Role theory and social role theory are flexible sociological frameworks that can be used to better understand clients. When applied to young clients like Joe Henry from the film Joe the King, role theory helps social workers and counselors understand the systemic and contextual variables impacting Joe’s identity development, and behavior. Incorporating role theory into social work when counseling clients like Joe will help guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation.
Although not an exclusive, comprehensive, or self-contained theory, role theory nevertheless shows how a person cannot be understood in isolation of cultural, family, and normative variables. Gender, race, class, family background, values, belief systems, and worldviews all impact Joe’s identity development and behavioral outcomes. Without taking into account the importance of social roles in personal and social identity construction, social workers might not be able to overcome their own biases when working with clients like Joe. Similarly, social roles guide solution-focused approaches to counseling.
Experimental research demonstrates the efficacy of social role theory. For example, Koenig & Eagly (2014) found evidence for application of social role theory to account for a “wide range of stereotypes,” (p. 371). Beliefs related to a person’s gender, age, social class status, and other features reinforce stereotypes, and yet stereotypes can be dramatically changed via a series of cognitive interventions (Koenig & Eagly, 2014)....
References
Koenig, A.M. & Eagly, A.H. (2014). Evidence for the social role theory of stereotype content: observations of groups' roles shape stereotypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 107(3): 371-392.
Hogg, M.A. (2016). Social identity theory. Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory, pp. 3-17.
Turner, F.J. (2017). Social Work Treatment. Oxford University Press.
Whaley, F. (1999). Joe the King. [Feature Film].
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