Week 2 Notes

Question 1

What distinguishes the different sociological theories from each other?

Answer 1

1. their stance in the structure vs agency debate
2. the questions they as,
3. their ultimate goal

Question 2

What is the structure versus agency debate?

Answer 2

“Do people have freedom of choice (agency) or are their choices determined by their social position (structure)”

Question 3

Structural Functionalism

Answer 3

” A society is a system of integrated parts, each of which have certain needs that must be fulfilled for social order to be maintained”

Question 4

According to Structural Functionalism what is the role of health care professionals?

Answer 4

To rehabilitate individuals to carry out their social roles

Question 5

What are the 4 key assumptions of structural functionalism?

Answer 5

1. a social system is made up of interrelated and interdependent parts
2. each part has a function and works to sustain the unity of the whole
3. there exists a shared value system
4. each person fulfilled a particular role

Question 6

Sick role

Answer 6

how sick people are expected to act and how they are meant to be treated

Question 7

According to the structural functionalism model illness is …

Answer 7

a form of deviance of normal societal expectations that prevents people from fulfilling their social roles and threatens the function of society

Question 8

What are the rights of a sick individual ?

Answer 8

1. they are exempt from normal roles
2. the sick person is nor responsible for his or her condition
3. the person should try and get well
4. the person should seek out help and co-operate with the physician

Question 9

what are critiques of the sick role concept?

Answer 9

1. does not work well will chronic, terminal or permanently disabling conditions
2. ability of adopt sick role if influenced by age, social class, ethnicity, gender etc…
3. one can enter and exit the sick role without seeking medical attention

Question 10

What are some new applications of sick role?

Answer 10

1. people are encouraged to use as few medical services are possible
2. blaming people for their illness (healthism)

Question 11

What are some patterns in suicide?

Answer 11

1. protestants > catholic
2. lowest among Jewish
3. unmarried > married
4. no children > children
5. suicide rates go up with economic transitions

Question 12

According to the structural functionalism theory what are some explanations for suicide?

Answer 12

1. lack of social integration (failure to share a collective beliefs and values)
2. lack of social control of regulation (poorly defined norms/laws)

Question 13

3 kinds of suicide are…

Answer 13

Egoistic Suicide
Anomic Suicide
Altruistic Suicide

Question 14

Egoistic Suicide

Answer 14

individuals not integrated into society

Question 15

Anomic Suicide

Answer 15

society fails to regulate the individual

everyday life is disrupted

Question 16

Alturistic Suicide

Answer 16

people are so deeply integrated they are willing to die for the sake of their community

Question 17

What are some critiques of Structural Functionalism ?

Answer 17

Theory does not adequately account for

1. social change
2. conflict
3. social inequality

Question 18

Marxism/ Conflict Theory

Answer 18

Society is dominated by a fundamental conflict of interest between two social classes - the capitalist class and the proletariat

• social inequality *

Question 19

According to the Conflict theory what is the role of health care professionals?

Answer 19

to discipline and control the working class and provide individualized explanations of disease

Question 20

Four Key assumptions of conflict theory

Answer 20

1. societies are always changing
2. conflict are always present in every social system
3. there are elements or parts of every social system that contribute to change
4. some people always have more power than others

Question 21

two types of conflict

Answer 21

1. internal conflict

2. external conflict

Question 22

Internal conflict

Answer 22

conflict that occurs within a group

Question 23

External Conflict

Answer 23

conflict that occurs outside a group or between groups

Question 24

Social Stratification

Answer 24

“social inequality”

different social groups have access to and control of resources

Question 25

According to social stratification health and illness are caused by…

Answer 25

unequal access to resources

Question 26

Explain the “Black Lung” Case using conflict theory

Answer 26

Conflict between the workers and the mine owners. This caused the miners to have less access to health care and had much less power. Capitalist class’s goal was to make money, but did this at the expense of the workers