Introduction to Sociology: Quality of Life Siniša Zrinščak January 19,

Progress, satisfaction, desires… what do we need, what do we want, how do we measure that? Unintended consequences of social progress! Technology and humanity? And what is social progress at all?

Beyond BDP! The Beyond GDP initiative is about developing indicators that are as clear and appealing as GDP, but more inclusive of environmental and social aspects of progress. Economic indicators such as GDP were never designed to be comprehensive measures of prosperity and well-being. We need adequate indicators to address global challenges of the 21 st century such as climate change, poverty, resource depletion, health and quality of life. Source: ground_en.html ground_en.html

Change / social change Do people change? How and why? Individual and social perspective? Change – uneven, acceptable, consequences…? Social change = any significant alteration, modification, or transformation in the organization and operation of social life Tipping points – situation in which a previously rare event, response, or opinion becomes dramatically more common. Something rare becomes a commonplace

Sociology, theories… Change and sociology – Durkheim, Weber, Marx… Modernization R. Inglehart – theory of modernization Traditional society – survival in a steady economy, traditional religious and social values, traditional authority Modern – economic gain, achievement, rational-legal authority Post-modern – subjective well-being, postmaterialist values, deemphasizing of authority

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Values Change – triggered by economic development – value change in accordance with social change Four axis: Traditional – secular-rational values Survival values – self-expression Examples of traditional values (# secular-rational): Religious beliefs; Euthanasia, suicide, abortion… are never justified; Women should not earn more than men; Family is very important….

Examples of survival values (# self-expressive values): Men are better political leader than women; Do not want to have foreigners, homosexual or HIV positive persons as neighbours; Priority of state ownership over economy; Leisure time and friends are not so important…

The impact of the GDP – all soceities with high GDP are positionhed high on both dimensions BUT – GDp as just one of indicators More workforce in industrial sector = secular-rational values More workforce in service sector = self-expressive values + culture

Quality of Life 1. „level of living” (Swedish) – individual resources = education, mental and physical, energy, social relations, security + (out of individual control) working conditions, housing, environmental 2. „quality of life”, „subjective well-being” (USA) – individual needs = satisfaction, happiness … in family, work, income…

3. integrated concept – subjective + objective indicators Allardt – having, loving, being Having = income, property, employment, health, education… Loving = social contacts and belonging Being = opportunities, participation, self-realisation, work-life balance… All categories with both indicators!!!

Health Health – psychical, psychological, and social well- being Objective indicators, but also subjective (satisfaction with one’s own health, but also problems in everyday activities, access…) How to understand data?

Alcohol consumption: no West-East divide, but some differences (binge drinking, hard liquor - East) Obesity: no clear pattern Consumption of tobacco: East-West divide Diffusion model – innovations are accepted in successive phases by different social groups, distinguished as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and latecomer s

Gender and education differences in health risks = diffusion model Men smoke more than women, but in AU, DK, UK, NL – share of women above average; gender difference highest in SE and EE, and negligible in IRL and UK

Subjective health satisfaction – different meanings for different people, but high reliability East-West = socio-economic development But, health satisfaction is not fully correspond to health risks + influence of working conditions, health-care system…

Time use Time – equal for all? Free disposition # time pressure. Is free time good measure for quality (unemployed?) Discretionary time = use of time not determined by economic, social or biological necessities Paid work time: East-West divide Time pressure: no clear pattern; working conditions and content of work factors

Paid work: influence of full time / part time + gender differences Leisure time: no clear pattern (GER – the most) + gender (women have less) Travel time: national specificities Household: gender + traditional patterns (IT, SP, LT, LV)

Discretionary time (greatest quality): in NL, GER # LT, LV Gender differences: smallest in NL, UK, SW, DK, GER # SLV, LT, H, RO