Sociology Question - Define Social Problems

Question

All of the following are strong indicators that some condition is viewed by the public as problematic or troublesome except:

a.
Laws are developed to prevent or punish the condition.
b.
New terms for the condition start appearing in media or in common “lingo.”
c.
A large number of resources are earmarked to address the condition.
d.
The condition is objectively harmful.

Answer 1

Hi Jeyda,

 

If your question is from the perspective of the Social Constructionist view, then the answer will be d. The condition is objectively harmful.

 

The Social Constructionist perspective holds that nothing should be considered a problem at the level of Society - something our community (or state, or country, or planet depending on the specific problem) must get involved with. For example, once vaccines were invented there was a way to prevent outbreaks of terrible diseases, but only if it was seen as a societal problem; can you think why?

 

In my example, vaccines only work to stop widespread infection if most everyone is vaccinated ahead of time. But that is the kind of program that would have to implemented by a community to work at all. Much like the "climate change" problem; the evidence is as solid as we usually expect it to be for scientific fact, but because many of the American people - the society - do not think it is a problem, the United States won't get involved, or at least not as a society - until many more people do.

 

Feel free to ask for clarification or more info.

 

Hope that helps!

Scott