Sociological v. Individualistic Perspective “Suicidology” Lesson
Two Major Sociological Questions The Descriptive Question: What do people do? The Explanatory Question: Why do people do what they do?
List 6 Reasons Why Someone May Seriously Consider Suicide…
How are Feelings Alike? “Unhappiness Theory” of Suicide People commit suicide because they are seriously, chronically, and profoundly unhappy This is an example of an individualistic (or non-sociological) explanation
Why is the rate of suicide higher in California than in Illinois?
Why is the rate of suicide higher in Nevada than in Georgia? Nevada - 18.4 suicide deaths per 100,000 Georgia - 10.4 suicide deaths per 100,000
Top Ten States for Suicide – Reasons? CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics calculated age adjusted suicide rates by state. Here are the 10 most suicidal states in America: 10. Oregon: 15.2 suicides per 100,000 9. Utah: 15.4 suicides per 100,000 8. West Virginia: 15.9 suicides per 100,000 7. Arizona: 16.1 suicides per 100,000 6. Colorado: 16.4 suicides per 100,000 5. Nevada: 18.3 suicides per 100,000 4. Montana: 19.4 suicides per 100,000 3. Wyoming: 19.7 suicides per 100,000 2. New Mexico: 20.4 suicides per 100,000 1. Alaska: 22.1 suicides per 100,000
Sociological v. Individualistic Perspective Sociological explanations = external factors Individualistic (non-sociological) explanations = internal factors