The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly — Social Work’s Image on Screen
By Robert DeLauro, MSW
Social Work Today
Vol. 5 No. 2 Page 18

Does social work get a raw deal on screen? Find out how it compares with other professions.

We’ve all been there. You’re talking to someone for the first time at a party or family gathering. Someone asks, “What do you do?”

“I’m a social worker,” you reply.

And you can practically see the misconceptions skipping through the person’s head.

“I used to volunteer at the homeless shelter, but I got too busy.”

Or, “Did you need to get any training for that?”

It can be a daunting task to explain what you actually do while clarifying the inaccuracies surrounding social work and, if possible, addressing the social issues that are inevitably raised.

Does the public understand what social workers do? And even if the public doesn’t understand, isn’t it likely that social workers would also have a difficult time identifying the purview of their profession? For social work, the range of activity, variety of employment settings, and diversity of clients all contribute to an indistinct and often distorted professional representation. It is difficult to get a handle on the vastness of the enterprise.

Historical Changes
Understanding is one dimension of public image. Popularity is another, and our profession has always had something of a public relations problem. Early public image problems for social work were similar to what we currently face. At the beginning of the 20th century, our profession expanded in response to issues caused by industrialization, immigration, and mobility. America had significant ambivalence about tackling these emerging social problems. Antipathy toward social workers was due, to some extent, to a conflict between a new reality and traditional American values.

Addressing personal, emotional, family, financial, and work-related problems—“problems of living,” as they were known at that time—became the jurisdiction of social workers (Abbott, 1988). It was not easy for the public to accept that family members, friends, or clergy were no longer able to address the problems of living in the new industrial age. In addition, rugged individualism, self-reliance, and a belief in the fairness of America’s “level playing field” clashed with the social interventions of community-based social work. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that psychiatric social work enjoyed a higher level of prestige in comparison to other early social work specialties. Along with having the status of being associated with science and medicine, psychiatric social workers (soon to be known as clinical social workers) did not pose a fundamental challenge to the social structure of American society.

The Power of Perception
Today, social work still seems primarily tied to areas of life, people, and circumstances that have a negative association for the public. However, we may be seeing a gradual shift in the public’s perception of social work services and settings. In the last 15 to 20 years, social workers have been providing their expertise as family therapists, employee assistance professionals, organizational consultants, and private practice psychotherapists. The gradual expansion of social work into these different settings may contribute to more positive perceptions by the public and increased professional status.

In the article “The Public’s Perception of Social Work: Is It What We Think It Is?” Craig W. LeCroy and Erika L. Stinson conclude that there is generally a favorable attitude by the public toward social work and to some degree a general understanding of what social workers do (2004). But they also caution that there is a long road ahead to enhance social work’s public image and educate the public about professional social workers’ roles, activities, and competencies (2004).

It is timely that the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has initiated a Public Education Campaign for the social work profession. This initiative is intended to increase awareness and respect for the profession and educate the public on the depth and breadth of social work practice. Popular media—including magazines, newspapers, radio, and TV—will be used to advance this campaign.

Twelve percent of LeCroy and Stinson’s survey respondents indicated that their knowledge of social workers came from TV, 10% from newspapers, and only 4% from movies. But given the enormity and apparent influence of the popular media, its use would seem to be an excellent strategy for improving the public image of social work. After all, our culture’s most significant effort to assert influence, a presidential campaign, is primarily focused on television. During the most recent campaign, feature-length documentary movies, such as Fahrenheit 911, also attempted to sway public opinion.

We know popular media has often provided unflattering portrayals of social workers. It is another common experience for social workers (almost as frequent as the “What do you do?” conversation) to cringe during the unattractive portrayals of incompetent social workers in movies and on TV. Although the primary purpose of movies and TV shows is to entertain, they also contribute to a distorted perception of the profession.

Other Professional Image Problems
Social work is not unique when it comes to concerns about public image. Other professions also struggle with problems of public perception exacerbated by negative depictions in the popular media.

Certified public accountants, for example, have historically been ranked among the most trusted of professionals. But recently, numerous business scandals—particularly at Enron and Arthur Andersen—have damaged their image. Social work has not had to contend with a circumstance that is quite so well publicized.

Law is another profession that suffers from negative public perceptions. A recent survey found that despite overwhelming sentiment that lawyers have significant expertise and knowledge, public confidence in the profession has not improved over time. Why is this? The survey concluded that too often, lawyers do a poor job of handling basic client relationships. They also need to pay more attention to communication (American Bar Association).

Since the beginning of television, positive and negative portrayals of lawyers have been seen on shows such as Harrigan and Son, The Defenders, Perry Mason, LA Law, and Boston Legal. For better or worse, cable talk shows over the past few years have provided a different television venue for lawyers—from which they can quibble about the latest “trial of the century.”

Public ambivalence about the legal profession is reflected in the way lawyers are depicted in movies. In The Verdict, starring Paul Newman and James Mason, and in A Civil Action, featuring John Travolta and Robert Duvall, the more successful and technically competent lawyers are morally bankrupt while the personally flawed attorneys are advocates for a greater good.

Scientists and their professional associations are concerned about public opinion because it can have a direct impact on government funding for scientific inquiry. This has come to the forefront recently with stem cell research. The National Science Foundation is campaigning for a more attractive image for scientists because they want the public to be more receptive and understanding of the benefits of science. Look no further than the “mad scientists” of Jurassic Park, James Bond movies, and Frankenstein to understand these concerns.

The profession that is consistently rated lowest in public confidence is journalism (American Bar Association). Journalists seem to contend, as social workers do, with some deep-rooted, negative stereotypes. The movie Absence of Malice, with Sally Field and Paul Newman, effectively plays to this public apprehension by presenting a disturbing dramatization of an unscrupulous journalist. On the other hand, the investigative reporting shown in the movie All the President’s Men is a brilliant demonstration of hard work, integrity, and courage by young reporters.

Engineers have done surveys that indicate that the public lacks an understanding of (1) what engineers do and (2) the settings they work in (National Academy of Engineering of the National Academies). Social work has similar public image concerns. Both groups are concerned that the public uses their titles arbitrarily, without distinguishing between those who are professionally trained and those who are not.

Public Education
As part of its public image campaign, the NASW would like the public to understand that the profession of social work requires training and usually a graduate degree. Social workers are often viewed as needing a caring heart, liberal politics, and plenty of patience—but not necessarily a specific body of knowledge. Convincing the public and spreading the word that social work is a knowledge-based profession is directly tied to our opportunities for increased professional status, more widespread public approval, and greater financial rewards.

Money Talks
Numerous professions may bemoan their crooked media portrayals, but when a movie or TV show is completed, it is an entertainment compromise intended to reach the greatest audience and make the most money. Along with other professionals, social workers may object to the way they are portrayed in the popular media, but accuracy will yield to earnings every time. The groups that most consistently make it onto the silver screen or the small screen are doctors, lawyers, and police. These professional portraits usually have the most entertainment value and potential for profit.

Although television and movies may not be accurate in their portrayals of social workers, it is a mistake to dismiss the value of a movie based on this criterion alone. In an article titled “Through the Eyes of Hollywood: Images of Social Workers in Film,” Miriam L. Freeman and Deborah P. Valentine criticize the 1962 film Requiem for a Heavyweight because of the social work character’s inappropriate outreach strategies, which include drinking, flirting, and nighttime visits to the client’s home (2004). Freeman and Valentine are certainly correct that this is improper behavior for a social worker (although that job title is not actually used in the movie). But the danger for social workers who concern themselves only with principled social work portrayals is the risk of missing the deeper substance of this powerful movie.

Another example of an excellent movie containing unflattering social work behavior is Secrets & Lies. Originally released in 1996, this entertaining movie has recently come out on DVD. It is the story of a young black woman who is seeking her biological mother. She meets with a social worker who is going to help her with this process. Unfortunately, the social worker is a woeful representative of the profession. She eats candy and engages in inappropriate chatter during a sensitive interview. Although the social work profession is held up for ridicule in this one scene, Secrets & Lies is an exceptional movie that shows the ability of a family to cope with conflict and painful truth. It maintains a subtle sense of humor while realistically displaying a difficult family reconciliation.

In most movies, portrayals of social workers have been less than accurate or outright negative. Freeman and Valentine summarize the numerous movies that depict social workers as incompetent female caretakers or humorless, unexpressive tough guys (2004). It is some consolation that most of the movies they identify as having negative social work characters have not been very popular (eg, Past Midnight, Parents, Boyfriends, and Addams Family Reunion, which were far from blockbusters). One exception is the very successful Mrs. Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams and Sally Field, which portrays a humorless social worker unable to establish rapport or display empathy.

Exceptional Portrayal
When it comes to media portrayals, social work enjoyed one shining moment in the early ’60s. At this time, the TV networks were deemphasizing violence and producing character dramas that tended toward social themes. The protagonists of these programs were often professionals serving the community and the common good. East Side/West Side was produced and aired during this time period. The academy award-winning actor George C. Scott played a New York social worker who grapples with a range of controversial problems that do not lend themselves to neat resolutions. The series had a stark realism that was discomforting to many viewers and lasted only one season. If there is a television series that deserves to be on DVD, East Side/West Side is it. Social workers everywhere should lobby for its availability.

Thirty-five years of television viewing later, we can contrast East Side/West Side with The Norm Show. This comedy, starring Norm McDonald, aired from 1999 to 2001. The premise of the show is that Norm is given a choice of doing five years of community service as a “social worker” or going to prison. It is no surprise that the show’s writers saw much more potential for comedy in a social work setting than in prison. The show is a farce and makes no pretense to accuracy. But Norm’s antics as a so-called social worker are not as bothersome as the fact that a show so disdainful and mocking of social work could be produced and aired in the first place.

If it is possible (or fair) to identify a social work character flaw, it is our hesitation to take steps for ourselves that we are vigorously willing to take for our clients. We have failed to stand up for ourselves. We must stop the hand-wringing about being misunderstood, hold our heads up, and assertively advocate for our profession. This includes lobbying for better salaries. If we want the public to view social workers as valuable to society, then we must believe that we are and create more opportunities to educate the public about the important work that we do.

The NASW Public Education Campaign is in its early stage, but it is already clear that it can use more money and support to be successful. If we are serious about changing our image, let’s show some robust talents it comes to campaign efforts. It is time to use our skills and smarts to build some influence. Maybe then we’ll see a remake of East Side/West Side.

— Robert DeLauro, MSW, is an organization development and learning consultant at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers in New York City.

References
Abbott, A. (1988). The system of professions: An essay on the division of expert labor. The University of Chicago Press.

American Bar Association. Public perception of lawyers: Consumer research findings. Retrieved from http://www.abanet.org.

Freeman, M. L., & Valentine, D. P. (2004). Through the eyes of Hollywood: Images of social workers in film. Social Work, 151-161.

LeCroy, C. W., & Stinson, E. L. (2004). The public’s perception of social work: Is it what we think it is? Social Work, 164-174.

National Academy of Engineering of the National Academies. Harris Poll Reveals Public Perceptions of Engineering. Retrieved from http://www.nae.edu.

National Science Foundation. Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Public Understanding - Public Image of the Science Community. Retrieved from http://www.nsf.com.