The Functionalist PerspectiveIn the functionalist model, Parsons argued that illness is a form of deviance that disturbs the social function of a society. Show
Learning Objectives Discuss the functionalist perspective on illness in society, specifically the role the sick play in a specific society and how that role affects others Key TakeawaysKey Points
Key Terms
Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole. This approach looks at both social structure and social functions. Prominent functionalist theorists include Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Talcott Parsons, Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore, Robert Merton, and Gabriel Almond and Bingham Powell. Herbert Spencer: Herbert Spencer was a prominent functionalist sociologist, who likened the functioning parts of society as organs within a body. Functionalism addresses society as a whole in terms of the function of its constituent elements; namely norms, customs, traditions, and institutions. A common analogy, popularized by Herbert Spencer, presents these parts of society as "organs" that work toward the proper functioning of the "body" as a whole. For Talcott Parsons (1902–1979), an American sociologist, "structural-functionalism" came to describe a particular stage in the methodological development of social science, rather than a specific school of thought. The Sick Role Sick role is a term used in medical sociology regarding sickness
and the rights and obligations of the affected. It is a concept created by the American sociologist Talcott Parsons in 1951. Parsons was a functionalist sociologist who argued that being sick means that the sufferer enters a role of "sanctioned deviance". This is because, from a functionalist perspective, a sick individual is not a productive member of society. Therefore this deviance needs to be policed, which is the role of the medical profession. Critics of the Functionalist Perspective Critics of Parsons and the functionalist perspective point to different flaws they see with his argument. The model assumes that the individual voluntarily accepts the sick role. It also assumes that the individual may not comply with expectations of the sick role, may not give up social obligations, may resist dependency, and may avoid the public sick role if their illness is stigmatized. The model also blames the sick, where "rights" do not always apply. The Conflict PerspectiveConflict theory argues that the economic and political structures of a society create social divisions, inequalities, and conflicts. Learning Objectives Examine the differing views on conflict theory from various sociologists, such as Karl Marx and C. Wright Mills Key TakeawaysKey Points
Key Terms
Conflict theories are perspectives in social science that emphasize the social, political, or material
inequality of a social group, that critique the broad socio-political system, or that otherwise detract from structural functionalism and ideological conservatism. Sociologists in the tradition of conflict theory argue that the economic and political structures of a society create social divisions, classes, hierarchies, antagonisms and conflicts that produce and reproduce inequalities. Certain conflict theories set out to highlight the ideological aspects inherent in traditional thought. While
many of these perspectives hold parallels, conflict theory does not refer to a unified school of thought, and should not be confused with, for instance, peace and conflict studies. Healthcare reform supporter: Karl Marx wanted to replace false consciousness with class consciousness, in which the working class would rise up against the capitalist system. Two early conflict theorists were the Polish-Austrian sociologist and political theorist Ludwig Gumplowicz (1838–1909) and the American sociologist and paleontologist Lester F. Ward (1841–1913). Although Ward and Gumplowicz developed their theories independently, they had much in common and approached conflict from a comprehensive anthropological and evolutionary point-of-view as opposed to Marx's rather exclusive focus on
economic factors. The Interactionist PerspectiveAccording to theorists working in the symbolic interactionist perspective, health and illness are socially constructed. Learning Objectives Explain and give examples of social constructions of health according to the symbolic interactionist perspective Key TakeawaysKey Points
Key Terms
According to theorists working in the symbolic interactionist perspective, health and illness are socially constructed. Symbolic interactionist researchers investigate how people create meaning during social interaction, how they present and construct the self (or "identity"), and how they define situations of co-presence with others.
One of the perspective's central ideas is that people act as they do because of how they define situations. Alcoholism: In this engraving from the 19th century, "King Alcohol" is shown with a skeleton on a barrel of alcohol. The words "poverty," "misery," "crime," and "death" hang in the air behind him. While interactionism does acknowledge the subjective nature of diagnosis, it is important to remember who benefits the most when a behavior becomes defined as illness. Pharmaceutical companies make billions of dollars treating illnesses such as fatigue, insomnia, and hyperactivity that may not
actually be illnesses in need of treatment, but opportunities for companies to make more money. The Labeling ApproachThe labeling approach to health and illness claims that mental illness is manifested solely as a result of societal influence. Learning Objectives Analyze the pros and cons of labeling theory, especially the implications it has for the "mentally ill" and HIV/AIDS patients Key TakeawaysKey Points
Key Terms
Labeling Theory on Health and IllnessLabeling theory is closely related to social-construction and symbolic-interaction analysis. Developed by sociologists during the 1960s, labeling theory holds that deviance is not inherent to an act. The theory focuses on the tendency of majorities to negatively label minorities or those seen as deviant from standard cultural norms. The theory is concerned with how the self-identity and behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them. It is associated with the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping. 1857 Lithograph by Armand Gautier: Shows personifications of dementia, megalomania, acute mania, melancholia, idiocy, hallucination, erotic mania and paralysis in the gardens of the Hospice de la Salpêtrière. A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological pattern, potentially reflected in behavior, that is generally associated with distress or disability, and which is not considered part of normal development of a person's culture. The social construction of deviant behavior plays an important role in the labeling process that occurs in society. This process involves not only the labeling of criminally deviant behavior—behavior that does not fit socially constructed norms—but also labeling that reflects stereotyped or stigmatized behavior of
the "mentally ill." Hard labeling refers to those who argue that mental illness does not exist; it is merely deviance from the norms of society that cause people to believe in mental illness. Mental illnesses are socially constructed illnesses and psychotic disorders do not exist. Soft labeling refers to people who believe that mental illnesses do, in fact, exist, and are not entirely socially constructed. Licenses and AttributionsCC licensed content, Shared previously
CC licensed content, Specific attribution
What was the motivation behind Stanley Milgram's?Milgram (1963) was interested in researching how far people would go in obeying an instruction if it involved harming another person. Stanley Milgram was interested in how easily ordinary people could be influenced into committing atrocities, for example, Germans in WWII.
Which sociological perspective emphasizes that societies literally Cannot operate if massive numbers of people define standards of appropriate conduct?Which sociological perspective emphasizes that societies literally could not operate if massive numbers of people defied standards of appropriate conduct? conflict perspective.
Who is deviance created by?Becker defined deviance as a social creation in which “social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labeling them as outsiders.” Becker grouped behaviour into four categories: falsely accused, conforming, pure deviant, and ...
Who argues that deviant behavior is only deviant because people label it as deviant?Terms in this set (32) The sociologist who developed control theory. states that deviance occurs not because of what people do, but how people respond to those actions. Example: Howard becker argues that deviant behavior is only deviant because people label them it as deviant.
|