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Chapter 2
Professionalism
I.
II.
Integrity
A.
Integrity—suggests honesty, truthfulness, and sincerity
B.
National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics includes integrity as one of its
core values
C.
Exercise 2-1: Integrity
Professional Knowledge and Self-Efficacy
A.
Council on Social Work Education required curriculum content
1.
Values and ethics
2.
Diversity
3.
Populations-at-risk and social and economic justice
4.
Human behavior and the social environment
5.
Social welfare policy and services
6.
Social work practice
7.
Research
8.
Field practicum
B.
National Association of Social Workers suggest the same content as CSWE in addition to
others
C.
Association of Social Work Board licensing examination content areas
1.
Human development and behavior in the environment (14%)
2.
Issues of diversity (7%)
3.
Assessment in social work practice (20%)
4.
Direct and indirect practice (21%)
5.
Communication (10%)
6.
Professional relationships (5%)
7.
Professional values and ethics (13%)
8.
Supervision in social work (2%)
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D.
III.
9.
Practice evaluation and the utilization of research (2%)
10.
Service delivery (5%)
11.
Social work administration (1%)
Exercise 2-2: Social Work Skills Proficiency
Critical Thinking and Lifelong Learning
A.
Critical thinking is “the propensity and skill to use reflective skepticism when engaged in
some specific activity” (McPeck, 1990)
B.
“Critical thinking involves the careful examination and evaluation of beliefs and actions”
(Gibbs & Gambrill, 1996)
C.
Critical thinkers tend to be adept at the following skills
D.
1.
Distinguishing between verifiable facts and value statements
2.
Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant observations or reasons
3.
Determining the factual accuracy of a statement
4.
Determining the credibility of a source
5.
Identifying ambiguous statements
6.
Identifying unstated assumptions
7.
Detecting bias
8.
Identifying logical fallacies
9.
Recognizing logical inconsistencies in a line of reasoning
10.
Determining the overall strength of an argument or conclusion
Six stages of critical thinking development (Paul & Elder, 2002; Elder & Paul, 1996)
1.
The Unreflective Thinker
2.
The Challenged Thinker
3.
The Beginning Thinker
4.
The Practicing Thinker
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E.
5.
The Advanced Thinker
6.
The Master Thinker
Perry’s model of intellectual development in college students
1.
Dualism (assumption that absolute truth exists—things are right or wrong, true or
false)
2.
Multiplicity (realization that there are many different points of view and frames
of reference—along with the possibility of not being able to assess various
positions from a rational perspective, and may result in indecision and passivity)
3.
Contextual relativism (different points of view or frames of reference vary in
terms of their value or utility vis-à-vis the situation or circumstance—making
final decisions and firm commitments extremely difficult)
4.
Committed relativism (a general philosophy with a set of values or guiding
principles through which to approach life and consider various points of view—
when a reconsideration occurs, it is usually because a higher-level principle
supersedes a lower-level principle)
F.
Argument—represents an attempt to establish the truth or validity of an idea through a
series of statements and involves two parts
G.
Logical fallacy—an argument that is usually psychologically persuasive but logically
weak (Pine, 1996), and include the following
1.
Ad Hominem (AH)—someone claims that the evidence or information should not
be considered because the person or organization presenting it is somehow
flawed or unworthy
2.
Anecdotal Evidence (AE)—as “grounds” to support a claim, someone describes a
single or a few circumstances where the claim applies
3.
Appeal to Pity (P)—someone attempts to support a claim by suggesting that
failure to accept it would lead one or more people to experience loss or hardship
4.
Begging the Question (BQ)—someone attempts to support a claim by repeating
the original or a similar claim
5.
Biased Sample (BS)—someone makes a claim about a group, population, or
phenomenon and uses data drawn from an unrepresentative sample as grounds
6.
Burden of Proof (BP)—someone makes a claim and places the burden of
supporting or proving it upon others
7.
False Dilemma (FD)—someone makes a claim and suggests that only two
options apply
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H.
IV.
8.
Personal Experience (PE)—someone asserts that all opinions, conclusions, and
approaches to a phenomenon or issue are equally legitimate and none should be
considered superior
9.
Popular Belief (PB) and Popular Practice (PP)—someone attempts to support a
claim because “others believe it’s true” or “everybody does it”
10.
Red Herring (RH), smokescreen, or diversion—someone presents irrelevant
information as part of a claim or argument
11.
Same Cause (SC)—someone argues that because two or more events or
phenomena occur simultaneously, they must result from the same cause
12.
Slippery Slope (SS)—someone asserts that one event will inevitably lead to other,
more serious events
13.
Straw Man (SM)—someone substitutes an inaccurate, incomplete, or distorted
characterization of another person’s position and then proceeds to challenge the
validity of the substitution (or straw man)
14.
Wishful Thinking (WT)—someone asserts that something is true because he or
she wishes it were true and it would feel uncomfortable to conclude that it is false
Exercise 2-3: Critical Thinking and Lifelong Learning
Self-Understanding and Self-Control
A.
At a minimum, social workers must understand how their personal beliefs, attitudes, and
ideologies might influence or interfere with their professional social work activities
B.
Rescuing pattern—may be evident when a social worker tends to view clients as victims
in need of rescue or salvation
C.
The Family: Context for Development of Self
D.
1.
Genogram—a graphic representation of one’s family tree or pedigree, providing
a picture of the parties involved and a chronology of significant events or themes
2.
Figure 2.1: Chase Family Genogram
Ecological Assessment
1.
Eco-map—the graphic nature highlights social strengths and social deficiencies
and helps identify areas of conflict and compatibility
2.
Figure 2.2: Chase Family Eco-Map
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E.
Timelines
1.
2.
F.
V.
a.
Critical Events Timeline
b.
Issue (or Problem) Timeline
c.
Relationship Timeline
d.
Successes Timeline
Figure 2.3: Lynn Chase Critical Events Timeline
Personality Assessment
1.
G.
Types of timelines
Theoretical approaches to personality
a.
Type
b.
Trait
c.
Psychodynamic/psychoanalytic
d.
Behavioral
e.
Social learning/social cognitive
f.
Humanistic theories
Exercise 2-4: Self-Understanding and Self-Control
Cultural Competence and Acceptance of Others
A.
Culture—“a learned worldview or paradigm shared by a population or group and
transmitted socially that influences values, beliefs, customs, and behaviors, and is
reflected in the language, dress, food, materials, and social institutions of a group”
(Burchum, 2002)
B.
Cultural competence—refers to the process by which individuals and systems respond
respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic
backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms,
and values the worth of individuals, families, and communities and protects and
preserves the dignity of each (NASW, 2001)
C.
Prejudice—“an opinion about an individual, group, or phenomenon that is developed
without proof or systematic evidence” (Barker, 1995)
D.
Discrimination—“the prejudgment and negative treatment of people based on identifiable
characteristics such as race, gender, religion, or ethnicity” (Barker, 1995)
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VI.
E.
Ethnocentrism—“tendency to consider one’s own group, usually national or ethnic,
superior to other groups using one’s own group or groups as the frame of reference
against which other groups are judged” (Wolman, 1973)
F.
Exercise 2-5: Cultural Competence and Acceptance of Others
Social Support
A.
Recognize the importance of the social world for your clients’ well being, as well as for
your own
B.
Exercise 2-6: Social Support
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