Since publication of the first edition of Human Behavior in the Social Environment in 1974, over 120,000 students have successfully used this classic text, which takes a social systems approach to human behavior--an approach that perceives connections between fields of practice, between methods, and across professional disciplines and bodies of theory. Completely revised and updated, this fifth edition reflects awareness of the role of varied cultural and ethnic features within the social environment, and recognizes the importance of the lengthened lifecycle. This text responds to our understanding of human behavior and to the needs of students and instructors as these have developed since the publication of the previous edition. Three new themes in particular are explored in depth: self-development, caring, and postmodernism. Clearly illustrated throughout, Human Behavior in the Social Environment contains abundant examples from practice and from behavioral patterns drawn from the social sciences, topical events, literature, and the authors' professional and personal experience. "A quarter-century ago, systems theory was a relatively obscure set of suppositions and observations, and social systems had little recognition or status; in fact, it was largely regarded as one more attempt to scientize' ideas about human behavior, a fad with a short career. Early in the preparation for this edition, we raised the question whether we could now legitimately call social systems a theory rather than an approach. We believe the threshold for status as a full-fledged theory (or body of theories) has been reached, and we call it an approach' less frequently."--from the introduction to the fifth edition. Ralph E. Anderson was professor emeritus of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. Irl Carter is associate professor emeritus of the School of Social Work at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Carter served as acting director, Center for Youth Development. Gary R. Lowe is professor and dean, School of Social Work and Criminal Justice Studies, East Carolina University.