Human Behavior and the Social Environment II

Reviewed by Jacqueline Johnson, Adjunct Faculty, Professor, Marymount University on 1/18/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The text is quite comprehensive and well structured to cover the lifespan of humans, and the dimensions of being human: physical, cognitive, and psychosocial. The vignette cases at the beginning of each section can be helpful in facilitating students applying the theories and concepts of that particular section.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

I would consider the content to be quite accurate and unbiased for the most part. There are to areas I have concerns with though. The discussion(s) regarding obesity, which we know (its my area of expertise) is not solely based on personal behavior, but genetics, environment, and greater psycho-social factors outside of the individual that affect the individual. With that the discussions regarding eating disorders as well could use a bit more substance. The discussions emphasize Anorexia more than other eating disorders, when BED, Binge Eating Disorder, is the most prevalent eating disorder today. I questioned, but then understood, why eating disorders were placed in the "Physical" chapter, as they really are mental health disorders, and really should be in the psycho-social discussion.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The Content is relevant. But could use some updating. Especially considering the current times, with COVID-19 pandemic - effects on lifespan, and the three dimensions. The structure of the text though, I believe will make updating relatively easy.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is lucid, clear, concise. It might be nice to have a "Terminology" box near the introduction of each section. I am already familiar with the terminology used in the text, but I'm not sure how familiar an incoming "fresh" graduate student might be with the terminology. Some review clarifications of specific terms might be useful.

Consistency rating: 4

For the most part the text is internally consistent. But Chapter 5, confused me somewhat. This chapter had grammatical errors, spelling errors, changes in verb tense within a paragraph. It seems as if this chapter may have been written, or re-written, as an after thought, or at the "last minute" . The content of the chapter is great, just needs some editing.

Modularity rating: 5

Definitely well structured for ease of reading in sections. I am not a social worker, I am a public health/population health professional, focusing on the psycho-social factors influencing health behavior. I would consider using this text, sections of the text, as a recommended reading for my courses.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Very well structured and organized. A logical path of reasoning to follow.

Interface rating: 3

The images and charts, sigh, need a great deal of attention. Most are too blurry to read. Please edit the graphs and charts, figures and tables. There is valuable information in these images, but if the reader is unable to see them clearly, the content may lose value in the reader's mind.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Overall the text is well written. Only Chapter 5 contains grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text seems to be culturally sensitive for the most part. It seems inclusive and welcomes diversity.

Comments

I would like to use this text as a recommended reading for my courses. Please edit Chapter 5. Update the conversations on obesity and eating disorders. The discussion on bullying should include that the most common bullied population are obese individuals, from childhood into adulthood. It is not the obese person's weight that needs changing. The bully's behavior needs to be the focus of change. And update to discuss the current issues affect humans today. This is a very busy time for social workers. It would be helpful to prepare future social workers for their work in dealing with the repercussions of the pandemic that we will continue to be facing for the next 5 years.