1. SS368 Studying Dying, Death, and Bereavement

2. Current Interest in Death & Dying
Death denying society
We remove sickness and death from everyday life
Where do most death occur?
How we explain
our reactions to death?
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3. Death happens 55 million times each year throughout the world
2.3 million times annually in the United States
Increase in (study of death) in contemporary society is due to…
Any ideas to why?
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4. The mystery of death
How are we socialized to deal with death on personal and emotional levels?
Ethical issues
Terry Schiavo - the disconnection of life-supporting equipment
Popular culture
Dr. Jack Kevorkian – physician assisted suicide
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5. Death Education
The topic of Death and Dying came into its own in the 1970s
Offered in psychology, sociology, social work, religious studies, philosophy, and health education department
Goals
Increase knowledge about the professions involved with death e.g., funeral directors, medical personnel, and governmental organizations
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6. Mortality Statistics What are the causes of death in this country?
What do we do to promote healthy living?
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7. Approaches to Studying Death and Dying
Natural sciences
Biological approach (structure and function)
Medical issues, environmental causes
Social sciences
Sociological approach
Anthropological and psychological approaches
Humanities – literature, music, history and philosophy
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8. Biological Approach Biology is the study of life
The process of dying is primarily a biological process – something that the body does to the person
Respond to the meaning of the biology rather than to the biology per se
Decisions are made based upon the biological condition
Behavior follows from the meaning
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9. Psychological Approach
Examines the experiences of pain, death anxiety, and the emotional stages in dying
Life stages – death from a developmental perspective
Cradle to grave
Death denial
Death through the eyes of children, adolescents, and adults
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10. Psychoanalytic Perspective
Comes out of psychology and bases much of its argument on the unconscious portion of the mind
This approach looks back into the patient's past to help explain current behavior so that they can cope with both death and dying
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11. Philosophical Approach
Socrates “welcomes death”
Death is not an end,
but a transition
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12. Anthropological Approach
Anthropology – the study of humankind
Study rituals looks at the cultural values, emotional responses by which people live, prepare for how the body will be dispose during the final disposition and die
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13. Sociological Approach
Four Theories
Structural-functional approach
Conflict theory
Social exchange theory
Symbolic interaction theory
3 and 4 examines the individual in society and they are required to develop empathy for the subjects they study
1 and 2 examines social facts, institutions and forces
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14. Structural-Functional Theory
Assumes that society is in a state of equilibrium and that the various social institutions (e.g., family, religion, economy, and politics) function on behalf of each other and depict how a particular death ritual maintains social structure
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15. Conflict Theory
Points out the inequality in the availability and quality of medical care and the differential death rates
Focuses on competition, conflict, and dissension tat result when individuals and groups compete for limited societal resources
What do you think that means?
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16. Symbolic Interaction
Contends that human behavior involves a subjective and interpretative interaction with others that attempts to exchange symbolic and nonsymbolic rewards
Symbols (meanings) are a basic component of human behavior
People interact with each other based on their understanding of the meanings of social situations and their perceptions of what others expect of them within these situations
What are some of the symbols that represent death?
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17. Good Night!! Great Class! Please email me with questions
Have a great week!