Interpretivism and Suicide

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  • Created by: Megan
  • Created on: 06-05-15 15:44
How do nterpretivists argue you can understand an action ?
By looking at the meanings, motivation, decisions and individual circumstances of the actor
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What do interpretivists argue social behavour is?
Unpredictable and vaired, it is never formulaic
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How do interpretivists argue suicide can be understood?
through the interpretations of others affected by the death e.g. friends, family, doctors, coroners etc.
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What is meant by suicide being a social construction?
Suicide is decided by the coroner, police etc. and suicide statistics can be influenced by the people left behind
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On what two grounds does DOUGLAS criticise Durkheims study on suicide?
1)The use of suicide statistics 2)Actors meanings and qualitative data
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Why does DOUGLAS criticise Durkheims use of suicide statistics?
The decision to classify a death as suicide is influenced by social factors e.g low suicide rates in well integrated people may have friends who will hide the note/deny it was suicide. Thus there may not be less suicides in highly integrated people
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Why does DOUGLAS criticise Durkheim on the grounds of actors meanings and qualitative data?
Criticises him for presuming that suicide has one fixed meaning, and the meanings of suicide can vary across cultures. He argues qualitative methods should be used to fully understand suicide
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Give a criticism of Douglas' work on suicide
There is no reason to believe that sociologists are any better than coroners at interpreting the dead persons meanings
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What does ATKINSON look at?
How the decision to label a death as suicide is reached by the coroner
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How did ATKINSON gather his information?
By using a range of qualitative methods, incl. conversations with coroners, observations of inquests and examination of court records
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What did ATKINSON conclude about coroners from his research?
They have a commonsense theory about the typical suicide. This incudes what type of person commits suicide and why, and what their typical mode of death is. If a case fits their theory it is catergorised as suicide
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what 4 types of evidence are coroners influenced by when catergorising a death as suicide?
1)Suicide note - shows intention 2)Mode of death -hanging is typical 3)Location & Circumstances 4)Life history and mental condition
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If Atkinson is correct about coroners, why does this pose a serious problem for Durkheim and people who treat stats. as facts?
All they are doing is spelling out the coroners' theories about suicide e.g. if coroners believe typical suicides are socially isolated people, more of these will end up in the statistics.Thus not discovering the cause
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Card 2

Front

What do interpretivists argue social behavour is?

Back

Unpredictable and vaired, it is never formulaic

Card 3

Front

How do interpretivists argue suicide can be understood?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is meant by suicide being a social construction?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

On what two grounds does DOUGLAS criticise Durkheims study on suicide?

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Preview of the front of card 5
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