B

Balance theory - A theory that people desire cognitive consistency or balance in their thoughts, feelings, and social relationships.

 Behavior therapy - The application of the principles of learning and conditioning theory to treatment of psychological and behavioral problems.

Behaviour Therapy - Historically, the behavioural trend developed in the 1950s and early 1960s as a radical departure from the psychoanalytic perspective. Three major phases in the development of behaviour therapy are (1) the classical conditioning trend, (2) the operant conditioning model, and (3) the cognitive trend. It applies the principles of learning to the resolution of specific behavioural disorders.

 Belongingness and love needs - A feeling of closeness to others; third level of human needs on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Bill C-31 - Prior to 1985, if an Indian woman married a non-Indian man, she lost her Indian status. Also, a non-Indian woman who married an Indian man was accorded Indian status. Bill C-31 repealed this gender discrimination provision in 1985. The Bill made provisions for the reinstatement of status for persons who had lost it. The Act to Amend the Indian Act also acknowledged the right of Indian bands to control their own membership (Canada. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 1991:21).

Biological essentialism in sexual attraction - assumes the origin of all sexual attraction and behaviour is innate and pre-determined; a component of the person’s biological endowment.  It believes the ‘homosexual’ is born and professional treatment is required to ensure that the person does not act upon "deviant” sexual drives and desires.

Birth control – A method used to prevent pregnancy. It was illegal until 1969 in Canada, although one could buy it "under the counter". In 1892, the First Criminal Code of Canada stated that it was an offence to have or distribute birth control.

Blended or reconstituted families – A family that includes children from previous marriages. The number of blended families is increasing due to factors, such as increased divorce rate since the 1960s and number of same-sex couples.

 Body esteem - A person's attitudes toward his or her body.

Bourgeois/bourgeoisie (from ‘burghers’) - The economically dominant (and thus ruling) class in a capitalist society, the bourgeoisie owns the means of production and employs wage labour; this class stands in opposition to the working class.

Bourgeoisie - The class of modern capitalists, owners of the means of social production and employers of wage labour.

British North American Act The Act Passed on March 29th, 1867 by the British Parliament creating Confederation. It was later renamed to the Constitution Act, 1867 to increase patriotism inside the Canada. It laid out the different levels of government - provincial and federal, as well as the Supreme Court.

 British North American Colonies - The British North American colonies were the areas of land under British control on the North American continent. Each of these colonies was governed individually and under British authority prior to Confederation.

British Poor Law - By 1597, all the legal changes in The Statute of Labourers over the century were amalgamated into one piece of legislation called the British Poor Law.

Budget - An estimate of the income and expenses needed to carry out programs for a fiscal year.

Burnout – A condition developed by some social workers due to an overwhelming amount of work. Characterized by mental and physical exhaustion through overwork.

Business cycles – The ups and downs or booms and busts in the economy that tends to come in cycles every four to five years. They impact on unemployment and income security needs and are characterized by dips in the economy or recessions.