RELIGST 2WW3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Social Reality

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Religious Studies
• Course: RELIGST 2WW3
• Professor: Hisako Omori

Document Summary

That"s what social reality means when it"s constructed: social reality can be distinguished from psychological, biological and physical realities. They"re both different: social reality is learned: individuals learn social reality through social realization. You learn it by growing up, visiting places, etc. Rabbit as chinese zodiac symbol: social realities are plural: they differ in diff social groups, professions, individuals. They differ in different settings: social realities represent a blend of traditional and modern beliefs/values, social realities are not equal: social realities have a relationship with power. These determine which social realities are dominant at a given time or place. Key def and concepts (disease vs. illness): disease: problem from practitioner"s perspective according to kleinman. Illness: is a psychological meaning attributed to disease. Illness behaviour consists of initiation treatment: taking drugs, resting, changing diet, etc. Illness problems: disability/problem it creates in your life. How to behave/how to treat illness dictated by societal norms.