Asma Inayat
Unit 10: Sociological Perspectives
Learning Aim, A: Understand how sociological concepts and perspectives are applied to the study of health and
social care.
KEY CONCEPTS
Socialisation – primary and secondary
Primary socialisation is completely a basic course taught to children, it adds the values of their religion, way of
talking, etiquettes knowing the respect of elders and society development. There are many children in this world
where they are brought up independently or with other parents. (If the parents have died). Those children have
different values and might have to tolerate the tortures and division between the real kids they have biologically,
which can make the child more responsible and understand at an early age, or boorishness, mannerless, rude if the
etiquettes are not taught correctly, the kid can be faultless due to this behaviour because it depends a lot on how
they are being treated and brought up in different house, or stepparents. As the time passes, they come to the world
where things work differently than they thought, the starts to understand distinct perspective, for e.g., their social
group, job. This socialization is done for couple of years (the early years, mostly from the age 1-10). It is from the
birth till the adolescents, or often till teenage era. As usually students till then stayed in the family and plans to move
out. Secondary socialisation is the real test people go through, for e.g., in your selective career you need to decide
what is right or wrong, it can be your independent idea. Right selection of group effects a lot in your life as they also
help the individual to be on right path going on wrong. For e.g., people now adays have become more racist and
judging then they were before, they have created different meaning of the words which are negatively pronounced
for e.g., mad, crazy has connected to negative connotations and that is common for people to say. This socialization
carries throughout the life. Such as through the process of socialisation the children learn about every basic and
through the time it grows into teachings of practical life for example, the basis teachings would be the manners in
public, eating manner, talking attitude, toilet use, changing own clothes. These aspects would be taught by the
parents/siblings/family member.
Through the primary socialisation the individuals build their personalities, but whereas individuals learn good things
they may also learn negative things such as through maternal deprivation, the child may not learn good mannerisms,
or the practical way of living in the world/society. As mothers are usually the ones who teaches and are expected to
upbring a child, so the society expects the mother to teach the right and wrong, through which the child builds the
personality. Such as not to be rude to elders, be hygienic, be respectful. The society also expects the person to have
a same attitude throughout their life but also in an improved manner such as an individual has learned to be hygienic
at home, so they would also help others be hygienic at their place, such as the individual has been to an event at
their friends place, and then after the event, the individual would want to have the place clean and neat before
leaving, this also shows good manners and humbleness. The strength of socialisation is that as it teaches the values
and norms basically, which means that they have built the foundation of mannerism and behaviour, such as parents
teaches their children to be respectful, such as when elders come to their place, the parents usually tells the children
to be polite, respectful and talk to the elders (older people) very humbly as it would show good signs of upbringing.
There is primary learning taught at home through educational objects such as cards, books, toys, stickers. Through
which the child learns priorly and when they join the nursery or school, they would remember their teaching,
through this it would be helpful for the teaching to teach them diverse and new things according to their learning
pace. There can be a negative consequence such as the parents may have lack of knowledge about how the correct
behaviourism. Such as they may have come from a deprived area or from a family where modernised route of
societal acceptable behaviour may not be taught. Through which some may learn from their friends, from educated
individual surroundings, and teach their children the same socialisation skills. But some parents may not change
themselves and teach the same ethics, linguistic tone, attitude, cultures they have learnt, without acknowledging the
fact that through time things changes and people should evolve through time.
,The social factors include the aspects of norms, race, religion, gender, region, disability, social class, and sexual
orientation. (These factors are explained below).
Norms & Values
Something we consider to be acceptable actions/behaviour within our group e.g., our family, in a meeting/office,
formal social group. These are the rules to be followed, these are to show our appropriate behaviour towards
various group of people. These are the behaviours that are usually allowed to be accepted within the
society/community/family. For example, wearing appropriate clothes in the public, no stealing, do not start shouting
loud in the public, mature behaviour. This also determine the differences between right and wrong behaviour. This
also helps individual to acknowledge how to act in various situations, for example, when seeing an older aged person
having difficulty crossing the road, only the person who will maturely act will be the one who knows the differences
between right and wrong (this can be taught through either one socialisation way (primary or secondary)). Example,
an individual with tattoo all over the body may not be seen as normal for the society as that breaks the basic norms,
but if the same person may cover its tattoo, it may be considered as normal. Another norm example is that children
are told about colour differences and how they emphasise the gender, the children learn quick, this can mean that
the children may believe that pink are for the girls, and blue for the boys, this can make them believe this unethical
influence by the peers. After this the children may start feeling happy in pink and not prefer to wear blue colour as
they may believe that it differentiates the gender. They may start to consider this as a norm.
Standards that guide our behaviour, help define our priorities, gender, family, and friends. It is the central of work,
helps us understand the right and wrong and the importance if care and support. For e.g., independency, respects,
dignity, rights. This is the step where the individual would implement its teachings. This is important because it
teaches to response in a manner that shows how you have learnt. This is the benefit area that effects individuals
themselves and the society. Values are the demanding work, for example, getting respectable job, good salary,
education, and a good human. (There are specific rules to be a good human, and which is profoundly considered as
acceptable. It is required for any child to learn the acceptable values and norm of the society, community. For
example, the respect of the elders, not to pick their nose in the public as it would show ill mannered. There are some
non-criminal attitude and behaviour proposed by the child, which may be unacceptable, for example, a child may
steal money from the mom’s pocket, or hit a sibling, or quietly steal the chocolates. To improve these the children
would be taught the right ways to behave, such as the correct way to get the things they need, such as ask for
permissions, and when they do that, they would be rewarded as well, but regarding that, they should also be taught
to behave well only when they will be rewarded. To improve this the parents should instruct their children about the
acceptable behaviour in the society and correct manners required in every situation. The importance of socialisation
is to have an individual who has the knowledge of correct behaviour, through the theory of functionalism, the
children are taught to basic/foundation socialisation. Every individual needs to know the societal norms and value,
this would make one productive towards the requirement and management of the society.
However, the other theorist has stated about the inequalities between the genders such as they state that the man
is the main decision maker within the family, and even in the governmental aspects such as, the male is the rulers of
the society, as they head the country, family. Such as being a prime minister as male is considered norm, but
whereas the female has occupied the status it would be looked as a different and new thing. Not every family
instructs the family either correct socialisation or they may not know it themselves. The patriarchy inequality are
considered to be norm in the society, such as the boys and girls would be taught different values, such as the girl
would be taught about the house works, or even they may not be taught to gain education, as they may believe, this
would also impact on health, as the parents/peer would have the correct knowledge about the health, such as they
would not value the correct attitude of exercise, food, nutrition, diet, sports. As the peers lacks the correct
understanding and the value. This would lead to unhealthy lifestyle such as the children would then require more
health check-ups, this would also put pressure on the GP, for often checking the same patients, due to their
unhealthy lifestyle. Schools are also the part of socialisation, such as they do teach the norms of correct health life. It
is considered for the male to go to GP less than women, this could happen due to the health inequalities female may
be facing such as they may be living in the deprived area, while the man is going out for the work, this may be
considered as the tradition. The society is slowly changing, such as the women are also getting the equal
opportunity, such as in health there are more female GP than male.
,Both socialisations play a significant role in the individual’s growth personally. As every individual would have several
places to show their personality such as in school, family gatherings, with friends, at workplace, at mosques
(religious places), public, formal events and more. Sometimes the individual must play different role in diverse
places, which can be due to another individual’s value, behaviour, place for them. Under humanitarian rights, every
individual should be treated equally but under societal aspects, every individual has its own place and value. This
shows that the functionalism of the society teaches the same values and norms, but they are implemented
differently in various places and on humans. The norms are the acceptable behaviour for example, the parents
instruct their children dressing sense, such as appropriate clothes according to the area, such as bikini at the beach,
formals in the school, events., casuals at home, or to play.
Social Class
There are 3 different common classes: upper class, middle class, lower class. One of the biggest inequalities in the
society is based on the class division worldwide including the UK. Such as working, middle and the ruling class. The
class specification is the socio economic, money, value, and economy, there are larger gap is in the UK, due to the
deprived, menstruation poverty, and the living crisis. Through this the individuals/female also neglects their
attendance to schools as they have periods and could not afford the products to keep themselves. Social can have an
immense impact on the health inequalities. Such they the lower class cannot afford the gym, good diet, good
nutrition, medications. This can impact long term impact such as they would not get the initiatives of active diet,
exercise, and this can make them vulnerable towards the dietary, physical health, and general health. The NHS was
built to provide essential access to every individual, who can freely access to the health amenities, priorly they could
access to the dentist and optician freely, due to lack of funding the NHS has now less free options for the public to
access, such as now people pay for dentist, opticians. The NHS is under more strain, as the people are unable to
access the NHS, due to the lack of funding and the living crisis, though they would not be able to provide free
services in the future. There are more elderly who may need care homes care, and they may need to pay for this due
to lack of funding in the different sectors, due to this the NHS is considered to be under pressure, this can also meant
that the individuals may not get essential care they require, such as at the NHS may not even exist in future, this can
cause increased issue, outbreaks and diseases, death rates as the patients would not be able to receive the care
required for the society to have decreased death rate, less disease spread, less pandemics/epidemics. Lower class in
labelled as the working class and known as the lowest status. For example, those who might work as a labour,
industrial worker some of them are also unemployed and will not be able to feed or provide a better and stabled life,
as even does not get the equal respect, they might need to be under Someone and will have to agree their orders.
While working in an industrial or labour area. According to community standards they all are given respects and
values for example in England lower class people are capable to provide limited outings, limited grocery in which a
month can be passed.
They are social boundaries between these 3 different classes. Upper class has a standard in the society, and it is
known as determination for the lower and middle class. They are pronounced/labelled rich, for example as
millionaire, billionaire, or multimillionaire. They are the most stabled and extravagantly spends money on their
families. These are not only titled but also have the highest and preferred respect in the society, as a rich
person/family, they do have an age and attitude, from which they prefer to show mostly to the middle or lower
class. Which should not be accepted by the community because this shows the discrimination between them.
Whereas in middle class they work all their life to maintain a normal and managed life of themselves and provide the
family all their needs and wants, e.g., teachers, lawyers, doctors, businessperson. It also depends on the country
wise role and the way they get paid, for e.g., United Kingdom has higher range of salary in them. Whereas in Asian
countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, they got lower salary, which might only help them to get main thing and
the essentials. NHS is the universal healthcare.
“In Bradford District, children who grow up in low-income households have poorer mental and physical health and
are more likely to leave school with lower educational attainment. Just under a quarter of children are classified as
living in poverty (two-thirds of whom live in working households) and this is projected to increase. Other sources of
social inequality in Bradford include fuel poverty, inferior quality housing, education attainment and the quality of
parental employment. Social inequalities are linked to poor health outcomes in childhood, which often progress into
adulthood. For example, rates of obesity and poor oral health have a clear link to poverty and ethnicity in Bradford.”
, information on social class in bradford - Search (bing.com). this data shows that the children living in deprived areas
are neglected by the statutory as well and are neglected. As they also have equal rights to get education and health
services, low class students are also usually neglected within the school, as the individual from rich families may bully
them and make them feel ashamed about their life. To improve this the government and health services can first
meet the individuals from poor family and ask about their intellectual mindset. By this they would know how to
support them for example, the individuals may feel ashamed and as they may be getting bullied, that is also
impacting on their educational/health outcomes. Every child needs to get the essential support and safety when it
comes to healthy life. Lower class individuals are also not taught the modernized aspects such as they are taught
about the marriage, house chores, and men of the family are expected to run the family. This is common in Asian
countries such as Pakistan/India. There lower-class families are more tended to have their focus on bills, housing
management, marriage, a place where only the male works, also the children of lower-class families do not have the
opportunity of getting advanced technologized toys, games, cards through which they may be able to learn. Whereas
the rich and middle-class individual would still afford to get their child everything they needs, such as good diet for
their health, excellent quality of life. Good education which would upgrade their generation and builds new
generation with advanced jobs, skills, socialisation teachings. But it is also known that the individuals in the
lower/middle class families are more intended to have family time, which improves their emotional barriers, such as
they would share their feelings with the parents/family members, as the children and the mother stays more
together, that means that they quality time to spend together as they are more connected to one another, whereas
usually in ruling class, the relationship between parents and the children is less connected and they have less
talking/interacting/quality time together, as the parents are more focused on buying homes, making
property/money, which also neglects the relationship between them and the children, children expects to get special
time with their parents, and when parents are unable to provide that, the children may also go into depression,
some may also get rock hearted and feel nothing special between them and parents.
Race and ethnic or national origin
Race is the physical appearance differences that a specific individuals have from each other for example, African
American, British, black, Asian, whereas ethnicity is the culture, caste, nationality, and religion each social group
follows, and it belongs to them. For example, someone may say that their race will be Asian, and their ethnicity
might be British. This helps to identify human, for example, Asian people have a specific identification via national
ethics, such as clothing, facial feature, way of talking. Individuals are not mistreated or mistreated because of their
ethnic background. The abuser may be the racist, who may judge another individual based on their skin colour,
ethnicity. This shows lack of good socialisation skills. To improve this the individual should get educated prior and
understand the value of triggering someone’s self-respect, confidence. As such act may also effect on their mental
health and the effects may be long term too for example, depression. Bullying primarily targets black and Asian
people because they are unique. This act happening to them shows the unethical and unacceptable behaviour from
the individuals who is doing it. As a female, they would be more comfortable with their same gender, or ethnicity,
stereotyping would be when the individual such as Muslim, female they especially require female doctors, or even
sometimes the same ethnicity for them to understand their situation with the same cultures, boundaries as
foundation. The GP may discriminate the patients as the patients may believe that they are not potentially getting
the attention or care they require just because they may think this themselves due to their religion, or national
origin. For example, the Asian women may not the equal time as the white women would get. Communication can
be a barrier to individuals to access health and social care services, this can be due to language differences, and they
may not speak the same language. The discrimination within the healthcare services can be due to some individual’s
impediments and disabilities that can affect their speech or listening the women such as with different language for
example, Asian women may also struggle to speak to the white doctor. It is vital that healthcare services have
solutions for communication dilemmas, so that the individuals are not put off from visiting the services they need.
“In 2021, 32.1% of Bradford residents identified their ethnic group within the "Asian, Asian British or Asian Welsh"
category, up from 26.8% in 2011. In 2021, 61.1% of people in Bradford identified their ethnic group within the
