Social Problem

Definition:
A social problem is any condition or
behavior that has negative consequences for
large numbers of people and that is
generally recognized as a condition or
behavior that needs to be addressed.
A social issue can be considered as
a problem that influences many people and
many people strive to solve the issue.
A social problem is that influences many
individuals within a society. It's a
common problem we see happening in our
society.
Social Problem • (also called a social issue or
social ill) • Refers to an issue that influences and
is opposed by a considerable number of
individuals within a society.
Individual problems
Social problems Affects large population
A social problem is a problem that influences many citizens
within a society. It is a common problem in present-day
society and one that many people strive to solve. It is often
the consequence of factors extending beyond an individual's
control. Social issues are the source of a conflicting opinion
on the grounds of what is perceived as morally correct or
incorrect personal life or interpersonal social life decisions.
Social issues are distinguished from economic issues;
however, some issues (such as immigration) have both social
and economic aspects. There are also issues that do not fall
into either category. There can be disagreements about what
social issues are worth solving, or which should take
precedence. Different individuals and different societies
have different perceptions.
The objective component is this: For any condition or
behavior to be considered a social problem, it must have
negative consequences for large numbers of people, as
each chapter of this book discusses. How do we know if a
social problem has negative consequences? Reasonable
people can and do disagree on whether such consequences
exist and, if so, on their extent and seriousness, but
ordinarily a body of data accumulates—from work by
academic researchers, government agencies, and other
sources—that strongly points to extensive and serious
consequences. The reasons for these consequences are
often hotly debated, and sometimes, as we shall see in
certain chapters in this book, sometimes the very existence
of these consequences is disputed
The history of attention given to rape and sexual assault in the United
States before and after the 1970s provides an example of this latter
situation. These acts of sexual violence against women have probably
occurred from the beginning of humanity and certainly were very
common in the United States before the 1970s. Although men were
sometimes arrested and prosecuted for rape and sexual assault, sexual
violence was otherwise ignored by legal policymakers and received
little attention in college textbooks and the news media, and many
people thought that rape and sexual assault were just something that
happened (Allison & Wrightsman, 1993). Thus although sexual violence
existed, it was not considered a social problem. When the contemporary
women’s movement began in the late 1970s, it soon focused on rape and
sexual assault as serious crimes and as manifestations of women’s
inequality. Thanks to this focus, rape and sexual assault eventually
entered the public consciousness, views of these crimes began to
change, and legal policymakers began to give them more attention. In
short, sexual violence against women became a social problem.
When is a social problem a social
problem?
According to some sociologists who adopt
this view, negative conditions and behaviors
are not a social problem unless they are
recognized as such by policymakers, large
numbers of lay citizens, or other segments
of our society; these sociologists would thus
say that rape and sexual assault before the
1970s were not a social problem because
our society as a whole paid them little
attention.
 How do we define a social problem?
Not all social conditions become elevated to the
status of “ social problem” For example, some
objective conditions which exist today not all of
them are considered social- problems.
Social Problems vary in time and space. There is
a general agreement that four conditions must be
met before an objective reality in the greater
society becomes elevated to the special status of
‘social problems’ They are as follows-
1.The objective condition must be
perceived to be a social problem publicly.
i.e. There must be some public out cry.
People must become actively involved in
discussing the problem. Public attention
becomes directed towards that social
condition.
2.The condition must involve a gap
between social ideals and social reality. i.e.
The condition must run counter to the
values of the larger society. Gender
discrimination
3.A significant proportion of the population
must be involved in defining the problem ( a
large proportion of the people must be
concerned about the condition). If only a
small segment of the population gets
involved, you have an interest group pushing
for the general public to do something about
the condition – not a social problem.
4.The condition must be capable of solution
through collective action by people. If no
solution is perceived possible, people will
resign themselves to their fate. Bureaucracy-
Causes of Social Problem
Social problem are the general factors that
affect the society. Social problem often
involve that affect the real life. It also affects
how people react to certain situations. People
practice and promote social evils because
they are ignorant of the adversities. There are
lots of NGO which are working to eliminate
social problem. The awareness program they
introduce do not reach to the actual victims.
Some Causes of Social Problems are
Unemployment:
Unemployment occurs when a person who
is actively searching for employment is
unable to find work. Unemployment is one
of the cause of social problem. It leads to
the frustration. Due to Unemployment,
problems like loot, murder and theft arises.
Lack of Education:
Lack of education is one the cause of social
problem. People without good education are at
risk from a lifetime of poor diet, long manual
working and worsening mental health. Lack of
education can have serious effects on children
and adults and can affect health, living
conditions and social situations. Due to lack of
education people do not take care of themselves
because they are less educated about topics like
family planning and proper hygiene.
Urbanization:
Urbanization is the population shifted from rural to urban
areas. Urbanization creates social, economic and
environmental changes. It is the cause of social problem.
It believed that lives in a city can provide opportunities
and market place competition. As against this, there may
be stress, increase cost of living and negative social
aspects that result from a mass.
Caste Discrimination:
Lost of people are victimized in the name of caste. This
happens people have been divided as touchable and no
touchable. This sort of discrimination occurs because so
called higher caste does not regard others as follow
human being.
They are not aware that every one is born equal. Lack
of education, remaining stuck old traditions and
unwillingness to change.
Lack of guidance to youngsters:
Many of the younger generation fall easily to bad habit.
In the absence of proper guidance and counseling they
are involved in various anti social behavior like
robbery, murder and kidnaping etc. They prefer
expensive gadget just to exhibit them in front of their
friends. They feel proud when they give a false
impression of being rich and wealthy. Parents, teachers
and educated members of the society should give
proper guidance and advise them.
Solution of Social Problem
By providing education, skill training and job
opportunities in a society.
Increase the education budget.
Provide scholarship opportunities to get the
best achievable education from the top
universal of the world, to all the classes
technical education must be given.
Provide job oriented education, training to the
people by government to solve the problem of
unemployment.
Awareness program should be created about
the family planning and its effect on
population growth.
Various awareness program like drama,
advertisement of alcohol, tobacco etc in media
like television, newspaper, radio etc should be
show to solve social problem.