Sociology & its concepts

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SOCI OLOGY & ITS CONCEPTS KINGSU K SARKAR, M D ASST. P ROF. DEP OF COMMU N I TY ME D I C I N E DSMCH

Transcript of Sociology & its concepts

Page 1: Sociology & its concepts

SOCIOLO

GY & IT

S

CONCEPTS

K I NG

SUK S

AR

KAR

,MD

AS S T.

P RO

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DE P O

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Basics SOCIOLOGY:

• Socio (Latin): Society• Logos(Greek): Science• Socius: Individual , Societa:: Group

• Sociology can be study of relationships between human beings and changes or variations in these relationships in different part of world & at different times

• The study of human behavior

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Fields of specialization• Medical Sociology• Urban Sociology• Rural Sociology• Industrial Sociology• Criminology• Hospital Sociology• Sociology of religion• Sociology of education

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Application of Sociology• Sociology enables to see & analyze

social world from the viewpoint other than ones’s own

• Helps in understanding of how other’s live,

• Powerful insights gained into one’s particular problem

• Policy can be formulated to suit for those it has been intended

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• Sociological research is a guide to assess the results of policy initiatives

• A program/reform may fail what it intends to strive or end up in undesirable results

• Eg.- “Relocation of slums to Planned Resettlement Colonies”

- Fairly unpopular :

i. Uproots from livelihood

ii. Detaches from Social network

Development of the slums are better option

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• Empowerment of the individuals and groups with unbiased understanding

• Self-enlightened groups can benefit from sociological research & influence government policies or may formulate policies of their own

• Eg:- Self-help groups of Diabetics/ Alcoholics- Environmental movements

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Evolution of sociologya)Phase 1: (before 1700AD)

- Traditional attempts made to understand ownselves & conventional wisdoms handed down through generations;

- Expressed in terms of religion, myths, superstitions, traditional beliefs

b)Phase 2: (18 -19th Century)

- Objective & systematic study of human behavior since 1700s.

- Era of emergence of scientific disciplines

- Traditional & religion based explanations gave way to objective scientific theories

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c)Phase 3: (20th century onward)- French revolution (1789) championed values of

equality & liberty over traditional social order- Industrial revolution of late 18th century Britain

produced spread of new technology - Led to complete change of social order , decline

of feudal system, large-scale migration to industrial towns

- Colonialism- Breakdown of established forms of society &

emergence of newer social systems

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Sociological theoriesA.Augustus Comte (1798- 1857): Founder of

modern sociology• A French thinker, credited with coining of the

term ‘Sociology• Sought to establish sociology as a positive

science which would conform to laws as in natural sciences

• Formulated “laws of three stages”- theological, metaphysical & positive;

• Considered world have passed through 3 stages

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- Ideological stage: thoughts were guided by religious ideas

- Metaphysical stage: during the time of Renaissance, came a transition in the worldview of society from supernatural(religious) to natural

- Positive stage: application of scientific techniques to a variety of other disciplines become a popular intellectual exercise (Following discoveries by Copernicus, Galileo, Newton

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B. Emile Durkheim(1858- 1917):• Another French thinker• Sought to establish sociology as a

scientific discipline• Studied social norms & social

integration• Looked at interactions between

individuals & society• Observed society regulates the

individuals & there are various levels of such regulation

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c. Karl Marx(1818- 1883):

• A German settled in Britain

• Pioneering work in industrial revolution

• Sought to link economic problems to social institution

• Propounded the Materialistic Conception of History

• Argued social changes primarily driven by economic changes

• Examined how societies had undergone several transformations over the course of history

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D. Max Weber( 1864- 1920)• Identified basic characteristics of

modern industrialized societies based on a series of empirical studies

• Negated the materialistic conception of history & considered class conflict less significant

• Considered human motivation & ideas are real factors for changes

• Thought sociology should focus on Social Action , not on social structures

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• Basic assumptions:- A basic social structure exists, so social

behavior is regulated to a certain extent- Societal level is the most useful for

examination & study of individuals cannot adequately explain the aggregate-level phenomen

- Social structure imposes some constraints on both individuals & groups; but it is debatable whether human behavior is controlled essentially by social behavior or is self-determined

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Medical sociology- Concerned with study of health, health-behavior &

health institutions, in a psychological & social dimension

• BACKGROUND:

- 1879 J S Billings linked study of sociology with hygiene

- 1894: Charles Mcintire defined medical sociology as , the science:

i. Of the special phenomena of the physicians themselves as a class apart & separate

ii. That investigates the laws regulating the relations between the medical profession & human society as a whole

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• General Approaches:

a)Positivist approach:

- Assumes an ideal as a point of reference & therefore examines deviations from this ideal

- Assumes that events are real & thus concludes cuasal relationship can be studied

b)Social reaction:

- Takes an idealistic perspective and considers that there is no general law , focus should thus be attributed to meanings of social events

- This approach analyzes- i) how people react to deviant signs in themselves & others, ii) whether they label them as deviant or not & iii) how they respondwhen one or the other attribution is made

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This approach analyzes- i) how people react to deviant signs in themselves & others, ii) whether they label them as deviant or not & iii) how they respondwhen one or the other attribution is made

c) Statistical approach:- It merely observes the most frequent behavior

those are prevalent- Does not concern itself with the meaning of

either moral or deviant behavior - Only observes & record what is done

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• Content Areas:- Kendall & Merton in 1958 identified four key areas addressed by

medical sociology- Mechanic also defined three analytical perspectives in medical

sociology

A.Special etiology & ecology of disease ( closely linked in epidemiology)

B.Sociological study of treatment & recovery & social support for illness

C.Study of the institutional organization of health, its components & their relationships

D.Sociology of medical education• Social epidemiology• Patient flow perspective• Social context of practice

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Health Behavior:• Beliefs:

- Human Belief Model: One’s daily activities were conceived of a process of interaction between the positive forces & negative forces

• Perceived susceptibility:- Individuals vary widely in their acceptance of their

susceptibility to a condition - There may be Denial, Consideration, or Acceptance• Perceived Seriousness• Perceived benefits• Barriers to Seeking Health Advice

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Sociological concepts• Society:

- An organization of member agents

- Main feature: system of social relationship between individuals

- It controls & regulates the behavior of the individual by law & custom

- Can exert pressure on individuals to conform to its norms

- Dynamic character, changes with time & place

- Society is a vast network of relationships & compulsions that propel, direct & constrain man’s individual efforts

- Public Health is an integral part of social system

- SOCIETY PUPLIC HEALTH

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• COMMUNITY:

- “ A community is a social group determined by geographical boundaries and or common values and interests. Its members know and interact with each other. It functions within a particular social structure and exhibits and creates certain forms, values and social institutions. The individual belongs to the society through his family and community.”

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• Social structure:- Refers to the pattern of inter-relations between

persons- Consists of - complex of major institutions,

groups, power structure & status hierarchy• Social institutions:- An organized complex pattern of behavior in

which a number of persons participate in order to further their group interest

- Rights & duties of each member is defined within each institutions

- Family, school, the church, club, hospital, college, political parties, professional organizations, panchayats

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• Role:- Each individuals are allocated role in society- Classified as “ given” or “ acquired”- Given by virtue of sex, age, birth status- Acquired by virtue of education or earned otherwise- Single day single person can play- husband, father,

employee, friend, son, brother, guest, neighbor, - When one falls ill, he assumes “ Sick roll”,

relinquishes/decreases normal duties, seek medical aid, and carry out orders given by physician

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• Socialism:- Economic doctrine that favors

use of property & resources of the country for public welfare

- A system of production & distribution based on social ownership for raising the living standards of the working class

- “Each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs”

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• Socialization:- Process by which an

individual gradually acquires culture & becomes member of a social group

- Children going to school- Internship of medical

graduates

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• Social control mechanisms:- Societal rules are present, formal & informal, for

maintenance of relationship of authority & subordination

- Informal social pressure are imposed on individuals to help to construct norms of behavior

- Social pressure may be exerted by powerful groups, individuals, friends

- Acts through rewards & punishments- Financial reward to undergo voluntary sterilization

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Customs:- Classified into “folkways” & “mores”- Folkways are considered as right ways of doing

things in what is considered as the less vital areas of human conduct

- More stringent customs are called mores- Public takes active part in enforcement of mores- Staring point of all customs are convention- “convention”: practice promoted by the

convenience of the society or individual

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• Culture:- “learned behavior which has been

socially acquired”- Product of human societies- Man is a product of his cultural

environment- Culture transmitted from one generation

to another through formal & informal learning

- Lays down norms & behavior

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- Provides mechanism for an individual for his personal & social survival

- Culture stands for customs, beliefs, laws, religion, moral percepts, arts & other capabilities & skilled acquired by man as a member of society

- Cultural factor plays important role in health & disease

- Culture is not inherited genetically; it is learned- through formal & informal interaction

- Situational learning, Social Learning, Symbolic Learning

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- Lung cancer (smoking)- cirrhosis of liver

(alcoholism)- Oral cancer( pan chewing)- Cultural factors are closely

associated with personal hygiene, nutrition, Immunization, health care seeking, family planning, child rearing, disposal of refuse & excreta,

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• Acculturation:- Diffusion of culture

between groups & communities

- “culture contact”- Made by : trade &

commerce, industrialization, propagation of religion, education,conquest

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- Social diagnosis & social therapy: - Social diagnosis of an illness needs

application of behavioral sciences to arrive at community diagnosis & accordingly the therapy applied is social therapy in the form of education, legislation , individual & group counseling, motivation & team building apart from provision of services on basis of equity without any discrimination with focus on economically weaker section of the society

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• Standard of living:

- refers to usual scale of expenditure, goods consumed, services enjoyed, mode of living

- Depends upon national income, total amount of goods & services a country is able to produce

- Size of population- Level of education- General price level- Distribution of national income- Per capita income

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• Dynamics of social change:- 19th century Europe, industrial

revolution brought increase in income & wealth accompanied by decrease in birth & death rates

- Late 20th century, steady reduction in Death rate, IMR, in Latin America & parts of Asia with modest rise in income

- Both death & birth rate remains high in Africa

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• Social stress:- Generated by new opportunities & frustrations

arising from social changes - Wave of migration from rural to urban areas- Diminution of traditional family support system- Greater exposure through mass media to ideas

which has been previously considered culturally alien

- Tourism- Changes in technological needs of the society

requiring skills different from previous generation

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- Pressure mostly felt by young - Resources inadequate to

meet their needs- Discrepancy between actual

& perceived demand of a stressful situation

- Psychological stress & inadequate coping ability implicated as contributory to disorders

- stress→ hypertension → CHD

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Communication: -FLOW OF INFORMATION , CIRCULATION OF KNOWLEDGE & IDEAS & PROPAGATION OF THOUGHTS-MASS MEDIA EXTENSIVELY USED AS VEHICLES OF DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION

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• Social Problems:- Individual problems become

social problems when they affect large number of people amounting a threat to welfare of the society

- Predominant behavioral component in causation

- Widespread over large geographical areas & affect many people

- Disrupts trade, affects the economy

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- May lead to discrimination & ostracism

- Many public Health problems ↔ Social problems

- Alcoholism, venereal diseases, mental illness, narcotic addiction

- Following Social Health Problems: housing, divorce, population growth, increased number of old people, population explosion ► calls for combined sociological & public health action

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• Social pathology- Relationship between disease & social condition- Linked to poverty, crime, delinquency, vagrancy- Social pathology of accidents, diabetes,

cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic bronchitis,

• Social surveys:- Social pathology is uncovered by social surveys- Strong kinship between epidemiological &

social survey- Investigation on the relationship of social

factors to heart disease, cancer & arthritis

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• Case Study:

- Method of exploring & analyzing life of a social unit – person, family, institution, group, community

- Determines the factors responsible for complex behavioral pattern of the unit & relationship of the unit to the surrounding

- It collects a large number of data from small number of units whereas in survey relatively small amount of information is collected from a large number of units

- But a single instance may/may not be representative of a larger population

• Field Study:

- Concerned with depth of knowledge

- Observation of people in situ

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• Social Defence:

- Defence of society against criminality not only by treating & defending the offende but also by creating conditions in community conducive for healthy & wholesome growth of human life.

- Entire range of preventive, therapeutic & rehabilitative services for the protection of society from antisocial, criminal or deviant conduct of man

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- Measures related to the control of juvenile delinquency, eradication of beggary, social & moral hygienic programs, welfare of prisoners, prison reforms, elimination of prostitution, control of alcoholism, drug addiction & suicides

- Children Act (prevention &control of juvenile delinquency)

- Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Woman & Girls Act( elimination of prostitution)

- GOI renamed Central Bureau of Correctional Services as National Institute of Social Defence in 1975( Ministry of Social Welfare)

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