1 Social Problems

2 Definition of a Social Problem Social problems have two components 1.an objective component 2.a subjective component

3 Textbook Definition when enough people in a society agree that a condition exists that threatens the quality of their lives and their most cherished values, and they also agree that something should be done to remedy the condition This definition is vague

4 Awareness of Social Problems Our own experience The Media social movements

5 SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL PROBLEMS Sociological perspective tend to focus on one of two different levels 1.Theories of society (macro theories) 2.social psychological theories (micro theories)

6 Structural Functionalism Macro Theories Conflict Theory Micro Theories Symbolic Interaction

Individual problems Social problems Affects large pop 7

Current Social Problems: -Drug addiction/ dependence -Alcoholism -Sexually Transmitted Disease - vagrancy -Juvenile Delinquency -prostitution 8

Social Problems & their behavioral component Social ProblemsBehavioral Component Population ExplosionHigh fertility, Early marriage, Non-acceptance of contraceptive Adverse sex-ratio or falling child sex ratio Female feticide, Infanticide, Gender bias Smoking & tobacco & alcohol abuse Habit of smoking in the family or peer group, social acceptability, seen as a social status Accidents & suicidesRash driving, disobeying traffic rules, driving under influence of alcohol, drugs or stress 9

Causes of delinquency:Causes of delinquency: -Social mal-adjustment -Poverty -Disturbed home -Drug addiction -Alcoholism -Adoption of modern life styles 10

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