Human Behavior and the Social Environment II

Reviewed by Minzhi Ye, Assistant Professor, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 11/3/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This work is remarkably well-written, with the author skillfully introducing complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner. To enhance the comprehensiveness of the text, I suggest including an overview of foundational theories or paradigms, such as Mead's "I" and "me" theory, Blumer's symbolic interactionism, Goffman's actor theory, and Foucault's gaze theory, early in the book. This would provide readers with a solid framework before delving into the discussions of individual behaviors and social environments, especially in chapters 2.4 and 2.5.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Content is accurate, but some chapters topics are overlapped

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The themes presented in the book are relevant and timely, particularly the exploration of social inequality. However, I suggest reinforcing certain paradigms within the specific chapters to ensure that the content remains applicable to ongoing discussions in social theory.

Clarity rating: 4

Though the writing is accessible, I believe the clarity could be improved by discussing some concepts. For example, regarding the attributional style discussed in Chapter 7.4, which is marked as a cultural concept, I feel it’s important to clarify that this concept primarily addresses how individuals interpret events in social psychology. A deeper discussion could enhance the consistency of how culture is portrayed throughout the work, as it often encompasses a larger and more complex social narrative.

Consistency rating: 5

Yes, the terms are consistent. However, the topics are jumped back and forth.

Modularity rating: 3

Chapters 26 to 30, which focus on specific topics, could benefit from greater modularity. These chapters might stand alone as a separate section, allowing readers to engage with them independently while still tying back to the primary concepts presented in earlier sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

Overall, I believe that the organization of the text could be refined. For instance, I would suggest organizing topics within chapters around core themes. This could help readers navigate the depth of each subject while understanding its internal connections more effectively, particularly in chapters 2 to 5, where overlapping themes of culture, power, and identity occur. Also, the discussions in Chapters 9, 11, and 5 about identity, gender, sexual orientation, and race in relation to social inequality are significant and reflect accurate social discourse. However, I recommend merging these chapters to create a more comprehensive examination of personal identity and its intersections with race and gender, minimizing redundancy and enhancing the depth of the analysis. A clearer flow throughout the text would allow readers to better grasp how each chapter connects to the larger narrative.

Interface rating: 5

The online version offers hyperlinks to each chapters so it is easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The exploration of cultural influences within the work is insightful.

Comments

This is an impressive work that serves as a valuable resource for students. I appreciate the author's effort and hope these suggestions will be helpful in further enhancing the text.

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.