Topic 10: Suicide

Question 1

Durkheim

Answer 1

Behaviour is caused by social facts- the suicide rate is one of these. From off stats, he found that different societies have different rates and within societies rates varied between social groups. This shows rates are effected by social integration and moral regulation.
Four types of suicide:
Egotistic- too little integration
Altruistic- too much integration- duty to die for the good of a group
Anomic- too little regulation- norms become unclear/outdated
Fatalistic- too much regulation by society

In modern society individualism is more important causing egotistic and anomic suicides
In traditional societies the group is more important chasing altruistic and fatalistic suicides because of rigidly ascribed status

Question 2

Douglas

Answer 2

Interpretivist- interactionist approach- interested in the meaning of suited for the deceased and the way coroners label deaths.
Rejects Dukrheims use of stats- they are not social facts but social constructs based on coroners interpretations of deaths influenced by others actors eg family.
Durkheim ignores the meanings of the act- but be classified according to meanings for deceased and so Douglas uses qualitative data eg notes, diaries, interviews to give a better idea of the real rate of suicide,
Suggests that in Western societies meanings include escape, repeat the, a search for help/sympathy and revenge- may have different meanings in other cultures eg religious

Question 3

Atkinson

Answer 3

Interpretivist- ethnomethodology- social reality is a contact of its members- neither researchers nor coroners can classify deaths objectively to discover the real rate/meanings- all we can study is how corners come to classify a death as suicide.
Uses qualitative methods eg court documents, conversations with coroners, observations of inquests. Concludes that coroners have a commonsense theory about the typical suicide and take the following as indications: suicide note/threats, mode of death such as hanging seen as typically suicidal, location and circumstances eg shooting in a deserted lay-by and life history eg mental illness

Question 4

Taylor

Answer 4

Realism- agrees with interpretivists that coroners’ theories influence their verdicts, but accepts positivist view that we can discover underlying causes- uses case studies
Four types, based on certainty or uncertainty about selves/others:
Submissive suicide- certainty about selves- know they want to die for a reason
Thanatation suicide- uncertain about themselves eg what others think. Attempt will be a risk- may or may not survive
Sacrifice suicide- certain about others eg betrayal- want to blame others
Appeal suicide- uncertain about others- communication to revoke uncertainty- will also involve risk taking