SCWK 6900 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment 1
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 03, CRN 41249,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Amber Smith
Email: amsmith42@ysu.edu
Course Description
6900. Human Behavior and the Social Environment 1. An overview of normal individual development throughout the life span. Developmental stages, tasks, and circumstances as well as diversity in individual development will be examined. The influence of biological, psychological, and social systems on individual development throughout the life span constitutes the organizing theme for the course. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment (11th ed) | Zastrow, Charles H. | 1-337-55647-5 |
| Optional | Human behavior in the social environment (6th ed) | Ashford, J.B. et al | |
| Optional | Theoretical perspectives on Human Behavior (7th ed) | Hutchinson, E.D., Charles worth L.W. et al | |
| Optional | Development though life: A psychosocial approach (9th ed) | Newman, B. and Newman, P. | |
| Optional | The miniature guide to critical thinking: Concepts and tools | Paul, R. and Elder, L. | |
| Optional | The strengths perspective in social work practice (5th ed) | Saleebey, D. |
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | - Syllabus review - Introductions of instructor and students - Discussion on the need to demonstrate use of critical thinking and APA style In course work |
- Read syllabus and schedule. Ask any questions you have on them in an email to me or in the discussion board, - Watch the lecture video for Week 1 - Complete the discussion board activity (Discussion Board #1) around introductions of students to each other and to the instructor by 8/29 Sunday 11:59pm. - Review the APA 7th edition handout posted in the folder for Week 1 - Take an ungraded short quiz on APA style use by 8/29 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 8/31 | - NASW Code of Ethics - Ohio laws around Ethics - Dealing with Ethical dilemmas - Overview of theories - Difference between traditional and alternative theories - Introduction to HBSE - Ecosystems Theory |
- Review NASW Code of Ethics at socialworker.org - Review Ohio laws around Ethics at Laws and Rules OH, https://cswmft.ohio.gov/for-professionals/resources-for-professionals/laws+and+rules - Review handouts on "Eye on Ethics" around Ethical decision-making - Watch video on imminent danger - Read Chapter 1, Zastrow text - Watch three lecture Videos for Week 2: one that covers a case discussion around Ethical decision making; second video that covers an overview of theories, differences between traditional and alternative theory; third that covers ecosystems theory * All non-textbook readings and links to video or websites are under the corresponding week folders on Blackboard * There will be a quiz on Ethics later in the semester, so that you are more familiar with the Code of Ethics. Although, it will be called "Quiz 1". Take note of this. |
| 9/7 | - Applications of Ecosystems theory - A multidimensional framework for assessment of social functioning/ biopsychosociospiritual assessment of Zoe |
- Review Eco-map and genogram handout - Read article about "bio" in biopsychosocial assessment - Read Chapter 2 in Ashford, J.B et al (2013) Human behavior in the social environment 6th ed. - Watch short film on Zoet that the lecture video covers - Watch Lecture video on biopsychosocispiritual assessment - Review example of a written biopsycosocial assessment - Review the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual assessment forms Optional: Read the article on genogram - Complete discussion board activity #2 on Ecomap and genogram by 9/13 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 9/14 | - Pregnancy, Infancy, and Childhood - Biological development of infants and childhood - Multidimensional assessment practice |
- Read Chater 2, Zastow text - Watch Lecture video - Complete Quiz 2 on early biological development by 9/20 Sunday 11:59pm. (All quizzes are open book) - Write a multidimensional assessment on the famous writer Ernest Hemmingway by watching the short video on his biography. Link to video is on Blackboard in folder for Week 4. Submit on Discussion Board #3 by 9/20 Sunday 11:59pm * For the multidimensional assessment, you are welcome to submit and outline with important aspects of the assessment or a full narrative assessment if you are familiar and comfortable with that. Regardless of format, the assessment section of your paper must contain a narrative. Please ask if you have questions. |
| 9/21 | - Pregnancy, Infancy, and Childhood cont. - Freud / Object relations / trauma |
- Read Chapter 3, Zastrow text - Watch Lecture Video - Review defense mechanism handout - Watch short video: Freud's Psychosexual Development Theory - Watch video: Trauma, brain and relationships: Helping Children heal - Watch short video on opioid babies - Watch short video on Melanie Klein - Complete Discussion Board #4 on trauma informed care and Object relations theory by 9/27 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 9/28 | - Pregnancy, Infant, Childhood cont. - Attachment / Piaget / Rogers / social development |
- Read Chapter 4, Zastrow text - Review Rogerian techniques handout - Watch video: Jean Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory - Watch video: Mary Ainsworth's strange situation experiment - Watch Lecture Video - Complete Discussion board #5 Case of Martiza from Perez family by 10/4 Sunday 11:59pm - Theoretical paper Part 1 due 10/4 Sunday by 11:59pm |
| 10/5 | - Alternative theories: Strengths Perspective; Empowerment; Feminist; Intersectionality | - Review Feminist theories content in Chapter 3 (pg 104 -109) & Chapter 5 - Read Encyclopedia of Social Work entry: Parsons, R. East, J. (2013). Empowerment practice - Read "Patricia Hill Collins; Intersecting Oppressions" - Watch TED talk: Kimberly Crenshaw - Watch Jane Elliot's Blue-eyed experiment: https://youtu.be/5NHeFgaVWs8 - Watch TED talk: Juditch Butler: https://youtu.be/Bo7o2LYATDc - Watch TED talk by Adichie - Watch Lecture Video - Complete watching video on Jane Elliot's experiment named "A Class Divided" and respond to Discussion board #6 by 10/11 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 10/12 | - Adolescence: Biological Development; Theoretical Approaches; Erikson's Psychosocial Theory, Marcia's Theory on Idenity, Glasser's Theory of Identify, alternative Identity theories based on minority sexual orientation and race/ ethnicity | - Readings Chapters 6, 7 (up to page 333) - Watch Lecture Video - Watch Erikson Theory video - Complete Quiz 3 on adolescent biological development by 10/18 Sunday by 11:59pm |
| 10/19 | - Adolescence cont.: Kohlberg's and Gilligan's theories of Moral Development; Fowler's theory of faith development; Social Development of Adolescence | - Read rest of Chapter 7, Chapter 8 (up to page 393) - Watch Lecture Video - Watch videos on Kolhberg's and Gilligan's theories - Complete Perez family case: Focus on Lupe, Anna, and Rosaline on Discussion Board #7 by 10/25 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 10/26 | - Young and Middle adulthood: Biological aspects of Young adulthood and Middle adulthood; Peck's Theory of psychological development of Middle adulthood; Levinson's Theory of adult development | - Read Chapter 10 (pgs 455 - 479), Chapter 11 (up to pg 493) - Watch video "The secret life of the brain: The adult brain" https://youtu.be/M9YV1FOw0ZE - Watch Levinson's Theory video - Watch Lecture video - Complete Quiz 4 on biological development in young and Middle adulthood by 11/1 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 11/2 | - Young and Middle Adulthood cont: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needsl Emotional and Social Intelligence; Glasser's Choice Theory; Gawain's theories about Intuition | - Read rest of Chapter 11 - Read Chapter from Hutchinson, E.D. and Charlesworth, L.W. (2011). Theoretical perspectives on Human Behavior - Complete Perez family case: focus on Rolando on Discussion board #8 by 11/8 Sunday 11:59pm - Theoretical Paper Part 2 due 11/8 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 11/9 | - Young and Middle adulthood cont: Social Development: Theories; Functionalism; Conflict Theory and Symbolic Interactionalism; Social Problems facing young and Middle adulthood | - Read Chapter 12 (until pg 587) -Read LeCroy, C.W. and Rank, M.R. (1983) Towards a Multiple perspective in Family Theory and Practice: Social Exchange, Symbolic Interactionalism, and Conflict Theory. Family Relations, 32 (3) 441-448 - Watch video: "Social theories" from Khan Academy (Part 1) - Watch Lecture Video -Complete Perez family case: Focus on Luis/Whole Family on Discussion board #9 by 11/15 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 11/16 | - Later adulthood: Biological aspects; Erikson and Peck's theories for later adulthood; Alternative Theory: Transpersonal theories | - Read Chapter 14, 15 (until pg 683) - Read Chapter 13: Transpersonal Theory in Robbins, S, Chatterjee, P. and Canda E. (2012). Contemporary human behavior theory: A critical perspective for social work (3rd ed). - Watch Lecture video Complete Perez family case: focus on Carmen / Whole family on Discussion board #10 by 11/22 Sunday 11:59pm - Complete Quiz 5 on biological aspects in later adulthood by 11/22 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 11/23 | - Culturagram and Understanding Social Work Ethics Happy Thanksgiving Break Wednesday through Sunday |
- Read Eileen Congress's article on Cultragram - Complete Discuss board #11 on Culturagram (based on above reading) for Perez family by 11/30 MONDAY 11:59pm - Complete Quiz 1 on Ethics by 11/30 MONDAY 1:59pm |
| 11/30 | - Later adulthood cont: Theories of successful aging; Kubler-Ross theory of grieving process; Westberg model of grieving process; Social aspects of later adulthood | - Read Chapter 15 (pg 683 onwards), 16 - Watch video clip on successful aging - Watch Lecture video - Complete Self-assessment paper by 12/6 Sunday 11:59pm |
| 12/7 | Final Exam | Available Sunday 12/6 11:59 through Tuesday 12/8 11:59pm |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.