In many ways, we are circumspect about using the terminology in this chapter’s title. Potentially, it takes us into a semantic swamp, and an extensive review of other authors’ attempts at defining these concepts will, we fear, only take us further into the mire of meaning(s). However, the issues of thinking about, and thinking in and after, action are very important, and lie at the heart of this book. We must tread carefully across the prominent landscape of reflective practice, leaving fresh footprints to add to the many that have come before us. In our final chapter, we explore the landscape of reflective/reflexive practice in more detail, with a view to demonstrating the contribution that this book makes to social work practice with sex offenders. The terms ‘reflective’ and ‘reflexive’ are concerned with thinking; in connection with practice, they point to thoughtful practice. In his seminal work The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action, Schön (1983) described the thinking of some professions whose work was primarily engaged with the inanimate material world as ‘technical rationality’. Observation, measurement and (mathematical) calculation were the foundational methods of these professions. However, for those professions engaged with people – for example, planning, psychotherapy and social work – abstracted scientific calculation was seen as insufficient to inform the complexities of the professional task. Schön (1983, pp 76–104) suggested that reflection – on the task, relevant theories and research – was required. He identified two types of reflection: ‘on action’ and ‘in action’. These two aspects of thinking about social work practice before, during and after direct work have had various manifestations and proponents: ‘reflective thinking’, ‘reflexive thinking’ and ‘critical thinking’.
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