Smoking in Children
According to Antony Giddens (Sociology, 1989), sociology refers to the study of human social life, groups, and societies. Behavior of individuals as social beings is the subject matter of the concept of sociology. This is an indication that sociology focuses on the study of individuals in social formations and groups, in systematic and scientific ways. From this evaluation, it is appropriate to consider sociology as the study of human social behavior, origins, organization, development, and institutions in the society. Sociological imagination is the ability to focus beyond an individual’s personal issues as the cause of success or failure thus viewing the society as the potential onset of the issues affecting the individual. Sociological imagination is essential in making the necessary changes through critical understanding of the influence of society on the lives of the social beings (Browne, 2011).
Social issue refers to any matter illustrated through factors beyond an individual’s control and immediate social context affecting numerous persons in the society (Andersen & Taylor, 2008). It is also the aspect of community problem or issues because of the concern of the members of the community in relation to the issue. Personal problem, on the other hand, refers to any factor that limits the achievement of the goals and objectives of an individual. These issues have minimal influence on the context of the society thus under the control of the individual experiencing the problems. This indicates that social problem refers to any condition viewed by a section of the society as undesirable. Locus of control refers to the belief by individuals in the power to influence the events in their lives. This concept of psychology relates to the feeling and belief of power in handling, controlling, and influencing events affecting individuals within the society. Another essential concept in the study of sociological imagination is the aspect of personal efficacy. Personal efficacy refers to the power of an individual facilitating the achievement of the desired goals and objectives. This is an indication that personal efficacy is the belief in the ability of an individual to succeed in relation to various situations.
In the illustration of the concept of sociological imagination, Thank you for smoking film is an essential tool. The film was produced in 2005 under the direction of Jason Reitman. The lead actor of the film is Aaron Eckhart acting the role of Nick Naylor. The film is essential because of the focus on the social problem, which is smoking among the young society members.
From the movie, the social problem is smoking. This is because it affects various individuals within the society. Smoking has negative effects to the health and development of an individual. Some of the effects of smoking include development of cancer, lung diseases, and addiction. It is a social problem affecting all members of the society thus, including young members of the community. It is also a social problem because of the factors contributing to its course. These factors are social issues thus beyond the control of an individual. It is a concern for the society just like poverty and crime rates. Smoking in children is one of the current social issues affecting the growth and development of the society thus the need for evaluation and adoption of adequate change measures.
According to research by Angelova et al, (2012), about 84.88 percent of the children were smokers with approximately 30 percent smoking at least ten cigarettes per day. The research exercise focused on about 86 school students between the age of 15 and 18 thus illustrating the extent of smoking in children. In the context of the United States, approximately 26 percent of the population smoke. In this scenario, about 60 percent of the children live in homes with at least one adult smoker the essence of secondhand smoking (Fergusson et al, 2006).
Jason Reitman has dual citizenship for Canada and America. He is the son to Ivan Reitman and Genevieve Robert. Jason is married to Michele Lee as from 2004. His best works are in the context of film directing, screenwriting, and film production. Some of the best films under his direction include Juno, Young Adult, up in the air, and thank you for smoking. Jason was born in Montreal on October 19, 1977. Jason has one child, Josephine Reitman, and two sisters: Catherine and Caroline Reitman (Moss, 2009).
In the examination of this social problem, it is essential to implement the concept of the functionalist theory or functionalism. This focuses on the role of each sector of the society in order to maintain stability within the community. This theory indicates that society does not work on isolated components thus the need for each aspect to play its role and obligation for the achievement of stability and harmony. In the essence of deviant behavior like smoking, the society must adjust in order to maintain stability thus the need for various mechanisms to change the situation. It illustrates the status quo in the aspect of smoking despite the negative impacts of smoking.
From this project, it is essential to learn and understand the components and significance of the concept of social imagination. I also learnt on the difference between personal issues and social problems in through control or power of an individual to influence events in relation to his or her live. I also learnt the concept of personal efficacy and locus of control.
References
Sophie von Stumm et al, (2011). Childhood behavior problems and health at midlife: 35-year follow-up of a Scottish birth cohort. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 52:9 (2011), pp 992–1001.
David M. Fergusson et al, (2006). Childhood social disadvantage and smoking in adulthood: results of a 25-year longitudinal study. Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Angelova et al, (2012). Smoking and Thiocyanates in School Children. Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 10, No 2, pp 52-58.
Browne, K. (2011). An introduction to sociology. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
Andersen, M. L., & Taylor, H. F. (2008). Sociology: Understanding a diverse society. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Moss, S. (2009). The entertainment industry: An introduction. Wallingford: CABI.
