Unit 10: Sociological perspectives.
Introduction:
In this assignment I am going to be writing about how sociological concepts and
perspectives can be applied in health and social care. I will also be explaining how
sociological perspectives can be applied to the understanding of health and social
care and how it can contribute to the understanding of society.
P1:
Functionalism:
Functionalism is a macro theory. They will look at the whole of society not just the
individual. Macro theory is an approach in sociology which emphasises and analyses
the social systems according to a larger scale. Talcott Parsons sees the society as a
complex system who all work together so that there is stability which is compared to
the human body parts which is known as body analogy. Functionalists’ theorists are
described as consensus theory, this is where society shares norms and values which
we learn from family, peers and social media.
Functionalism and health:
The functionalist approach to good health and for effective healthcare has great
importance as it is essential for society to function. Having ill health impacts the
individual’s ability to perform their roles in society, therefore if too many people are ill
and unhealthy the functioning of the society will have a negative impact.
, One theorist which includes the ‘role of the sick’ is Talcott Parsons who explains the
roles and responsibilities of a sick person. For example, the person who is ill is not at
fault for being ill, they are excused from everyday responsibilities, and they must
seek professional help. The role of a professional for example a doctor using their
skills and expertise to diagnose the ill person and must take into consideration the
individual’s interest and welfare.
Criticism:
There are many criticisms with functionalism as there are different perspectives. One
of the main criticisms is that it does not look and does not agree with social norms as
the society is changing. They also do not give a clear understanding of deviant
behaviour.
Marxism:
Marxism is a structural and a conflict theory as there is conflict between the rich and
the poor. Capitalists want the maximum profit for a lower cost and the workers want
the highest wage for the least work. They are based on the idea that capitalists
would like to keep their power by influencing social institutions. For example, the
bourgeoisie pays the workers, however the workers have no choice but to work in
order to feed themselves and including their families. This is known as false
consciousness where proletariat accept their position in society.
Marxism health:
Introduction:
In this assignment I am going to be writing about how sociological concepts and
perspectives can be applied in health and social care. I will also be explaining how
sociological perspectives can be applied to the understanding of health and social
care and how it can contribute to the understanding of society.
P1:
Functionalism:
Functionalism is a macro theory. They will look at the whole of society not just the
individual. Macro theory is an approach in sociology which emphasises and analyses
the social systems according to a larger scale. Talcott Parsons sees the society as a
complex system who all work together so that there is stability which is compared to
the human body parts which is known as body analogy. Functionalists’ theorists are
described as consensus theory, this is where society shares norms and values which
we learn from family, peers and social media.
Functionalism and health:
The functionalist approach to good health and for effective healthcare has great
importance as it is essential for society to function. Having ill health impacts the
individual’s ability to perform their roles in society, therefore if too many people are ill
and unhealthy the functioning of the society will have a negative impact.
, One theorist which includes the ‘role of the sick’ is Talcott Parsons who explains the
roles and responsibilities of a sick person. For example, the person who is ill is not at
fault for being ill, they are excused from everyday responsibilities, and they must
seek professional help. The role of a professional for example a doctor using their
skills and expertise to diagnose the ill person and must take into consideration the
individual’s interest and welfare.
Criticism:
There are many criticisms with functionalism as there are different perspectives. One
of the main criticisms is that it does not look and does not agree with social norms as
the society is changing. They also do not give a clear understanding of deviant
behaviour.
Marxism:
Marxism is a structural and a conflict theory as there is conflict between the rich and
the poor. Capitalists want the maximum profit for a lower cost and the workers want
the highest wage for the least work. They are based on the idea that capitalists
would like to keep their power by influencing social institutions. For example, the
bourgeoisie pays the workers, however the workers have no choice but to work in
order to feed themselves and including their families. This is known as false
consciousness where proletariat accept their position in society.
Marxism health:
