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Social Problems
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Definition of a Social Problem
 Social problems have two
components
1. an objective component
2. a subjective component
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Textbook Definition
 when enough people in a society
agree that a condition exists that
threatens the quality of their lives
and their most cherished values, and
they also agree that something
should be done to remedy the
condition
 This definition is vague
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Awareness of Social Problems
 Our own experience
 The Media
 social movements
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Sociological Imagination
C. Wright Mills (1959)
An awareness of the relationship between an individual
and the wider society
 The ability to view one's own society as an outsider
would, rather than from the limited perspective of
personal experiences and cultural biases
 our experiences are influenced by social forces
 Mills argued that the Sociological Imagination
enables us to understand the relationship between
“private problems” and “public issues”
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 Because Americans stress personal individualism,
we commonly think in terms of the individual
“deviant” and his or her problem.
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SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS
 Sociological perspective tend to focus on one of
two different levels
1. Theories of society (macro theories)
2. social psychological theories (micro theories)
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Functionalism
Macro Theories
Micro Theories
Structural
Conflict Theory
Symbolic Interaction
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FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE
(Structural Functionalism)
 First used by August Comte, and Herbert Spencer.
 The central idea of functional analysis is that
society is a whole unit, made up of interrelated
parts that work together.
 It views society as something like a living
organism with the different institutions such as
the political, family and religious acting like the
brain, and the heart to maintain the body alive.
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 Societies represent an intricate system of
interrelated parts (social structures) whose
activities have consequences (social functions)
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 Functionalists see a common set of norms and
values as the glue that holds groups, institutions,
and whole societies together.
 Thus, one of the major sources of contemporary
social problems is the weakening of the social
consensus
 Functionalists theorists assume that human
beings work together through common consensus
to collectively preserve society.
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 social disorganization involves a
breakdown of social structure, so that
its various parts no longer work
together as smoothly as they should
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Conflict Theory
 This perspective is associated with the writings of
Karl Marx
 Conflict perspective assumes that social behavior
is best understood in terms of conflict or tension
among competing groups
 It views societies as being composed of diverse
groups with conflicting values and interests
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Conflict Theory - continued
 Conflict theorists see a diverse collection of social
groups all struggling for wealth, power and
prestige
 Marx stressed that there are two social classes
with competing interest:
1. The bourgeoisie and 2. the proletariat
 Conflict sociologists see social problems as the
inevitable byproducts of power
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Conflict Theory - continued
 social problems are in large part the result of the
intentional exploitation of weak groups by
powerful ones
 Sociologists use the conflict model not only on
economic conflicts but also on conflicts that have
no clear economic basis, conflicts over values,
ethics, and behavior
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Value Conflict Theory
Value Conflict Theorists define social problems as
conditions that are incompatible with group values.
 According to this theory, social problems occur
when groups with different values meet and
compete.
 From this perspective social problems need to be
understood in terms of which groups hold which
values and have the power to enforce them against
the wishes of other groups.
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Feminist Theory
 not really a single theory but a group of theories
that share a concern with the same basic
questions
 Many feminists believe that the exploitation of
women by their male counterparts is the original
and most basic form of social exploitation
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SYMBOLIC-INTERACTIONIST
PERSPECTIVES
 George Herbert Mead American Sociologist
(1863-1931) is the founder of this perspective
 Social psychology is concerned with the
behavior of single individuals and small groups,
and their relationships with the larger society
 Symbolic interactionists view symbols- things
that we attach meaning- as the basis of social life.
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 A symbol is something representing something
else; symbols range from words and language to
nonverbal gestures and signs
 According to symbolic interaction, people attach
meanings to each others words and actions
 To understand individual behavior, the interactionist
tries to look at the world though the eyes of the
actors involved
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 This understanding of the of the conditions in
which we find ourselves, known as the definition
of the situation
 Symbolic interactionism explains our behavior in
terms of the patterns of thoughts and beliefs we
have, and in terms of the meaning we give our
lives
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Social Construction Of Social
Problems
 This approach argues that some social problems
become dominant and others remain weak or
unheeded.
 The activities of individuals and institutions in
society shape our consciousness of the social
world.
 Journalists, television commentators, editorial
writers, professors among others.
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Labeling: An Interactionist View
 This theory focuses on the impact of labels
applied to those who deviate.
 Power differences result in an inconsistency in
labeling.
 Labeling theorists argue that social problems are
conditions under which certain behaviors or
situations become defined as social problems.
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 Who benefits from labeling homosexuals deviant?
 Terrorists vs Freedom fighters, looters vs
desperate survivors.
 According to labeling theory, the way to solve
social problems is to change the definition of what
is considered deviant.
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