Imagine That You Are a Sociology Student in the Early

question 34

Multiple Choice

Imagine that you are a sociology student in the early twentieth century at the University of Chicago. You are trying to come up with an idea for a research project that you can easily conduct without leaving the city. Which of the following projects best embodies the sociological imagination?

• A) You think the tenant in the apartment across the hall is stealing your clothes from the laundry room. You plan to hide in the laundry room to catch him in the act to figure out why he is a thief.
• B) You suspect your older brother has some serious mental problems. You want to show him a series of ink blots and ask him what he thinks they look like. In this way, you will try to gain new insight into his mental health needs.
• C) The sidewalk outside your dormitory is cracked and many people have injured themselves on it. You decide to organize volunteers so that you can repair the damage.
• D) You have observed that the police force is made up almost entirely of a certain immigrant group. You want to interview members of that community and police officers to find out why this group might be drawn to police work.

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Definitions:

Medicalization

The process by which human conditions and problems come to be defined and treated as medical conditions, and thus become subject to medical study, diagnosis, prevention, or treatment.

Mental Health Issue

Conditions that affect a person's thinking, feeling, mood, or behavior, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.

Acute Care

Medical treatment for short-term but severe episodes of illness, injury, or other health conditions, typically in a hospital or emergency care setting.

Epidemic

Occurs when the number of cases of a particular disease during a particular time period is significantly higher than might otherwise be expected.