Carlin O’Leary
January 25, 2017
Chapter 1, #2
1. It is important to study social problems because these problems are affecting individuals
and significant groups in a negative way. If we can study these problems we can learn
how they are created and how we can overcome them in ways that will help society as a
whole.
2. Awareness leads people to start social movements because more people learn about the
problem among the society due to the public recognition. If there was no public
recognition of the issues around the world there wouldn’t change throughout these issues.
The awareness brings people together who want to help support the issue they feel
passionately about.
3. It is important to understand a social problem through all three of the paradigms because
each theory analyzes the problem in a different way. Functionalism focuses on the entire
society while symbolic interactionism focuses on how individual interactions impact
society. And conflict theory focuses on the conflict throughout society. As you look at all
three theories of a problem you are going to really understand every aspect of it.
4. While conducting a research you want to be as unbiased as possible in order for your
personal feelings to have no influence on you.
5. Causation is the relationship between cause and effect while correlation is an indication
that a factor might be the cause for another factor.
6. The five pitfalls of statistical analysis are be cautious of headlines, double-check the
definition of terms, investigate the source, beware of selective causes, and watch out for