Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Chapter 1 Sociology: Studying Social Problems Chapter 1: Sociology: Studying Social Problems

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Seeing Patterns: The Sociological Perspective Sociology is the systematic study of human societies. Society is a term referring to people who live within a territory and share many patterns of behaviors. Culture refers to a way of life including widespread values, beliefs, and behavior.

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Further: –People experience social problems in very personal ways –Sociology shows that the problems we face are not only the results of personal choices but reflect the operation of society itself –C. Wright Mills used the sociological imagination to show that our personal troubles are really social issues that affect many people – ourselves included

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Defining Social Problems A social problem –is a condition that undermines the well-being of some or all members of society – is usually a matter of public controversy Determining social problems can be controversial –subjective and objective realities may – actually end up being quite different – what people identify as the most serious – social problems varies over time

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Table 1-1

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Social Constructionist Approach Social problems arise as people define conditions: –As undesirable –In need of change

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Claims Making Process of convincing the public that a particular issue or situation should be defined as a social problem Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Figure 1-1 The Objective and Subjective Assessment of Social Issues

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Defining Social Problems One indication that people recognize an issue as a social problem is the formation of a social movement –an organized effort at claims making that tries to shape the way people think about an issue in order to encourage or discourage social change

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Stages in Social Movements Social movements progress through four distinct stages: – Emergence – Coalescence – Formalization – Decline

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Eight assertions that form the foundation for the analysis of social problems: 1.Social problems result from the ways in which society operates. 2.Social problems are not caused by bad people. 3.Social problems are socially constructed as people define a condition as harmful and in need of change. 4.People see problems differently.

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Further: 5.Definitions of problems change over time. 6.Problems involve subjective values as well as objective facts. 7.Many – but not all – problems can be solved. 8.Various social problems are related.

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Figure 1-2 Four Stages in the Life Course of a Social Movement`

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Looking Beyond Ourselves: A Global Perspective A global outlook shows –Harmful conditions often cross national boundaries –Many of the problems that we in the U.S. face are more serious elsewhere

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Analyzing Social Problems: The Role of Theory Theory: A statement of how and why specific facts are related Theoretical Approach: A basic image of society that guides thinking and research

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. The Structural-Functional Approach A theoretical framework that sees society as a system of many interrelated parts Social Institutions: the main parts of this system (organized to meet basic human needs) –education –family –economics –politics –religion

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Global Map 1-1 Women’s Childbearing around the World

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. The Structural-Functional Approach Early Functionalism: Problems as Social Pathology The “Chicago School”: Problems as Disorganization More Recent Functionalism: Problems as Dysfunctions –Manifest versus Latent Functions –Eufunctions versus Dysfunctions

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. The Social Conflict Approach A theoretical framework that sees society as divided by inequality and conflict Social problems arise because our society is divided into “haves” and “have nots”

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. The Social Conflict Approach Marxism: Problems and Class Conflict –Capitalists –Proletarians Multiculturalism: Problems of Racial and Ethnic Inequality Feminism: Problems and Gender Conflict

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. The Symbolic-Interaction Approach A theoretical framework that sees society as the product of individuals interacting with one another

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. The Symbolic-Interaction Approach Learning Theory: –Problems and the Social Environment Labeling Theory: –Problems and Social Definitions

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. A researcher asks subjects to respond to items in a questionnaire or interview. A questionnaire is a series of items a researcher presents to subjects for their response In an interview, the researcher meets face to face with respondents to discuss a particular issue While questionnaires offer a chance for greater breadth of opinion, interviews can provide greater depth of understanding Survey Research: Asking Questions

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Field Research: Joining In Also called participant observation Involves researchers observing people while joining in their everyday activities

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Experimental Research: Looking For Causes Experiment: a method by which a researcher investigates cause-and-effect relationships under highly controlled conditions Most experiments are carried out in specially designed laboratories

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Secondary Analysis: Using Available Data A common major research method that is based on collection of data originally collected by others

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Truth, Science, and Politics Max Weber’s “value-free” approach The “value commitment” approach Is “objective” research even possible?

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Truth and Statistics Check how terms are defined Numbers are subject to error People often “spin” their statistics

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Figure 1-3 Do Statistics Lie?

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Responding to Social Problems: Social Policy Social policy refers to formal strategies to affect how society operates.

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Responding to Social Problems: Social Policy The evaluation of social policy: –How is success defined? –What are the costs? –Whom should get the help?

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Policy and Culture Social policy tends to be shaped by existing cultural values

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Policy and Politics Conservatives: seek to limit the scope of societal change (focus is on shortcomings of individuals, not society) Liberals: favor more sweeping change in society (see problems in the organization of society) Radicals: support policies that go beyond mere reform –can be either ultra liberal or ultra conservative

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Table 1-2

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Politics: Constructing Problems and Defining Solutions The Political Spectrum: a continuum representing a range of political attitudes from “left” to “right” Social Issues: political debates involving moral judgments about how people should live Economic Issues: political debates about how a society should distribute material resources

Social Problems, Fourth Edition by John J. MacionisCopyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ All rights reserved. Who Thinks What? Two good predictors of political attitudes are education and wealth – both of which are elements of social class The fact that social class affects social and economic attitudes differently means that most people have some combination of liberal and conservative attitudes