Using intuition in social work decision making

Alessandro Sicora, Brian J. Taylor, Ravit Alfandari, Guy Enosh, Duncan Helm, Campbell Killick, Olive Lyons, Judith Mullineux, Jarosław Przeperski, Michael Rölver, Andrew Whittaker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Social workers must make ‘justifiable’ decisions, but ‘intuition’ is also important in assessment, decision making and working with risk. We discuss intuition within professional judgement as being part of our cognitive faculties; emotionally-informed reasoning processes connecting workers with clients and families; and intuition making use of internalised learning. Challenges discussed include intuition as a taboo topic; communicating intuition-based judgements within group decision processes; and lack of models for integrating intuition with explicit use of knowledge. To develop the professional knowledge base on professional judgement, the paper considers six theoretical frameworks which might be used to conceptualise intuition within social work decision making, including: (1) the ‘tacit knowledge’ of sociological discourse; (2) intuition as ‘sense-making’; (3) internalisation of learning; (4) conceptual schemas from neuroscience; (5) Kahneman’s ‘thinking fast and slow’; and (6) decision heuristics. Intuition is discussed in the context of supervision and organisational governance; use of assessment tools and processes; creation of mental models for practice; implications for education and training; and further research. Although the profession must continue to develop its ability to use the best knowledge to inform practice, a psycho-social rationality model may be required to conceptualise internalised ‘intuitive’ judgement processes in practice.

Translated title of the contributionשימוש באינטואיציה בקבלת החלטות בעבודה סוציאלית
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)772-787
Number of pages16
JournalEuropean Journal of Social Work
Volume24
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Keywords

  • Assessment
  • decision making
  • intuition
  • professional judgement
  • reasoning

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Sociology and Political Science

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