Assignment one: The Sociological Viewpoint toward Social Problems
Assignment one: the Sociological Viewpoint toward Social Problems
Kaufman & Feldman (2004) cites that the sociological approach concerning social problems tends to differ from other approaches since this approach focuses on individuals’ interaction in the society. The sociological approach creates awareness due to social and structural forces. To tackle a social problem using sociological approach one has to complete definition of the subject unlike psychologists, biologists, and the economist approach. For instance, a scientific approach applies rigid methodologies and qualitative techniques while the sociological approach tends to avoid complex procedures. A psychological approach checks on a person’s ability in relation to the environment while a sociologist approach examines the environment first that helps in allocating an individual to a group. The sociology main subject is the environment and the society problems. The sociological approach identifies culture, social norms, beliefs, and common values in the social structure. Clarke & Garner (2010) finds that some social problems affect a high population while others affect a minority population. Similarly, problems that affect influential people in the society warrant immediate attention than other social problems. Personal problems warrant attention of an individual while a public issue warrants the attention the entire society. Natural catastrophes are not social issues since that problem cannot be prevented by joint efforts.
The family is a social problem continues to undergo demographic and structural change in this century. The current culture has changed the definition on what constitute a family, type of marriages, living arrangement, and child rearing methods. The married – couple that was predominate in 1970 stood at 81 percent in all households. This percentage drops top 60 percent in 2012. This is due to the increase of professional women in the labor force. Most dual income families do not warrant marital success due to child related stress and other issues. Single-parent families continue to increase in this decade. Lynch (2012) asserts that out of a sample of 74 million children 60 percent live with married parents while 34 percent live in single-parent families. Lynch (2012) says that 21 percent of white families belong to single parents, and 55 percent of African- American families belong to single parent families. This is due to high instances of divorce cases and high instances of pregnancies among unmarried teenagers. The teenage mothers experience economic hardship regardless of race in America. This is because of interruption in their education, and they do not receive child support. There is an increase in childless couples, in America such that 12 percent of married couples, does not have children (Clarke & Garner, 2010). This is due decrease in fertility rates. Lynch (2012) Childlessness continues to increase among all races in the country.
Sociologists cite that marital satisfaction increases when both partners join the work force. The financial benefits can benefit the partners when neither is spending a lot of time at work. Current families must share the burden of household chores and childcare responsibilities. A healthy sex life among couples can ensure marital satisfaction.
The first concept of the social problem is the influence for it to warrant as a social problem. The objective condition must have a public opinion concerning the social problem. The public must channel their attention. Secondly, the condition must have a gap between social ideas and social reality. This condition must counter values of an entire society. Thirdly, a significant number of people must define the problem. In this case, the condition must affect a high segment of people for one to consider it a social problem. Lastly, the condition has a solution through collaboration in the case is no solution people learn to live with the condition.
In the fast instance, this problem of families affects all the social classes in America especially the middle and upper class where both men and women join the labor force. Secondly, marriages in this decade seek affection instead of social interactions. There is a shift based on the foundation of marriage. People have to learn to live with these issues in this decade.
References
Clarke, S., & Garner, S. (2010). White identities a critical sociological approach. London: Pluto Press.
Kaufman, P., & Feldman, K. A. (2004). Forming Identities In College: A Sociological Approach. Research in Higher Education, 45(5), 463-496.
Lynch, G. (2012). The sacred in the modern world: a cultural sociological approach. New York: Oxford University Press.
Thomas, C. (2004). How Is Disability Understood? An Examination Of Sociological Approaches. Disability & Society, 19(6), 569-583.
