Values: The Uncertain Component in Social Work

Abstract

Research on the values of social workers and the effect of education on professional socialization is examined with particular reference to self-selection, the role of age in openness to the changes required, the effectiveness of explication in communication of specific values, and the need for campus and field faculty to present compatible models to students. The writer's own research using the Varley Social Work Questionnaire is described and discussed. Implications for admissions and curriculum development are offered.