems

• neighborhood and community agencies

• home and school

• home and work

exosystem: indirect environment

• school classrooms

• meetings

macrosystem

• politics

• laws

• values

• religion

adaptation

individuals adjust to environment

coping

ways people deal with negative events and situations

energy

active engagement of people with their environment. Input or output flow

interdependence

reciprocal and mutually reliant relationships that people have with one another and their environments

social environment

conditions, circumstances, human interactions

transactions

communication, interaction, exchanges

biological approach

• diet

• health

• exercise

• sexual functioning

• medication

psychological approach

• self-esteem

• coping skills

• mental health

• personality

• cog and emotional development

social approach

• work stability

• social activities

• relationships w family

• recreation w others

• friends and coworkers

biopsychosocial approach strengths

focus on biological aspects of behavior and problems, helpful in guiding assessment

biopsychosocial approach limitations

too focused on the immediate environment, too problem-oriented

what kind of grouping can be a system?

any formal/informal grouping

what to systems have?

subsystems that interact with other systems

what changes in systems?

The individuals within them change over time

boundaries

patterns of behavior that define relationships within systems and give systems their identity

differentiation

a systems movement from a simple existence toward a more complex form of functioning, while still maintaining its characteristics

entropy

a systems movement toward disorganization and death. Negative entropy is a systems movement toward growth and development

equifinality

the tendency for the same end state/outcome in a system to be achieved through many different paths or trajectories

feedback

form of input, which informs a system about its performance. It can be positive or negative and tells a system what it is doing correctly or incorrectly

homeostasis

tendency that systems have to work toward and maintain stability and equilibrium

input/output

the info, communication, or resources coming into a system from other systems. Output is what happens to this info, communication, or resource after it has been received by a system

multifinality

possibility that similar circumstances/conditions in a system will lead to different results or outcomes

reciprocity

necessity for a change in one part of a system to impact other parts

roles

socially/culturally sanctioned patterns of behaviors expected of individuals within a system

subsystem

secondary, smaller systems within a larger system

synergy

energy that systems create to maintain themselves

system

set of parts that are interdependent and make up an organized whole

8 concepts of Bowen theory

1. triangle

2. differentiation of self

3. nuclear family emotional process

4. family protection process

5. multigenerational transmission process

6. emotional cutoff

7. sibling position

8. societal emotional process

systems theory type:

theory

systems theory focus:

individual and environment as part of various systems

systems theory assumptions:

systems are interactive

systems theory strengths:

comprehensive approach to problems, easy to apply concepts in practice, considers dynamic interaction among systems

systems theory limitations:

• too broad

• difficult to test

• lack of focus on biological aspects

• too problem-oriented

what does ecological theory separate?

the factors within a persons environment that are important to their development into 4 distinct levels

what does the ecological theory emphasize?

the physical settings in which people live as well as how two or more settings interact to affect people and their experiences

microsystem

roles and relationships in the immediate environment like home, school, and work

mesosystem

interactions between microsystems, or the system of a persons microsystems

exosystem

larger systems like the school district that affect people but are not part of their immediate environment

macrosystem

cultural beliefs, political philosophies, social policies, and other intangibles that affect people

ecological theory- adaptation

the ability of individuals to adjust to their environments

ecological theory- coping

the ways in which individuals deal with negative events and situations

ecological theory- energy

the active engagement of people with their environments. Energy can take the form of input or output

ecological theory- interdependence

The reciprocal and mutually reliant relationships that people have with one another and with their environments.

ecological theory- social environment

the conditions, circumstances, and human interactions that encompass human beings

ecological theory- transactions

communication, interactions, or exchanges that occur between people and their environments. These can be positive or negative communications or exchanges

ecological type

theory

ecological focus

individual and environment

ecological assumptions

people are active in their environmental setting

ecological strengths

• Comprehensive approach to problems

• easy to apply concepts in practice

• considers dynamic interaction between person and environment

• too broad to easily predict behavior

ecological limitations

• difficult to test constructs empirically and predict behavior

• not enough focus on biological aspects of behavior and problems

combining ecological and systems theory

• both look at interactions and interdependence between person and environment

• both view these interactions and relationships as dynamic, changing processes

tenets of the strengths perspective

• people are experts on their own situations

• the environment presents barriers that are beyond their control

in strengths perspective, what do social workers rely on?

people stating their needs and goals accurately

in strengths pespective, what do social workers relay?

info and teach skills to overcome challenges and meet goals

strengths type

perspective

strengths focus

individual and environment

strengths assumptions

people are active agents in the change process

strengths theory pros:

• positive, empowering approach

• easy to apply concepts in practice

• too focused on individual responsibility and autonomy

strengths theory limitations:

• Difficult to test constructs empirically and predict behavior

• too present-oriented for use in some agency settings