M2: Social Models of Health and Illness Flashcards
“A study of society” includes what 4 factors?
- Historical factors (how the past influences the present)
- Cultural factors (how our culture impacts our lives)
- Structural factors (how forms of social organization
shape our lives) - Critical factors (how we can improve upon what exists)
What is the Sociology of Health?
- Social patterns and experiences of health and illness
- Explores how society (social norms, social interactions,
social relationships, etc.) shapes and constrains individual
health
Example: Concussion Research
What is a Theory?
An explanation of how things work and why things happen.
An attempt to explain social life by presenting a logical, detailed and coherent account derived from research evidence
What is Theoretical Perspective?
Theoretical perspective’ = groups of similar theories (within each perspective, many individual theories, but all share core features of the particular perspective)
What distinguishes different theories from each other?
- How they conceptualize society
- The questions they ask
- Their ultimate goal
- Where they sit in relation to the structure vs. agency debate
Structure vs Agency
Do people have agency [freedom of choice] or are their choices/life chances determined by their social position?
What is Structural Functionalism?
Structural functionalism is a sociological theory that views society as a complex system made up of various parts, each with a specific function that contributes to the stability and functioning of the whole. It emphasizes how social institutions (like family, education, and government) work together to maintain social order and balance in society.
What are the assumptions of Structural Functionalism? (4)
- Society is made up of interrelated parts
- Each part has a function; all parts work to ensure the stability/cohesion of society
- When all parts fulfill their functions, a society or a group is in a normal state
- If some parts do not fulfill functions -> society or group in an abnormal or pathological state.
Structural Functionalism: Assumptions (cont’d)
- Social stability and cohesion maintained by shared beliefs and norms (=‘value consensus’).
- Social integration -> individuals internalize shared beliefs and norms
- Social systems tend to be relatively stable, with change only occurring gradually.
3 Parts of Society
Functional parts = help meet needs of society
Dysfunctional parts = harmful to society
Non-functional parts = irrelevant to society
Key Concept: ‘Sick Role’
Talcott Parsons (1951): individuals’ health essential for social stability and order.
Illness threatens smooth functioning of society ->prevents people from fulfilling their social roles.
Parsons developed concept of sick role to describe the social expectations of “how sick people are expected to act and how they are meant to be treated”
Illness was thought to be disfunctional
‘Sick Role’: Rights & Responsibilities
Rights
1. Exempt from normal social roles
2. The sick person is not responsible for their condition
Responsibilities
1. The sick person should try to get well.
2. The sick person should seek medical help and cooperate with medical professionals.
‘Sick Role’ Concept: Critiques
- Concept does not apply well to “chronic, terminal, and permanently disabling conditions”
- The ability to adopt the sick role delimited by one’s social position.
- Need to differentiate between informal sick role and formal patient role.
- Uncritically accepts role of health care professionals and fails to acknowledge the limitations of the biomedical model of health.
Transformations overtime?
- E.g., seeking fewer medical services; increase in victim blaming
Critiques of Structural Functionalism
- Unable to account for social change due to its emphasis on stability, cohesion and functionality
- Does not address conflicts
- Assumes a level playing field (i.e. does not account for inequality)
- By overlooking the negative implications of social order, justifies the status quo
