Examining the Sociological Perspective

Humans are, by nature, very social creatures. As pleasant and interesting as humans can be, however, their interactions can very easily breed tension and conflict. There are many problems that owe their origins to misguided or malevolent human interaction. A social problem is officially defined as “a social condition or pattern of behavior that has negative consequences for individuals, our social world, or our physical world” (Leon-Guerrero 8).

To a sociologist, it makes sense that one should examine the sociological background of an issue to investigate the possibility of a sociological solution. Evolutionary happenstance has provided people with a dangerous predisposition to fall prey to excessive cynicism and selfishness and this can destroy their ability to solve the complex problems that mankind collectively faces. Seeking to minimize the role of subjectivity, the sociological perspective relies on facts and observable trends to reach solution-yielding conclusions on various topics. For example, in the case of a common problem such as poverty, sociologists have observed that many people prefer to blame economic inequality on personal inadequacies like laziness and unintelligence. A sociologist, however, would note that there is often a number of cultural and socioeconomic factors that can lead to an almost inescapable cycle of poverty. In general, a sociological perspective emphasizes the investigation of the “objective reality” of a situation in an effort to reach a practical solution (Leon-Guerrero 9).

But regardless of what causes of social problems, there must be some that are considered much more significant and pertinent than others. The relevance of a social problem depends on the “subjective reality” of a given situation and its relationship with the “social construction of reality” (Leon-Guerrero 9). The social construction of reality is a concept that holds that people subjectively attach their own meanings to events in their lives. This means that the subjective reality of a social problem depends on how many individuals perceive it as a problem. For example, an American might not be inclined to believe that AIDS is a huge social problem the same way that someone living in Africa might believe it. This means that no matter how many people are negatively affected by something, it is not considered a social problem until humans categorize it as “troublesome and in need of repair.”

One particular social problem that serves as a good example of many of the components of the sociological perspective is the extremely high costs of health care in the United States. For many Americans, the subjective reality of this problem differs greatly. For those who are conveniently insured by an employer, the system may not need revision. But for a lower-class, uninsured person faced with an $80,000 hip replacement, the system is in need of an overhaul. The costs of health care are measurably higher than other countries in the world and they give rise to an argument from what is called the conflict perspective, which holds that social problems emerge from “the continuing conflict between groups in our society” (Leon-Guerrero 14). The highly-privatized health care system favors those who are in a socioeconomic position that allows them to be insured, and those who are insured may not feel that it is necessary for them to pay extra taxes so that others can experience the same health care that they receive.

This problem is currently being addressed by the increasing prevalence of “class consciousness,” which is an awareness of social position and oppression (Leon-Guerrero 15). The more that people begin to understand the problems that others face, the more able they will be to help reach a solution. It is often an unfortunate fallacy to attribute social problems to negative personal characteristics. As more and more insured and financially secure citizens realize the difficulty that less fortunate people may encounter, they will be more willing to pay into a system that allows for less expensive health care.

Reference

Leon-Guerrero, A. (2013). Social problems: Community, policy, social action. (4th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.