Social Problems Chapter 1

Front 1

Definitions and Solutions of Social Problem

Back 1

Sometimes society changed its defintion about what is a problem

Solutions:
Overcome socialization and adjust their behavior
U.S. is now gender equality - sexual harassment, marital rape now are social problems
Federal laws now protect individuals against discrimination

Front 2

Conflicting definitions and solutions

Back 2

Abortion is a controversial social issue: wheter abortion constitutes murder depends on what defintion of life you accept.
Even if it is agreed that taking another life is wrong how she we punish the offender?

Front 3

Four Elements of a Social Problem: Individual or Social Damage

Back 3

Causes physical or mental damge to individuals or society.
A) present suffering (embarassment)
B)Loss of future opportunities (exclusion from education and early job opportunities)

Front 4

Four Elements of a Social Problem: Offense to a Powerful Group's Standards

Back 4

All societies have degrees of power in prestige
Higher status means having the most power and influence in determining problems
May not be considered a problem until a powerful group perceives it as a one.

Front 5

Four Elements of a Social Problem: Persistence: 3 forces

Back 5

1) Interconnectivity - built into society and becomes a natural part of everyday life
2) Profiting: many solutions have resistance b/c they threaten to upset societies traditional structure
3) Desire for Quick Cure - many people give up if solutions do not demonstrate

Front 6

Four Elements of a Social Problem: Overabundance of Proposed Solutions

Back 6

When problem persists, generated discussion; some solutions based on prejudice, cultural orientation, or rationalizations
Society conception of what can cannot be understood or solved is a part of its culture

Front 7

Role of the Social Scientist

Back 7

Views of social problems intertwine with out personal values and beliefs
Policy decisions on problems should be based on objective evidence - accurate statistics

Front 8

Research Thinking

Back 8

Researchers use hypotheses to structure their investigations

Front 9

Guidelines for Developing Usable Hypotheses?

Back 9

1) Inductive or Deductive
2) Must use empirical referents
3) Concepts in hypotheses must be expressed clearly ( how you will measure)
4) Condidtions of hypothesis-testing should be stated and repeatable (honest about research procedure)

Front 10

Functionalist Viewpoint: Herbert Spencer

Back 10

Society is a integrated system; each class plays a part in perserving the whole society

Front 11

Functionalist Viewpoint: Emile Durkheim

Back 11

founder of Functionalist Orientation
Importance of sentiments among people

Front 12

Functionalist Method: Robert Melton

Back 12

Why are some laws violated more than others?
Theory of differential access to the means of achievement
assumes members of US society value achievement leading to success
most members tak approved route higher education
some cannot due to race, class etc.

Front 13

Robert Meltons greatest contribution and basic flaw

Back 13

distinguishing manifest and latent function
Flaw - each social unit has own special needs, not whole society

Front 14

Conflict Viewpoint

Back 14

Sees most social problems from disorganization due to group differences.
Dominant importance of systems competition and success values is responsible

Front 15

Interactionist Viewpoint

Back 15

Social psychological approach concentrates on how people perceive and define the events that influence their lives

Front 16

Interactionist Viewpoint: Symbolic Interaction

Back 16

Society rules are millions of separate interpretations made by individuals facing problems together

Front 17

Feminist Viewpoint

Back 17

Suggest women need a voice and female values and perspectives into the research process.

Front 18

Postmodernist Viewpoint

Back 18

Society is an age dominated by confusion and demands new theories and methods to understand world.