Theoretical Foundations I

Chapter Summary

This chapter, the first of two providing a theoretical foundation for a partnership model in human services, has presented several concepts derived from structural-functional theory in sociology. Structural theories suggest that human behavior can be explained in terms of the organization of society. As the chapter has shown, clients may be affected by whether an agency is structured bureaucratically or uses a participatory management model of organization. Similarly, client outcomes will depend to some extent on their location within various opportunity structures.

Furthermore, social structures are associated with cultural expectations regarding appropriate behavior. People who occupy different positions in society are expected to play different roles. In our society, professionals are expected to achieve their positions through their own efforts and to be universalistic, functionally specific, affectively neutral, and collectivity oriented. Until fairly recently, they also were expected to be dominant in their relationships with clients. With the advent of newer partnership approaches in the human services, these role expectations have been changing.