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8. Psychological authority: an operational definition for social work

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Authority and Social Work
This chapter is in the book Authority and Social Work
EDITH M. TUFTS 8 Psychological authority: an operational definition for social work Social workers for many years have recognized three kinds of authority that directly influence their effectiveness in helping clients with problems in social functioning. Institutional authority is that by which private or public social agencies are established, financed, and allowed to designate the services that they will provide, including selection of the type of clients that they may or shall accept. Administrative authority is the source of the delegation of responsibility to the social worker to carry out his role in accordance with the functions of the specific agency employing him. Professional authority is that which recognizes competence and skill of the social worker as the authority, and which requires him to act in accordance with the values ascribed by his profession. Another kind of authority, psychological authority, however, has re-ceived less attention. On the one hand, there is confusion regarding the meaning of psychological authority and, on the other hand, there is so much concern with the possible misuse of authority in treatment, that the potentials for constructive use of authority in client-worker relationships often are overlooked in the literature of the profession. This paper will point first to social work's intervention in the lives of hard-to-reach clients as an expression of authority that is related to the rights of the individual and to the responsibilities of the profession. The present efforts to provide a conceptual framework of authority in social work will be considered next - efforts that have not clarified the meaning of psychological authority. Understanding of the psychological aspects of authority can more readily be achieved by drawing upon the perceptions of authority revealed in the literature of the political and behavioral sciences, which have given attention to the meaning of authority and to its uses. The From Social Work Papers, vm: 1-8, 1961.
© 2019 University of Toronto Press, Toronto

EDITH M. TUFTS 8 Psychological authority: an operational definition for social work Social workers for many years have recognized three kinds of authority that directly influence their effectiveness in helping clients with problems in social functioning. Institutional authority is that by which private or public social agencies are established, financed, and allowed to designate the services that they will provide, including selection of the type of clients that they may or shall accept. Administrative authority is the source of the delegation of responsibility to the social worker to carry out his role in accordance with the functions of the specific agency employing him. Professional authority is that which recognizes competence and skill of the social worker as the authority, and which requires him to act in accordance with the values ascribed by his profession. Another kind of authority, psychological authority, however, has re-ceived less attention. On the one hand, there is confusion regarding the meaning of psychological authority and, on the other hand, there is so much concern with the possible misuse of authority in treatment, that the potentials for constructive use of authority in client-worker relationships often are overlooked in the literature of the profession. This paper will point first to social work's intervention in the lives of hard-to-reach clients as an expression of authority that is related to the rights of the individual and to the responsibilities of the profession. The present efforts to provide a conceptual framework of authority in social work will be considered next - efforts that have not clarified the meaning of psychological authority. Understanding of the psychological aspects of authority can more readily be achieved by drawing upon the perceptions of authority revealed in the literature of the political and behavioral sciences, which have given attention to the meaning of authority and to its uses. The From Social Work Papers, vm: 1-8, 1961.
© 2019 University of Toronto Press, Toronto

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contributors vii
  3. Contents xi
  4. Acknowledgments xiii
  5. Introduction xv
  6. PART I. Philosophical concepts of authority
  7. INTRODUCTION 2
  8. 1. The bad name of authority 5
  9. 2. The ethics of authority 12
  10. 3. Authority, reason, and discretion 17
  11. 4. Freedom and authority 35
  12. PART II. Formulations of theories about authority
  13. INTRODUCTION 44
  14. 5. The theory of authority 48
  15. 6. The type of authority 65
  16. 7. Authority in organizations 77
  17. 8. Psychological authority: an operational definition for social work 90
  18. 9. Authority in casework - a bread-and-butter theory 98
  19. PART III. The concept of authority in social work
  20. INTRODUCTION 108
  21. 10. An outline for study of social authority factors in casework 111
  22. 11. The place of authority in the protective function of the public welfare agency 123
  23. 12. Power and authority in treatment - a private agency point of view 134
  24. 13. Worker-client authority relationships in social work 144
  25. 14. Authoritarianism and social workers: a psychological study 160
  26. PART IV. Authority in social work: basic issues
  27. INTRODUCTION 170
  28. 15. Self-determination: king or citizen in the realm of values? 173
  29. 16. Responsibility, self-determination, and authority in casework protecti0n of older persons 182
  30. 17. Control and values in social work treatment 196
  31. 18. Major dilemmas of the social worker in probation and parole 206
  32. PART V. The use of authority in social work practice
  33. INTRODUCTION 226
  34. 19. The concept of authority and its use in child protective service 229
  35. 20. Use of authority in child placement 243
  36. 21. Authority and permission in working with emotionally disturbed children 254
  37. 22. The use of rational authority in the adolescent group 262
  38. 23. The professional leader's use of rational authority: comment 271
  39. 24. The use of authority in supervision 278
  40. 25. Authority: a factor in the casework relationship with trial visit patients 289
  41. 26. Authority in the correctional process 298
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https://doi.org/10.3138/9781487575656-013

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Contributors vii
  3. Contents xi
  4. Acknowledgments xiii
  5. Introduction xv
  6. PART I. Philosophical concepts of authority
  7. INTRODUCTION 2
  8. 1. The bad name of authority 5
  9. 2. The ethics of authority 12
  10. 3. Authority, reason, and discretion 17
  11. 4. Freedom and authority 35
  12. PART II. Formulations of theories about authority
  13. INTRODUCTION 44
  14. 5. The theory of authority 48
  15. 6. The type of authority 65
  16. 7. Authority in organizations 77
  17. 8. Psychological authority: an operational definition for social work 90
  18. 9. Authority in casework - a bread-and-butter theory 98
  19. PART III. The concept of authority in social work
  20. INTRODUCTION 108
  21. 10. An outline for study of social authority factors in casework 111
  22. 11. The place of authority in the protective function of the public welfare agency 123
  23. 12. Power and authority in treatment - a private agency point of view 134
  24. 13. Worker-client authority relationships in social work 144
  25. 14. Authoritarianism and social workers: a psychological study 160
  26. PART IV. Authority in social work: basic issues
  27. INTRODUCTION 170
  28. 15. Self-determination: king or citizen in the realm of values? 173
  29. 16. Responsibility, self-determination, and authority in casework protecti0n of older persons 182
  30. 17. Control and values in social work treatment 196
  31. 18. Major dilemmas of the social worker in probation and parole 206
  32. PART V. The use of authority in social work practice
  33. INTRODUCTION 226
  34. 19. The concept of authority and its use in child protective service 229
  35. 20. Use of authority in child placement 243
  36. 21. Authority and permission in working with emotionally disturbed children 254
  37. 22. The use of rational authority in the adolescent group 262
  38. 23. The professional leader's use of rational authority: comment 271
  39. 24. The use of authority in supervision 278
  40. 25. Authority: a factor in the casework relationship with trial visit patients 289
  41. 26. Authority in the correctional process 298
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