Research Catalog

Change, intervention and consequence : an exploration of the process of intended change

Title: Change, intervention and consequence : an exploration of the process of intended change / Tom Douglas.
Author: Douglas, Tom.
Publication: London ; New York : Free Association Books, 1997.

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Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
Request for On-site Use Request Scan How do I pick up this item and when will it be ready?	Text	Use in library	BF637.C4 D68 1997	Off-site

Description

viii, 291 pages; 24 cm

Summary

Trying to change human behaviour seems to have become a pandemic of our times. A Change Industry has developed, with beneficial objectives and strong moral standards but which uses processes that are to a large extent accepted as articles of faith. Without defining what we mean by 'change' it is difficult to assess the validity of change processes.
Tom Douglas is one of the world's leading writer's on groupwork and processes and has written and taught extensively on changing human behaviour. Here he examines what intentional change processes essentially are and places them in relation to the natural development of human change and to the question of consequences. The most important outcomes of social intervention tend to be those that were never anticipated. His principle theme concerns the ignored peripheral and major consequences of intervention in the lives of people, as individuals or as members of groups or organizations.
This controversial but scholarly book, challenging practitioners of change, their approach and their claims. It asks them to be more aware of the limitations that exist in attempting to affect change; to be more precise in their definition of change; to be more realistic about base claims for effectiveness and to be more vigilant about consequences. As Tom Doulas points out, more realism means more effective outcomes.

Subject

Bibliography (note)

ISBN

LCCN

98112204

OCLC

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library