Social Problems 1 – Flashcards
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Define social problem theory.
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A tentative explanation of society's problems
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What is the "medical model" of social problems about?
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Early sociologists used the medical model; looked at pathology in society; assumed that problems resulted from "bad" people
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How did sociologists ( in the 1920s-1930s) explain social problems?
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They focused on the social conditions that foster problems such as: industrialization, migration, urbanization
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What is the meaning of modern study of deviance?
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Problem individuals; deviants who violate society's norms.
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How is the modern study of deviance different from the medical model?
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Source of deviance is "within" the social structure.
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According to the text, how can society be the "source" of deviance?
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Deviance is caused by conflict between cultural goals and the means to achieve them. Society maintains deviance through labeling and determines what is deviant or not.
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What is the meaning of the subjective nature of social problems?
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Social problems differ by time, audience, etc.
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Define objective reality of social problems.
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A social condition that harms certain segments of the population, prevents people from developing their full potential.
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What are the dangers associated with the objective definition of social problems?
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1. Different people have different perceptions of social problems; pluralistic society, subjectivity is always present. 2. Tendency to accept definitions provided by those in power. The danger is that we fail to question the inequalities of the existing system, the existing social order
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What are the two types of social problems discussed in the text?
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Norm violations, social conditions.
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How are norm violations different from social conditions?
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Norm violations: Acts and conditions that violate the norms and values of society. Social Conditions: conditions that cause suffering for a group of people.
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Define institutionalized deviance
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Society' institutions not meeting individuals' needs.
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What is the sociological imagination?
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To realize that individual problems are linked to society
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Who came up with the sociological immigration?
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C. Wright Mills
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What is a unit of analysis?
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It's the major entity being analyzed in the study.
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What are the two types of unit discussed in the text?
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Micro level or person-blame approach, macro level or system-blame approach.
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How are the units different from each other?
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Person-blame- To assume that social problems result from the pathologies of individuals. System-blame- To assume that social problems result from social conditions.
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What is the cultural deprivation theory about?
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The culture of minority groups is inferior and deficient.
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What is Social Darwinism about?
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Belief that individual's position in society is a function of their effort and ability.
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According to the text, what are the three reasons why we should use the system blame approach to study society's problems?
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1. To balance the individualistic perspective, 2. sociology focuses on society (not individuals), 3. Social institutions are the source of inequality, racism, pollution, poverty, etc.
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What is sociology?
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Focuses on society, not individuals.
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What is sociological perspective?
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An explanation focusing on the impact of social structure and social factors
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What is a sociological theory?
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Set of ideas that explains human behavior, social events
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Why is bias inevitable in sociological research?
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Because sociologists participate in social life, make assumption, etc.
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What are the four basic ways to collect sociological data?
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Survey research, experiments, observation, existing data
