ABSTRACT
This chapter presents human behavior and the social environment theory for engaging, assessing, and intervening with individuals in social work practice. It first outlines the historical evolution of the cognitive movement, applying the terms and assumptions of behavioral, social learning, and cognitive behavior theory—part of the positivist scientific paradigm, stemming from the positivist tradition and emphasizing how people learn. The chapter discusses research influences on theory-building. These ideas are contrasted with social constructionism, a school of thought linked to the shift in paradigm to postmodern thinking. Each theory provides a different way of viewing the social work helping process. Selected cognitive principles were chosen to illustrate their utility in clinical social work practice, providing different ways for social workers to apply theoretical principles in their practice. The chapter centers on social constructionism, originating from the postmodern way of thinking and focusing on what people know and how they create their own reality.
