INTL 340 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Leg Before Wicket, Human Genetic Variation, Social Comparison Theory
2 Jul 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Week 3 Class 1
Review: social gradient of health
● not just absolute material deprivation (poverty) but relative deprivation that impacts health
● health exists on a gradient with social inequality
● a “dose-response” effect, all along the social hierarchy, suggests independent effects of
social inequality on health
● correlation has been demonstrated in poor and rich countries, within and between nations;
for men and women
● while absolute rates may improve, disparities can worsen
Hypotheses:
● empowerment, control, leading a life of value, freedom, autonomy (Marmot 2006); social
comparison; social ties, belonging, engagement, cohesion, community supports, social
networks, discrimination
● place-based impacts; community-level
● stress, produced by social conditions; psychosocial impacts of inequality (Wilkinson)
● Macaque studies: stress of social hierarchy
○ stress of low social position/social comparison
● cold studies: intergenerational effects of social position on health
What can be done?
● social policies are heath policies
● can reduce inequality through social policies
● urban planning, mixed-income housing
● open and green spaces
● transportation
● public programs that provide opportunities for wellbeing and flourishing
● intersectoral action
NEW MATERIAL
Week 3: race, racism & health
Race: anthropological perspectives
● “A culturally structured way of looking at, perceiving, and interpreting physical or phenotypic
differences in humans"
● Africa (“clinical” variation) RACE doesn’t equal GENETICS
● Race as socially and culturally “real”, this while RACE doesn’t equal BIOLOGY, “race
becomes biology"
● Long history of subdividing by phenotype of skin color in America
○ social constructions mapped onto physical differences
○ use these categories in health research to show health disparities (teacher believes
this is a conundrum)
○ more about social experience than genetics
○ more genetic variation than is usually acknowledged
US Census “racial” categories
● 5 categories: White; Black or African American; American Indian and Alaska Native; Asian;
and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
○ 1997 revised standards
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Not just absolute material deprivation (poverty) but relative deprivation that impacts health. Health exists on a gradient with social inequality. A dose-response effect, all along the social hierarchy, suggests independent effects of social inequality on health. Correlation has been demonstrated in poor and rich countries, within and between nations; for men and women. While absolute rates may improve, disparities can worsen. Empowerment, control, leading a life of value, freedom, autonomy (marmot 2006); social comparison; social ties, belonging, engagement, cohesion, community supports, social networks, discrimination. Stress, produced by social conditions; psychosocial impacts of inequality (wilkinson) Cold studies: intergenerational effects of social position on health. Public programs that provide opportunities for wellbeing and flourishing. A culturally structured way of looking at, perceiving, and interpreting physical or phenotypic differences in humans" Africa ( clinical variation) race doesn"t equal genetics. Race as socially and culturally real , this while race doesn"t equal biology, race becomes biology"
