INTRO to SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Sociology: Study of group behavior and the influence groups of people have on other people and other groups

Groups: social interaction between strangers, people you know, family, work, church, friends, national leaders, foreign business owners

Behavior: events, attitudes, traditions, activities, beliefs, values, expectations

social forces: Groups of people create our world, in turn what we create influences us:

ex. Marriage, stereotypes, race, capitalism

To study this need Sociological Imagination:

Ability to see world with "clean" lenses,

Not take for granted what we take for granted in everyday life

To be critical – of world around you, how it got to be that way, and how it influenced you, how you got to be the way you are

 

Examples of sociological studies

1. Friendships

2. Employee satisfaction

3. Information seeking among cancer patients

  1. Male Spouse Abusers
  2. Pornography

Social vs. Hard Sciences:

Compare/contrast Sociology to other Disciplines:

Social Sciences : Anthropology, Poly Sci, Econ,

Psych,

Social Work, Criminal Justice

Biology

Ex. Depression: Overheads: Happiness and Suicide

Sociologists understand most things as SOCIAL.

Within Sociology:

Macro/Micro Academic/Applied: Action research,

**Social Problems involves all levels, and academic and applied

Sociologists understand most things as SOCIAL.

 

What is a Social Problem:

problems that affect groups, that are created by social conditions and that can be prevented by collective action

 

sociology of social problems = the scientific study to understand social problems and provide solutions

personal trouble vs. social issues

social problems are relative or contextual: "x" must be defined as a problem to be a social problem

definition of the situation

different situations/contexts, different groups, different time

 

What makes a problem a social problem:

 

  1. deviant behavior

    2. "x" becomes a problem when a group’s values and norms are violated

    deviance is relative: definition of the situation (ethnocentrism, subcultures)

     

     

  2. failing institutions create social problems
    3.

    institutions = sets of norms and values

    ex. Marriage, religion, education, work, sports, etc…

    ex’s of failing or lagging institutions: family (overhead on TV’s)

  3. contrasting subcultures: different norms and values

culture = values, norms, attitudes, beliefs, ways of living

examples: tipping

crossing your heart when you pledge allegiance,

women changing their names when they get married

clashing subcultures: religious groups vs. american work ethic ("blue laws")

upper middle class vs. lower classes (values, overhead)

 

4) power

influential groups are able to define what is a problem

ex. Racism, MADD

power =

authority =

more people affected, more likely to be a problem (ex. Pollution, overhead )

but small groups can attain power too: gay rights

some small groups don’t attain power: day trading

 

 

 

 

List local, national and global social problems on board

What Is not a social problem: