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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13ECHAPTER ONE
The Sociological Approach to Social Problems
A. Chapter Summary
This chapter provides a framework for the textbook by presenting a sociological
perspective for studying social problems. The chapter raises important questions: What is a
social problem? What are the causes of social problems? What are the consequences of the social
problems in society? How are social problems defined? Who defines them? These questions are
at the core of understanding social problems. The authors devote the second section to defining
social problems, and in the third section, the authors discuss two types of social problems: norm
violations and social conditions. Additionally, this chapter introduces the framework of studying
social problems from a “person-blame” versus a “system-blame” approach. Finally, the chapter
introduces students to sociological methods and the power and difficulty of empirical data
collection.
B. Learning Objectives
After reading Chapter 1, students should be able to:
1.1 Understand how sociologists approach the study of social problems.
1.2 Explain the complex nature of defining a social problem.
1.3 Describe the two main types of social problems.
1.4 Explain and apply the sociological imagination to different social problems.
1.5 Compare/contrast the person-blame approach to social problems and the system-blame
approach.
1.6 Understand the four basic research designs and research methods that sociologists use to
study social problems.
C. Chapter Outline
I.
The Sociological Approach to Social Problems (See Lecture Starter 1)
A. Issues confronting America:
1. Immigration and the browning of America
2. The graying of America
3. The inequality gap
4. The increasing power of money to influence elections and public policy
5. Globalization and the transformation of the economy
6. The plight of the poor
7. The environmental impact
8. The growing global inequality
9. An increasingly dangerous world
II.
History of Social Problems Theory (See Short Assignment: 1) (See Long Assignment: 1)
A. Typically social problems have been thought of as social situations that a large
number of observers felt were inappropriate and needed remedying.
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13EB. Early U.S. sociologists applied a medical model to assess social pathology.
1. Social pathologists assumed social problems resulted from “bad” people.
2. Social pathologists assumed the basic norms of society are universally held.
3. Social pathologists viewed social problems as disturbances of the moral order—
e.g., alcoholism, suicide, theft, murder, etc.
4. Social pathologists did not take into account the complexity inherent in a diverse
society.
C.
Sociologists in the 1920s and 1930s focused on conditions of society that fostered
problems—rapid social changes, migration, urbanization, and industrialization—as
pockets of social disorganization.
D.
Many sociologists returned to the study of problem individuals, developing two
directions.
1. One direction sought the sources of deviation within social structure. Deviance is
a result of the conflict between culturally prescribed goals and the obstacles to
obtain them that some groups face.
2. The other direction focused on societal reactions as the key in determining what a
social problem is and who is deviant.
E. Most recently, theorists have focused on the subjective nature of social problems.
This view emphasizes that what is defined as a social problem varies by time, place,
and audience.
F. C. Wright Mills clarified an important distinction in looking at social problems. He
said that a problem can be defined either as a “private trouble” or as a public issue.
Public issues are widespread, systemized problems, or a “social problem.”
III.
Toward a Definition of Social Problems (See Classroom Activity: 1)
A. There is an objective reality to social problems.
1. Social conditions induce suffering in some segments of the population.
2. Sociocultural phenomena prevent some people from developing to their full
potential.
3. There are discrepancies between the ideals of the United States and the conditions
in which some people live.
4. There is a normative approach which assumes that some kinds of actions are
likely to be judged deleterious in any context.
B. Dangers in defining social problems objectively:
1. Subjectivity is always present.
2. Social scientists do not agree on the definition of social problems
3. The study of social problems is not value free.
4. The definitions and values of people in power tend to become the basis of public
opinion. The politically powerful provide the statistical data and define social
reality to control the status quo (e.g., slavery was not a social problem, but
runaway slaves were).
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13E5. Some dangers in using public opinions or the opinions of the powerful in defining
social problems:
a. One may overlook social conditions that are detrimental to the powerless.
b. Attention may be diverted away from what may be the most important social
problems.
c. Attention may focus on the characteristics of the less powerful members of
society.
d. One may overlook the unethical, illegal, and destructive actions of the
powerful.
IV.
Types of Social Problems (See Discussion Questions)
A. Norm Violations: acts and conditions that violate the norms and values present in
society.
1.
Focusing on norm violations directs attention toward society’s failures: the
criminal, the mentally ill, the school dropouts, and the poor. It also directs
attention away from the societal causes for these “failures” of society. Norm
violations are symptoms of social problems.
2. Focusing on norm violations is a recognition that deviance is culturally defined
and socially labeled (i.e., social problems are inherently relative).
3.
Power determines the definition of a social problem.
B. Social Conditions: socially induced conditions that cause psychic and material
suffering for any segment of the population.
1. Some types of social arrangements may reflect a bias in the system and
therefore be unresponsive to many human needs.
2. Self-actualization is the need for creative and constructive involvement in
productive, significant activity.
3. Individual deviance is a consequence of institutional deviance. Institutional
deviance is when society and its formal organizations are not meeting the
needs of its individuals (e.g., healthcare is unevenly distributed, criminal
justice is biased against the poor and people of color, and government is run for
the benefit of the few).
4. Focus on how power is distributed with society as the primary source of social
problems.
V. The Sociological Imagination
A.
C. Wright Mills noted that individual circumstances are inextricably linked to
the structure of society. (See Classroom Activity: 2)
B. The components of the sociological imagination include:
1. A willingness to view the social world from the perspective of others.
2. Moving away from individual terms and focusing rather on social, economic,
and historical circumstances.
3. With the sociological imagination one can shift from the examination of a
single individual to the analysis of a whole society.
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13E4. To develop a sociological imagination requires (a) a detachment from takenfor-granted assumptions and (b) establishing a critical distance to question the
structural arrangements.
5. We begin to see solutions to social problems in terms of changing the
structure of society.
VI.
Social Structure as the Basic Unit of Analysis (See Short Assignment: 2)
A. Person-Blame Approach versus System-Blame Approach
1. Person-blame points to cultural deprivation and blames social problems on
individuals.
2. System-blame points to society for sources of failure and social problems.
B. Consequences of Person-Blame Approach:
1. It frees the institutions of society from blame and increases the difficulty of trying
to change the dominant institutions.
2. It enables the well-off segments of society to retain their advantages.
3. It allows troublesome individuals and groups to be controlled in a publicly
acceptable manner.
4. It demands a person-change, not a societal change, program.
5. It reinforces social myths about the degree of control individuals have over their
lives and support.
C.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Reasons for Focusing on the System-Blame Approach
Social problems are highly complex phenomena that have both individual and
systemic origins.
The system-blame approach presents a rigidly deterministic explanation of social
problems.
An extreme system-blame approach absolves individuals from responsibility for
their actions.
Authorities and citizens alike tend to interpret social problems from an
individualist perspective. A balanced point of view is necessary.
The subject matter of sociology is society, not the individual. Social determinants
of human behavior must be answered by analysis of social structure.
The institutional framework of society is the source of many social problems
(e.g., racism, pollution, unequal distribution of healthcare, poverty, and war).
VII. Sociological Methods: The Craft of Sociology (See Classroom Activity: 3) (See Long
Assignment: 2)
A. Sociological Questions (See MyLab Activity 1)
1. Sociologists ask factual questions. For example, how much money is spent per
pupil by school districts within each state?
2. Sociologists ask comparative questions. For example, how does the situation in
one social context compare with that in another?
3. Sociologists ask historical questions. For example, how have divorce rates changed
over time?
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13EB. Sociological Theory: A set of ideas that explains a range of human behavior and a
variety of social and societal events. (See MyLab Activity 2)
C. Problems in Collecting Data
1. Objectivity is a problem for all social scientists. The idea of value neutrality can be
attacked from three positions:
a. Scientists should not be morally indifferent to the implications of their
research.
b. Value neutrality is impossible.
c. The type of problems researched and the strategies used either support the
existing societal arrangements or challenge them.
2. Faulty sampling
3. Judgments and interpretations are affected by prevailing myths and stereotypes.
D. Sources of Data
1. Survey Research
2. Experiments
3. Observation
4. Existing Data
D. Lecture Suggestions
i. Lecture Starters
1. Ask students to name some social problems that they feel are significant and write these
up on the board. Next, have the students help you to come up with a list of who benefits
and who suffers from these problems. As an instructor you might fill in some of the
policies that have created these problems, briefly, as a way of foreshadowing future
chapters. Finally, have students think of places, times, and societies where these things
might not be considered social problems. Use this as a way of lecturing about the socially
defined nature of social problems. (See Lecture Outline Point I) (L.O. 1.1)
ii.
Classroom Activities
1. How Do You Define Social Problems?
This activity is a good icebreaker for the class. It also gives you an indication of why
your students are taking the course, how they view social problems, and which problems
concern them. Ask your students to:
A. Individually write down the three most important social problems in society as defined by
most people.
B. Individually write down the three most important social problems to them personally.
C. Break off into small groups to discuss their viewpoints. Each group must decide which
social problem is the number one social problem confronting society. They must select a
spokesperson from each group, and then report their highlights to the class. They need to
justify their choice of social problem. (See Lecture Outline Point III) (L.O. 1.2, 1.5)
2. Do You Have a Sociological Imagination?
This activity is a good way to get students to understand the sociological perspective
versus other perspectives on social problems.
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13EA. Have the students break into small groups. Give each group a particular social
problem to analyze.
B. They must explain the social problem using C. Wright Mills’ concept of the
sociological imagination.
C. How would they explain the same social problem using a psychological
perspective? A biological perspective? (See Lecture Outline Point V.A.) (L.O. 1.3, 1.4)
3. How Do You Pick An Appropriate Research Method?
A. Have the students break into small groups. Each group will be studying the topic of
divorce.
B. Assign groups a research method: survey research, experiment, observation, or
existing data.
C. Each group must come up with a research question regarding divorce and design a
brief study using their assigned research method to answer that question.
D. Report to the class and discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and problems of social
science research. (See Lecture Outline Point VII) (L.O. 1.4)
iii.
Discussion Questions
How many people should suffer for something to be defined as a social problem? Who
defines social problems? The powerful? The affected? Those who don’t know they have a
problem? How do you define a social problem? How do different values, beliefs, and norms
affect the definition of social problems?
These questions should launch a general discussion about how issues are defined in general
and may even get students discussing issues of value neutrality without even realizing it. If
students have difficulty engaging in a theoretical discussion right away, then give them
concrete examples that illustrate different aspects of the above questions. (See Lecture
Outline Point IV) (L.O. 1.2)
.
E. MyLab Activities
1.
Research Methods
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/sociology/videos/MPL/zimbar
do.html (See Lecture Outline Point VII.A.) (L.O. 1.4)
2.
Theories of Social Problems: Sociological Theories (Explorer activity) (See Lecture
Outline Point VII.B.) (L.O. 1.4)
F. Suggested Assignments
1. Long Assignment—Policy Paper
Have students work in small groups to write a history of a significant social policy aimed at
alleviating a social problem. This paper should include the identification of key political
players, the arguments for and against presented at the time, and the public reaction to the
policy. (See Lecture Outline Point II) (L.O. 1.1)
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13E2. Long Assignment—Public Opinion
Utilizing the sociological methods section of the chapter, have students collect some data
through a designed survey and analyze the results. The data should focus on perceptions of a
particular social problem in order to find out if public perception matches the depth of the
problem. Have groups present their findings to the class. (See Lecture Outline Point VII)
(L.O. 1.4)
1. Short Assignment—Interview
Students should conduct an in-depth interview with a family member or friend about a social
problem in the past. It does not need to have been solved, but rather the student should attempt
to find out how their interviewee felt about the social problem at some point in the past (e.g.,
racism in the civil rights era) versus how they feel now. Results could either be presented or
written in a one-page paper. (See Lecture Outline Point II) (L.O. 1.3)
2. Short Assignment—Political Platforms
Political parties often organize their platforms around social issues. Have students investigate
the platforms of major political parties and present findings in a short paper or quick
presentation. Analyze this in terms of person and system-blame approaches. (See Lecture
Outline Point VI) (L.O. 1-5)
G. Annotated Suggested Films/TV Shows
The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don’t Need (33 min., Media Education
Foundation, 2004) A fascinating examination of what Juliet Schor calls “the new
consumerism”—a national phenomenon of relentless upscale spending that is reshaping identity
and redefining what it means to be happy and successful for millions of everyday Americans.
In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts (52 min., Media Education Foundation,
2006) This hard-hitting documentary investigates why so many Americans—college and high
school students in particular—are being strangled by debt. Zeroing in on how the mall has
replaced the factory as America’s dominant economic engine, it shows how college students are
being forced to pay higher interest on loans while graduating, on average, with more than
$20,000 in consumer debt.
Commanding Heights (6 hrs. total—3 parts approximately 2 hrs each, PBS Home Video, 2002)
Drawing on interviews with heads of state and CEOs worldwide, The Commanding Heights is a
revealing, in-depth investigation of how the upheavals of the last twenty years—including
China’s entrance into world markets, increased deregulation and privatization, and the new battle
over globalization—have radically transformed our world and what these changes portend for the
future.
From Social Interaction to Social Structure (30 min., Insight Media, 1991) This video explores
how social interaction leads to social structure. It describes different levels of social structure and
demonstrates how sociologists study these structures.
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13EMad Men (TV Series 2007–present, AMC) This series deals with social issues through an
historical lens and exposes students to a reality they may not even believe as they watch it.
Roger & Me (91 min., Warner Home Video, 1989) A disturbing documentary of the poverty,
hopelessness, and despair in the aftermath of the auto factory closings in Flint, Michigan; offers
a rich mix of observation and interviews.
The Thin Blue Line (101 min., Miramax Studio, 1988) An incredible documentary which pieces
together the incidents surrounding the 1976 murder of a Dallas police officer; the interviews are
the highlight of the film, with one shocking interview at the end that raises serious doubt about
who actually killed the officer.
H. Annotated Suggested Book/Journal Articles
Adler, Patricia A., and Peter Adler. (2003) “The Promise and Pitfalls of Going into the Field.”
The authors provide a detailed look at prominent sociological ethnographies.
Schuman, Howard. (2002) “Sense and Nonsense About Surveys.” The author provides
guidelines about how to understand and evaluate survey data.
Friedman, Thomas. (2005). The World is Flat. This book details the rapidly globalizing world
and what it means economically and socially.
Mills, C. Wright. (1959) “The Promise.” C. Wright Mills argues in this selection that the only
way to truly understand people’s behavior is to examine the social context in which people
live—a quality of mind that he calls the sociological imagination. Through the use of our
sociological imaginations we can see how social, historical, cultural, economic, and political
factors constrain the choices that people make and how they live their lives.
Ritzer, George. (1995) “The Credit Card: Private Troubles and Public Issues.” The focus of this
article is on how credit cards generate what C. Wright Mills called private troubles and public
issues.
Stockett, Kathryn. (2009). The Help. This book helps students to understand how a social
problem was perceived in a different era.
I. Annotated Suggested Websites
Americorps (www.americorps.com) matches recent college graduates with social issues in a
variety of contexts in a domestic program similar to the peace corps. Students can use the
website to learn how to get engaged with issues and to discover what some people think are the
most significant issues facing us.
Adbusters (www.adbusters.org) is committed to trying to change consumerist attitudes in a
globalized world. Do your students think the things identified by Adbusters are actual problems?
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Full file at http://testbanksinstant.eu/ Solution-Manual-for-Social-Problems,13EU.S. PIRG (www.uspirg.org) is an organization at both the national and state level that engages
people in research and activism around social issues. How does this website aid in the social
construction of social problems?
Public Sociology (www.sspps.wordpress.com) is a section of the ASA for people committed to
engaging in real-world issues with social research.
The Society for the Study of Social Problems (www.sssp1.org/) is an organized group of activists
committed to studying social problems from a scientific perspective.
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