Sociological perspectives
HSC CM7
C and B criteria
C1 Describe the biomedical, social and ecological models of health and wellbeing.
According to discover sociology (2020), “ The biomedical model of health is the most
dominant in the western world and focuses on health purely in terms of biological factors”.
This model is also a medical model of disability. It focuses on disability related to impairment
that it gives to the individuals. It is concerned with the treatment of the sick individuals rather
than examining the social factors that influence health such as poverty etc. some professionals
assume that health is the “absence” of illness and that diseases are mainly caused biological.
They also assume that ill health is caused by via moral failings of individuals’ such as them
smoking.
Some advantages of this model is that it offers explanations of mental ill health that many
people who experience mental health problems find reassuring as it can be the first stage
towards the recovery. However, some disadvantages of this is that it focuses on the physical
aspects more then the mental aspects. It limits the way we think about illness and lead to
reactive approach. It also does not consider the impact that factors that other then physical,
such as environment and psychosocial play on health. It is used in the NHS which is based on
the knowledge about the biological causes of disease. The focus is often on the individuals who
are ill and seeks to cure through the application of medications or surgery. This was founded by
louis Pasteur and it does not fully explain different kinds of illnesses.
The Social model is related to sociologists and emphasises health in relation to social
construction. Sociologists assume that health is mostly socially constructed. Definition of
health also vary between cultures and also between individuals of same culture. Social and
economic environment influences the health of an individual. “epidemiology” show that some
individuals are more vulnerable to ill health then the others Seneca (N.D).
Social model of health considers broader range of factors that influence the health and
wellbeing. It tells us how a person’s health could be influenced rather negatively or positively
from things like environmental, economic, social and even cultural discover sociology (2020).
This model says that individuals are disabled by the barriers in the society and not by their
impairment or other differences. Barriers can be physical which may include a building not
having accessible toilets or they can be caused by individuals’ attitudes e.g. assuming disabled
people cant have certain things. This model helps to recognise barriers that make life harder for
disabled people therefore, removing these barriers creates equality and offers those types of
individuals independence, choice and control.
Ecological model highlights people’s interactions with their physical and sociocultural
environments. It recognises multiple levels of influence that affects health behaviours which
include individual factors that can influence behaviour like knowledge etc. it also emphasize the
environmental and policy contexts of behaviour while incorporating social and psychological
influences. This model links sociology through health and social care. It is a framework that is
used in sociology and is another term for eco logical model as well as its analysis and helps
people to understand how different factors and levels influences, interact with each other to
impact individuals. An example of this is that an action could be looking at how child’s
development is influenced by various factors at different level. It also shows how individual are
influenced by their environment such as relationships, communities and society as a whole.
Page 1 of 7
, Sociological perspectives
HSC CM7
C and B criteria
This model was made by Urie Bronfenbrenner and introduced it to highlight the complex
interactions between the individuals and the environment at different level. Lastly, this model
enables us to see the interconnectedness of these factors and how they affect people in real
world situations.
C2 Explain the social classes recognised in home nation.
According to tutor 2u (2002-2024), “Social class refers to the stratification of different
groups based on power, economic wealth, social wealth and cultural wealth”. Marxists talk
about two social classes while are the main ones which are bourgeoisie etc, sociologists
measure class in different ways. Social class also refers to people with similar status in society.
This status is determined by various factors such as wealth etc. it also defines as a group of
people who live in a definable community and share the same culture. Th main characteristics
of society are shared norms, values and beliefs.
Classes are formed through grouping people with same or similar opportunities and standards
of living in society. Such as working class may live in areas where there is poverty etc. every
country has different type of dividing a society for example in UK, there used to be 3 common
models of upper, middle and lower class in the UK. But in other countries, they may be
divided in relation to caste and religion. This model of division is called stratum. The stratum
groups individuals by their economic and social status. Social class is measured because
health and wellbeing are linked to an individual’s social position. This is called social gradient
because the lower the class is the worse their health is as well. There are some types of social
mobility which are absolute mobility, vertical mobility, horizontal mobility, intergenerational
mobility, and intragenerational mobility etc. few problems with stratum is that it doesn’t
account social mobility or someone who marries into a higher class which makes the higher
class go down on the ladder of social popularity.
However, there used to be 3 social classes which are discussed above but now there are 7
social class system in Britain which are the wealthy elite: have high levels of all three
capitals, especially economic capital, established middle class: have high levels of all
three capitals but less economic capital than the elite, technical experts: have high
economic capital but less social and economic capital then the wealthy elite and the
established middle class and the new affluent: a young group who have low economic
capital and higher levels of cultural and social capital. The emergent service workers: a
young group who have low economic capital but high levels of emerging cultural capital
and social capital, traditional working class: an aging group who have low social, economic
and cultural capital as well as lastly the precariat: who have very low levels of all three
types of capital and lead to insecure lives.
B1 Describe social realism, social construction and labelling theory in relation to health
and social care.
Page 2 of 7
HSC CM7
C and B criteria
C1 Describe the biomedical, social and ecological models of health and wellbeing.
According to discover sociology (2020), “ The biomedical model of health is the most
dominant in the western world and focuses on health purely in terms of biological factors”.
This model is also a medical model of disability. It focuses on disability related to impairment
that it gives to the individuals. It is concerned with the treatment of the sick individuals rather
than examining the social factors that influence health such as poverty etc. some professionals
assume that health is the “absence” of illness and that diseases are mainly caused biological.
They also assume that ill health is caused by via moral failings of individuals’ such as them
smoking.
Some advantages of this model is that it offers explanations of mental ill health that many
people who experience mental health problems find reassuring as it can be the first stage
towards the recovery. However, some disadvantages of this is that it focuses on the physical
aspects more then the mental aspects. It limits the way we think about illness and lead to
reactive approach. It also does not consider the impact that factors that other then physical,
such as environment and psychosocial play on health. It is used in the NHS which is based on
the knowledge about the biological causes of disease. The focus is often on the individuals who
are ill and seeks to cure through the application of medications or surgery. This was founded by
louis Pasteur and it does not fully explain different kinds of illnesses.
The Social model is related to sociologists and emphasises health in relation to social
construction. Sociologists assume that health is mostly socially constructed. Definition of
health also vary between cultures and also between individuals of same culture. Social and
economic environment influences the health of an individual. “epidemiology” show that some
individuals are more vulnerable to ill health then the others Seneca (N.D).
Social model of health considers broader range of factors that influence the health and
wellbeing. It tells us how a person’s health could be influenced rather negatively or positively
from things like environmental, economic, social and even cultural discover sociology (2020).
This model says that individuals are disabled by the barriers in the society and not by their
impairment or other differences. Barriers can be physical which may include a building not
having accessible toilets or they can be caused by individuals’ attitudes e.g. assuming disabled
people cant have certain things. This model helps to recognise barriers that make life harder for
disabled people therefore, removing these barriers creates equality and offers those types of
individuals independence, choice and control.
Ecological model highlights people’s interactions with their physical and sociocultural
environments. It recognises multiple levels of influence that affects health behaviours which
include individual factors that can influence behaviour like knowledge etc. it also emphasize the
environmental and policy contexts of behaviour while incorporating social and psychological
influences. This model links sociology through health and social care. It is a framework that is
used in sociology and is another term for eco logical model as well as its analysis and helps
people to understand how different factors and levels influences, interact with each other to
impact individuals. An example of this is that an action could be looking at how child’s
development is influenced by various factors at different level. It also shows how individual are
influenced by their environment such as relationships, communities and society as a whole.
Page 1 of 7
, Sociological perspectives
HSC CM7
C and B criteria
This model was made by Urie Bronfenbrenner and introduced it to highlight the complex
interactions between the individuals and the environment at different level. Lastly, this model
enables us to see the interconnectedness of these factors and how they affect people in real
world situations.
C2 Explain the social classes recognised in home nation.
According to tutor 2u (2002-2024), “Social class refers to the stratification of different
groups based on power, economic wealth, social wealth and cultural wealth”. Marxists talk
about two social classes while are the main ones which are bourgeoisie etc, sociologists
measure class in different ways. Social class also refers to people with similar status in society.
This status is determined by various factors such as wealth etc. it also defines as a group of
people who live in a definable community and share the same culture. Th main characteristics
of society are shared norms, values and beliefs.
Classes are formed through grouping people with same or similar opportunities and standards
of living in society. Such as working class may live in areas where there is poverty etc. every
country has different type of dividing a society for example in UK, there used to be 3 common
models of upper, middle and lower class in the UK. But in other countries, they may be
divided in relation to caste and religion. This model of division is called stratum. The stratum
groups individuals by their economic and social status. Social class is measured because
health and wellbeing are linked to an individual’s social position. This is called social gradient
because the lower the class is the worse their health is as well. There are some types of social
mobility which are absolute mobility, vertical mobility, horizontal mobility, intergenerational
mobility, and intragenerational mobility etc. few problems with stratum is that it doesn’t
account social mobility or someone who marries into a higher class which makes the higher
class go down on the ladder of social popularity.
However, there used to be 3 social classes which are discussed above but now there are 7
social class system in Britain which are the wealthy elite: have high levels of all three
capitals, especially economic capital, established middle class: have high levels of all
three capitals but less economic capital than the elite, technical experts: have high
economic capital but less social and economic capital then the wealthy elite and the
established middle class and the new affluent: a young group who have low economic
capital and higher levels of cultural and social capital. The emergent service workers: a
young group who have low economic capital but high levels of emerging cultural capital
and social capital, traditional working class: an aging group who have low social, economic
and cultural capital as well as lastly the precariat: who have very low levels of all three
types of capital and lead to insecure lives.
B1 Describe social realism, social construction and labelling theory in relation to health
and social care.
Page 2 of 7
