Theories and Perspectives for Social Work
Systems Perspective -
sees human behavior as the outcome of interactions within and among systems of interrelated
parts
feedback mechanisms -
the processes by which information about past behaviors in a system are fed back into the system
in a circular manner
general systems theory -
any element is best understood by considering its interactions with its constituent parts as well as
its interactions with larger systems of which it is a part
ecological theory -
-focuses on the relationships and interactions between living organisms and their environment
-exerts influence on an individual, family, group, but individuals, families, and groups can also have an
impact on external systems
risk and resilience theory -
it draws on concepts from epidemiology and public health to explain the complexity of influences
on human behavior
complex systems theory -
we are all part of numerous interacting systems that are linked through many dense
interconnections (think of your social system including facebook, instagram, and twitter)
chaos theory -
although it appears that the complexity of numerous interacting systems produces disorder, there
is actually an underlying order that can only be discovered by analysis using complex computer models
