Human Behavior in the Social Environment: An Ecological View

The social ecological perspective of human behavior and development maintains a multidimensional focus on diverse persons in diverse environments. Carel B. Germain and Martin Bloom succinctly present this ecological view on the observation that human beings and their social environments always form a unified -- though not necessarily harmonious -- configuration; this configuration is the basic unit of analysis for understanding the factual material encountered in social work. Employing the person-and-environment approach to examine all aspects of human development, Human Behavior in the Social Environment discusses the biological, psychological, social, and cultural influences that shape the functioning of individuals, families, households, social groups, communities, and organizations, and relates how these collectives affect development over the life course. It also takes into account the expected and unexpected stresses, challenges, and life tasks that can influence development within social environments.

Reflecting the guidelines set forth by the National Association of Social Workers and the Council on Social Work Education, this book enables the social worker, whether student or professional, to build a theoretical foundation for work in the field. This new edition provides the latest theoretical developments and research findings in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences and includes new chapters on the significant forces affecting significant social behavior in specific organizational and educational settings.

Designed to help students build a theoretical foundation for their professional practice, this book highlights human and environmental diversity, and discusses the relationships among biological, psychological, social, and cultural systems that shape human behavior. This new edition provides the latest theoretical developments and research findings in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences and includes new chapters on the significant forces affecting significant social behavior in specific organizational and educational settings.

Booknews

New edition of a text that enables the social worker, whether student or professional, to build a theoretical foundation for work in the field. Germain (deceased) and Bloom (social work, U. of Connecticut) observe that human beings and their social environments always form a unified, though not necessarily harmonious, configuration that is the basic unit of analysis for understanding the factual material encountered in social work. They discuss the biological, psychological, social, and cultural influences that shape individuals and groups over the course of a lifetime, taking into account unexpected life stresses and challenges. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

The late Carel B. Germain was professor of Social Work emerita at the University of Connecticut. She is the coauthor of The Life Model of Social Work Practice: Advances in Theory and Practice, Second Edition and editor of Social Work Practice: People and Environments.

Martin Bloom is professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Connecticut and works in the area of primary prevention theory, practice, and research. He is the author of Primary Prevention Practice and coauthor of Evaluating Practice: Guidelines for the Accountable Profession and Successful Aging.