Human Behavior in the Social Environment

by Longres, John F.

• ISBN13: 9780875814261
• ISBN10: 0875814263
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: Brooks Cole

Summary

This text provides an overview of human behavior combining the traditional concern for individual development with an examination of social systems. The author examines human behavior in the context of the larger social conflicts associated with class, race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and ability status. After describing the critical perspective, which gives primary attention to the structural origins of private troubles, and presenting an overview of the systems approach, the book focuses on communities, families, groups, and organizations as social systems.

Table of Contents

Preface	xii
PART ONE A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SOCIAL SYSTEMS	1	(72)
A Critical Perspective	2	(18)
A Theory for Practice	3	(3)
The Critical Perspective	6	(1)
Themes in a Critical Perspective	7	(8)
Questioning the Critical Perspective	15	(2)
Conclusion	17	(3)
A Systems Approach to Human Behavior: The Individual as a System	20	(27)
A Systems Approach	21	(1)
Human Systems	22	(3)
The Individual as a System	25	(7)
Dynamics of the Individual as a System	32	(2)
The Normal Individual	34	(7)
Implications for Practice	41	(6)
Person in Environment: Social Systems and Social Roles	47	(26)
System Boundaries	48	(2)
Physical and Social Environments	50	(4)
Social Systems	54	(3)
Norms and Institutions	57	(4)
Roles: Person Meets Environment	61	(6)
Implications for Practice	67	(6)
PART TWO COMMUNITIES IN SOCIETY	73	(126)
Diversity in Community Life	74	(37)
Communities as Social Systems	75	(4)
Life in Identificational Communities	79	(20)
Racial and Ethnic Communities	99	(6)
Implications for Practice	105	(6)
A Social History of Ethic Communities in the United States	111	(34)
Socioeconomic Achievement and Ethnic Communities	113	(1)
Understanding Racial and Ethnic Relations	114	(5)
U.S. Immigration Policies	119	(2)
Socioeconomic Success	121	(19)
Implications for Practice	140	(5)
The New Arrivals	145	(19)
The New Americans	146	(5)
The New Immigrants	151	(4)
Refugees and Asylum Seekers	155	(3)
Undocumented Aliens	158	(3)
Implications for Practice	161	(3)
Ethnic Community Relations in American Society	164	(35)
The Social Context of Dominant-Subordinate Relations	165	(9)
Institutional Racism	174	(5)
Individual Attributes of Subordinated Ethnic Communities	179	(5)
Cultural Attributes of Subordinated Ethnic Communities	184	(5)
Prospects for Progress in Dominant-Subordinate Relations	189	(4)
Implications for Practice	193	(6)
PART THREE FAMILY LIFE	199	(130)
The Family as a Social Institution	200	(35)
The Family as an Institution: A Feminist Approach	202	(5)
Functions of the Family	207	(3)
Variations in the Structure of Family Life	210	(7)
Family Politics in American Society: Women, Children, the Elderly	217	(6)
Changes in Role Expectations Among Family Members	223	(6)
Implications for Practice	229	(6)
Diversity in Family Lifestyles	235	(32)
Social Class and Family Life	236	(5)
Family Life in Racial and Ethnic Communities	241	(16)
Lesbian and Gay Male Families	257	(5)
Implications for Practice	262	(5)
The Family as a Social Organization: Identifying Well-Being	267	(28)
Identifying Family Well-Being: Healthy Families and Happy Marriages	268	(4)
Family Functioning	272	(5)
Family Problems: Domestic Violence	277	(5)
Family Problems: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage	282	(8)
Implications for Practice	290	(5)
The Family as a Social Organization: Analyzing Well-Being	295	(34)
The Ecological Perspective	296	(11)
The Psychodynamic Perspective	307	(2)
The Developmental or Life-Cycle Perspective	309	(4)
Role Theory and the Family	313	(7)
Conflict Theory and the Family	320	(5)
Implications for Practice	325	(4)
PART FOUR LARGE AND SMALL GROUPS	329	(94)
Social Interaction in Groups and Organizations	330	(37)
Defining Groups	331	(2)
Bureaucracy: A Critical Approach	333	(7)
Small Groups and the Critical Approach	340	(1)
The Political Economy of Groups and the Study of Group Dynamics	341	(1)
Recruitment into Group Membership	341	(6)
Socialization into Group Roles	347	(2)
Interaction in Task Performance	349	(5)
Innovation and Control Processes in Group Change	354	(6)
Implications for Practice	360	(7)
Social Interaction: Social Exchange and Marxian Theories	367	(28)
Theories of Social Interaction	368	(1)
Social Exchange Theory: Investments and Outcomes	369	(6)
Equity Theory: Distributive Justice	375	(2)
Implications of Social Exchange for Practice	377	(3)
Marxian Theory: Exploitation and Alienation	380	(5)
Alienation and Exploitation in Contemporary Society	385	(5)
Implications of Marxian Theory for Practice	390	(1)
Conclusion	391	(4)
Social Interaction: Anomie and Symbolic Interactionism	395	(28)
Functionalism and Anomie	396	(5)
Anomie in Large and Small Groups	401	(4)
Implications of Functionalism for Practice	405	(1)
Symbolic Interactionism	406	(5)
Labeling and Social Interaction	411	(7)
Implications of Symbolic Interactionism and Labeling for Practice	418	(5)
PART FIVE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN	423	(124)
Three Psychological Perspectives: Psychodynamic, Cognitive Development, and Learning	424	(36)
Individual Development	425	(2)
The Psychodynamic Tradition	427	(6)
Ego Psychology	433	(4)
The Study of Object Relations	437	(2)
Cognitive Development	439	(9)
Learning Theories	448	(6)
Implications for Practice	454	(6)
Life-Span Development: Prenatal Influences and Early Life	460	(34)
Development Across the Life Span	461	(3)
Stages of Development	464	(1)
Developmental Tasks and Crises	465	(6)
The Period of Prenatal Growth and Birth	471	(7)
Early-Life Stages of Development	478	(6)
Attachment: A Central Issue in Early-Life Development	484	(4)
Implications for Practice	488	(6)
Life-Span Development: Childhood and Adolescence	494	(28)
Growth and Development in School-Age Children and Adolescents	495	(7)
Adolescence as a Time of Stress and Crisis	502	(6)
Gender-Role Development and Sexual Orientation	508	(6)
Racial and Ethnic Identity	514	(2)
Disability and Adolescents' Self-Image	516	(1)
Implications for Practice	517	(5)
Life-Span Development: Early, Middle, and Later Adulthood	522	(25)
Growth and Development in Early and Middle Adulthood	523	(3)
Psychological Development in Adult Life: Crisis, Stress, and Mental Health	526	(7)
Sexual Harassment	533	(3)
Growth or Decline and Development in Later Adulthood	536	(4)
Effects of Aging on Depression	540	(1)
Implications for Practice	541	(6)
Glossary	547	(18)
Name Index	565	(6)
Subject Index	571