Exam 1 Flashcards
Medical Sociology
The study of social causes of health and illness and the operation of the healthcare system (social causes to sickness)
Health
physical, social, mental well being and not merely the absence of disease
Social Environment
our background/position in society
Sociology’s Major Themes
- Sociological Perspective
- Social inequality (wealth/resources)
- Social institutions (behavioral groups)
Sociological Imagination
understanding social reality that places personal experiences within a broader social and historical context.
Theoretical Traditions
- Functionalism (social institutions support society)
- Conflict Theory ( individuals and groups with wealth, power, etc dominate society
- Symbolic Interactionism (how individuals act with other individuals)
Low Birth Weight
less than 5.5-5.8 pounds at birth
common for premature babies
social factors can include poor nutrition, substance habits, mental health, etc all from positionality
Upstream Factors
factors in the social environment that influence health and illness (social class, race and ethnicity, gender)
Zola drowning river - makes mores sense to stop people from falling in the river altogether than saving them
learn to prevent it>learn to treat it (wouldn’t have to be treated if no one had it)
Social Constructionism
idea that reality is socially constructed- many things just exist because people decided they do so there is really no object basis
Research Methods in Medical Sociology
- Surveys
- Qualitative Research
- Experiments
4.. Criteria of Causality
Surveys
very common
random samples can be generalized (less expensive and less time than interviewing 400 of the same results)
non random samples (useful for ansers from certain groups)
useful for gathering information on people’s opinions
Qualitative Research
more in depth and personal research
very truthful and detailed understanding
not usually random- researches have more of an idea of what they are looking for and go looking for it rather than finding out answers
Experiments
less common because of safety, ethics, and practicality
Criteria of Causality
satisfies and legitimizes the research
1. Initial relationship between dependent and independent variables (must be related)
2. Causal order (even if variables are related they may not affect each other)
3. Spuriousness (exists only because a third variable (antecedent) is affecting both variables)
4. No Better Explanation (might just be a coincidence)
Karl Marx 1818-1883
Macro
Theory: Conflict
Setting: Vineyard
Description: Men, women, and children of all ages toiling in the vineyards under harsh
conditions while being monitored by the managers who focused on profits
Key Terms: 1. Society divided into haves and have nots, 2. Exploitation is systemic in society, 3. There is a struggle for scarce and limited resources
Emile Durkenheim 1858-1917
Macro
Theory: Functionalist
Setting: Village
Description: There was harmony among the people in the village and the stores all served a function. Previously several stores burned down and created disharmony and the villagers had to travel a great distance to purchase supplies.
Key Terms: 1. The parts in society serve distinct functions, 2. Parts in society are interdependent, 3. Society is like a living organism
George Herbert Mead 1863-1931
Micro
Theory: Symbolic Interactionism
Setting: Meadow
Description: An account of a couple in a meadow going through the courtship phases leading to marriage.
Key terms/concepts: 1. A focus on day-to-day interactions, 2. Language, symbols, and patterns help us understand society, 3. Social meaning arises through the process of social interactions.
You have an encounter with Cheyanne, who is Native American, 53 years-old,
overweight, and smokes. You ask her, “How are you?” She answers, “I am healthy as can
be.”
Describe what “healthy” means in this context
As healthy as she can be, having a good day, optimistic, lots of answers
You have an encounter with Collin, who is Caucasian, 24 years-old, a triathlete, vegan,
and regularly meditates. You ask him, “How are you?” He answers, “Not too healthy at
the moment as I have this nagging injury that is slowing down my training for the next
triathlon.”
Describe what “healthy” means in this context.
Since he is pretty healthy this one thing is affecting him because by comparison its bad etc
Sociological Imagination Doctor Burnout
Kind of a Marxist perspective- overworked and dehumanizing as long as they are making morals throwing away the soft human underneath is fine because thats where priorities are to succeed for profit unlike every other country and preventable deaths happening like oh well
Social Constructionism Doctor Burnout
all of the doctors leaving
it’s bad but we all collectively just went “thats the way it is”
the publicity would lose money (personal rather than public which I guess would go against all the social constructionism stuff)
changes will happen if we use our collective power
