Wiktoria Kakol
Unit 10: sociological perspectives
P1: explain how sociological perspectives are applied to the understanding of health and social care
P2: explain how sociological perspectives contribute to the understanding of society
M1: analyse the contribution of sociological perspectives to the understanding of health and social care and
society
D1: evaluate the role of sociological perspectives in the understanding of society and models and concepts of
health in relation to the service provision in a local health and social care setting.
Mr Santos
The government is part of the functionalist sociological perspective, as they provide free schools, for children
in different families to become educated so that they are able to have a better future in their later years, in
return the families will pay taxes, which enable the government to provide better facilities with the schools.
Also, the government provides health care services so that people are able to be treated by a professional
when in need. An example of an organisation that is funded by the government, is the NHS. The NHS enables
individuals to receive free health care.
Also, the functionalist approach studies relationships between the sick and the society as a whole.
Functionalists view in health and social care, is that they believe that medicine gives people well-being for
the society as a whole and the public is protected from anyone that would want to sabotage the system. The
society’s role is to make sure and limit the abuse of sick role by acting as a gatekeeper. A gatekeeper in
healthcare, is someone that is in charge of an individual’s treatment. Limiting the abuse of a sick role is
achieved by protecting the public from dishonest practise.
Talcott Parsons was an important individual which has performed a very important role in the development
of functionalism. He suggested that illness is an impression of deviance. He also said that people with an
illness should be free from rights and have the same responsibilities like healthy people, so that roles are
equal. And so that ‘unhealthy’ don’t seem to be the favourized people. Talcott Parsons, believed that the
main purpose of an institution was for individuals to be able to socialise and making sure that each one of
they understood the values of the society.
-Conflict perspectives-
Theorists of conflict instead of focusing on consensus and harmony, they focus on the social differences.
Conflict theorists believe that there is no value consensus, but instead there are different groups of people
with very different values and concerns about each other.
-Marxism-
Marxism is a conflict model and a structuralist model. A conflict model is a sociological approach that sees
the different institutions in the society, organised so that they meet the different interests of ruling classes.
Marxist concepts are totally opposite to capitalism. Some may believe that they have created a mentality in
the society, which is like ‘them and us’.
Marxists argue that the bourgeoisie have a hold of power in the other social institutions and that they shape
the society, this is because they are in control of the mass media, as well as the legal system. The
bourgeoisie is a powerful social class that own factories, land and many other capital. They are also able to
organise the economy and other social institutions to their own advantage.
Just like the functionalists, Marxist have a structuralist perspective, where they see families a source of
contribution to the stable social system. They also believe that families provide the context for socialisation
for children, preparing them for the discipline and work. Children are known to have limited power in the
family, as they are needed to be obedient in school. It’s like a preparation for the later adult life, that they
Unit 10: sociological perspectives
P1: explain how sociological perspectives are applied to the understanding of health and social care
P2: explain how sociological perspectives contribute to the understanding of society
M1: analyse the contribution of sociological perspectives to the understanding of health and social care and
society
D1: evaluate the role of sociological perspectives in the understanding of society and models and concepts of
health in relation to the service provision in a local health and social care setting.
Mr Santos
The government is part of the functionalist sociological perspective, as they provide free schools, for children
in different families to become educated so that they are able to have a better future in their later years, in
return the families will pay taxes, which enable the government to provide better facilities with the schools.
Also, the government provides health care services so that people are able to be treated by a professional
when in need. An example of an organisation that is funded by the government, is the NHS. The NHS enables
individuals to receive free health care.
Also, the functionalist approach studies relationships between the sick and the society as a whole.
Functionalists view in health and social care, is that they believe that medicine gives people well-being for
the society as a whole and the public is protected from anyone that would want to sabotage the system. The
society’s role is to make sure and limit the abuse of sick role by acting as a gatekeeper. A gatekeeper in
healthcare, is someone that is in charge of an individual’s treatment. Limiting the abuse of a sick role is
achieved by protecting the public from dishonest practise.
Talcott Parsons was an important individual which has performed a very important role in the development
of functionalism. He suggested that illness is an impression of deviance. He also said that people with an
illness should be free from rights and have the same responsibilities like healthy people, so that roles are
equal. And so that ‘unhealthy’ don’t seem to be the favourized people. Talcott Parsons, believed that the
main purpose of an institution was for individuals to be able to socialise and making sure that each one of
they understood the values of the society.
-Conflict perspectives-
Theorists of conflict instead of focusing on consensus and harmony, they focus on the social differences.
Conflict theorists believe that there is no value consensus, but instead there are different groups of people
with very different values and concerns about each other.
-Marxism-
Marxism is a conflict model and a structuralist model. A conflict model is a sociological approach that sees
the different institutions in the society, organised so that they meet the different interests of ruling classes.
Marxist concepts are totally opposite to capitalism. Some may believe that they have created a mentality in
the society, which is like ‘them and us’.
Marxists argue that the bourgeoisie have a hold of power in the other social institutions and that they shape
the society, this is because they are in control of the mass media, as well as the legal system. The
bourgeoisie is a powerful social class that own factories, land and many other capital. They are also able to
organise the economy and other social institutions to their own advantage.
Just like the functionalists, Marxist have a structuralist perspective, where they see families a source of
contribution to the stable social system. They also believe that families provide the context for socialisation
for children, preparing them for the discipline and work. Children are known to have limited power in the
family, as they are needed to be obedient in school. It’s like a preparation for the later adult life, that they
