Sociology and psychology Flashcards
What are social norms, what are their features?
Rules which govern behaviour
They are collective
They include positive sanctions to encourage behaviour & negative sanctions to prevent behaviour
They are so widespread they are often taken for granted and invisible
Once established they can be very difficult to change
How might you define culture?
The way of life of a particular social group ( includes language, social norms, customs, values, beliefs, rituals, manners)
What is a false dichotomy? Example in the medical profession?
A situation where two states of being are perceived as being mutually exclusive when they are not, e.g. a doctor cannot be ill as this is weak, and asking for help is a sign of weakness.
What is medicalisation?
The process whereby human conditions and problems come to be seen as medical conditions requiring medical intervention.
What is social construction?
Something ‘invented’ or ‘constructed’ by people in a particular culture or society
Some examples of barriers to help-seeking?
Normalising symptoms as a part of life, e.g. breathless because getting older.
Absence of pain or lump Belief that the symptoms will go away Intermittent symptoms No awareness of cancer symptoms or risk Previous benign diagnosis for symptoms
Fear of Embarrassment
- seen as a time waster
- may be seen as immasculating for men
Fear of stigma
Fear of cancer
What are the right and responsibilities of the sick role as defined by Talcott Parsons?
A role people occupy when ill of health, typically granted by doctors
People have a right to not be blamed for their condition, and to be exempt from normal duties.
Have a responsibility to seek medical help and follow medical advice to get better ASAP
What do narrative constructions typically include?
Stories about
What we have done Who we have been in the past Who we are now What we do now Who we will be in the future
These stories provide a sense of continuity, coherence & purpose to our lives, shaping our identities
What is biographical disruption? How may this occur?
The ways in which people’s lives become profoundly disrupted by trauma, chronic illness or injury. Not only is a person’s physical body disrupted, but also, the narrative constructions or stories that have made up their biographies or lives; their sense of self or identity.
- Disruption to a persons body and to practical everyday activities
- Disruption to a person’s narrative construction or biography: their sense of self, their past and future
What is narrative reconstruction?
The process by which people following an accident or illness have to reconstitute their narrative to provide coherence and meaning in our lives.
Accomplished by explaining:
- Why it happened
- Why it happened to them
- By determining their responsibility.
People do this by referring to their past and their future, may explore spirituality to give meaning.
How may an understanding of biographical disruption and narrative reconstruction be useful for doctors?
Provide an understanding of the patient’s situation that may not be addressed by other methods, this may help you to consider a patient’s social, psychological & spiritual needs
Providing a framework for approaching a patient’s problems, uncovering diagnostic and therapeutic options
Encourage empathy and more effective and personal communication between doc and patient.
Work with patients to reconstruct their narrative considering how they may be able to look to their past and future to do this.
What are the consequences of stigma?
An attribute that is deeply discrediting
Status loss
- Reduces the bearer from a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one
Social rejection
- Excludes individuals from full social participation
What are the types of stigma?
Felt stigma:
- The shame associated with the stigma and fear of being socially excluded (internalised)
Enacted stigma
- Actual rejection and discrimination.
Courtesy stigma
- Stigma by Association: Family and friends experience stigmatisation because of their connection to the stigmatised person
In what situations may stigma be associated?
Physical differences
Blemishes of individual character
Membership in certain social groups
What 4 steps contribute to the formation of stigma?
People identify and label human differences
These human differences are linked to negative attributes
Labeled individuals (“them”) are categorized as distinct from “us”
Labeled individuals experience status loss and
discrimination
