Sociological Perspectives on Social Problems

1. Sociological Perspectiveson Social Problems Chapter 1

2. What Is a Social Problem? • Social problems are interrelated • Debate in society centers on: the causes of social problems who is responsible for the problem solutions to the problem

3. What Is a Social Problem? • Social problems are conditions that: • -affect the quality of life of a large number of people • -affect cherished values • -can be remedied

4. Perspectives on Social Problems • The Functionalist Perspectives • Status - position in a group or society • Role - requirement or expectations associated with a given status • Institution - stable structure of statuses and roles • The role of institutions in maintaining the overall functioning of society

5. Perspectives on Social Problems • Criminal Deviance: A Functionalist View • Social problems as a form of criminal deviance • Crime as a threat to the social order • Punishment as a solution to criminal deviance

6. Perspectives on Social Problems • Social Problems as Social Pathology • The view of 1800 – and early 1900 sociologists • Organic view of society and social problems • Much like the human body is prone to disease and decay, so is the individual and society • Social problem as a violation of the moral order

7. Perspectives on Social Problems • Social-Disorganization Theory • Society and groups as a set of expectations and rules • Social disorganization occurs when the set of expectations fail

8. Perspectives on Social Problems • Social-Disorganization Theory • The breakdown in rules and the emergence of social disorganization occurs in three ways • 1. Normlessness - rules are missing • 2. Culture conflict - contradictory rules • 3. Breakdown - conformity to rules is not rewarded or punished

9. Perspectives on Social Problems • Modern Functionalism: Building Institutions • Recognizing a problem • Solutions to problems through building new organizations and institutions

10. Perspectives on Social Problems • The Conflict Perspective • Social problems emerge out of the major contradictions in the way society is organized • Marx and the development of the conflict view • Social problems and the emergence of capitalism • Conflict between the capitalists and working class in society

11. Perspectives on Social Problems • Deviance: A Marxian Conflict View • Social problems is a function of differences in power • Deviance and crime a function of power • Rich and powerful are able to determine what conditions and behaviors are defined as a social problems

12. Perspectives on Social Problems • Value Conflict Theory • Social problems stem from conflict over values in society • Groups vary in what they value • Examples: • Age and value differences • Gender and value difference • Ethnicity and value differences • Religion and value differences

13. Perspectives on Social Problems • Value Conflict Theory • Value conflict theorist define social problems as conditions that are incompatible with group values • Which groups hold which values and have the power to enforce them

14. Perspective on Social Problems • Is There a Culture War in the United States? • A recent national survey of Americans’ attitudes on controversial issues found that there is no deep and consistent division of moral values among Americans; instead, the majority take a very practical view.

15. Perspectives on Social Problems • The Interactionist Perspective • Individual level explanation for social problems • Process by which different people define a condition as a social problem • W.I. Thomas – the definition of the situation • Situations that people define as real become real in their consequences

16. Perspectives on Social Problems • Labeling: An Interactionist View of Deviance • Social problems as conditions, behaviors and situations that are defined and labeled as social problems • Labeling and deviance • Secondary deviance-stems from adapting to the effects of the label and taking on the self concept and roles associated with it

17. Perspectives on Social Problems • The Social Construction of Social Problems • Social problems are created through the actions of others which raise our consciousness to issues in society • The media and the creation of social problems • Universities and colleges • Government agencies • Civic voluntary organization

18. The Natural Historyof Social Problems • Malcom Spector and John Kitsuse (NaturalHistory Approach to Social Problems) • Stage 1: Problem Definition - gaining public recognition • Stage 2: Legitimacy - acceptance by official agencies • Stage 3: Reemergence of demands - reasserting demands • Stage 4: Rejection and institution building -forming new organization to solve the problem

19. The Media and Social Problems • Mass media and the rapid spread of new information • The media is often the vehicle by which the public becomes aware of social problems • Media and the need for news • Public demand for sensational news stories

20. Research on Social Problems • Ethnography - the close observation of interaction among people in a social group or organization • Provides in depth understanding of the nature of a problem • Demographic Studies - how social conditions are distributed in human populations • How many people are affected • Characteristics of the people that are affected

21. Research on Social Problems • Survey Research – way of gathering information from a large population • Sample-representative part from the population to be studied • Cross-sectional data – data collected at one point in time • Longitudinal data – data collected at different points in time • Interviewing or administering a questionnaire to a sample

22. Research on Social Problems • Field Observation – observe behavior and social problems as they currently exist • Participant observation – the researcher becomes a part of the group that he or she is studying • Field research – the social setting where the observations take place • The focus of observational studies are on how the process of interaction contribute to various social conditions or problems

23. Research on Social Problems • Social Experiments – are studies that are conducted in a controlled setting • Random assignment of subjects to two groups • Experimental group • Control group • Test the effect of a treatment on the experimental group

24. Research on Social Problems • Social Experiments • Rights of research subjects • 1. Privacy • 2. Confidentiality • 3. Informed consent

25. Social Policy • Debate on policies often focuses on how best to address the social problem • Conservatives-limiting governmental involvement in the solution to social problems • Private enterprise as a solution • Individual responsibility • Liberals-government intervention in social-welfare institutions as the solution to social problems