Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026

Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors
Published on: February 25, 2011
Social Work Matters: Californians' Perceptions of Social Welfare
Tyler M Argüello1, Arturo Baiocchi1, Jennifer Price Wolf1
1Tyler M. Argüello, PhD, DCSW, LCSW; Arturo Baiocchi, PhD; and Jennifer Price Wolf, PhD, MSW, MPH, are assistant professors, California State University, Sacramento.
Abstract:
This article reports on findings from a representative survey of Californians (N = 946) and their perception of social work and its professionals. Analysis of the survey data indicates that the public holds a generally positive view of social work and its "helping" nature, although social work is considered one of the least prestigious professions. Respondents primarily associated social work with child protection and behavioral health roles, and less often with tasks such as community organizing, promoting social justice, and crafting social policy. Implications are considered for renegotiating the identity of social work and foregrounding social justice.
Related Concept Videos
Social Proof
Impact of Social Context on Individuals
Causes of Social Behavior I: Actions and Characteristics of Individuals
Social Relationships and Well-Being
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Introducing Social Perception

