Module 4: Medical Control and its Influence
Module 4
The reading for Module 4 considers multiple positions related to medical control. We begin overviews of medical control from Chriss (2013), Conrad (1992), and Davis (2010). Frequently, medical control has disproportionately targeted women, and we look to the work of Purdy (2001) to provide a feminist perspective on the issue. In some ways, medical control is so ingrained in society that it is taken for granted rather than viewed as a form of social control. If you find yourself struggling with the concepts of medical control, you’re not alone. Prior students typically identify this material as the most difficult to evaluate and write about during the semester.
Objectives: Module 4
Following the completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Identify and describe medical control and its role in society
- Debate the role of medical control in addressing human behavior
- Analyze the feminist perspective of medicalization as compared to more traditional forms
Assigned Readings: Module 4
Beckett, K., & Herbert, S. (2009). Banished: The new social control in urban America. Oxford University Press.
- The Social Geographies of Banishment (p. 63–85)
Chriss, J. J. (2013). Social control: An introduction (2nd ed.). Polity Press.
- Chapter 4. Medical Control (p. 82–108)
- Chapter 7. Medical Control: Case Studies (p. 164–185)
Lippman, M. (2021). Law and society (3rd ed.). SAGE.
- Chapter 10. The Impact of Law on Society (p. 391–453)
Journal Articles:
- Conrad, P. (1992). Medicalization and social control. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 209–232.
- Davis, J. E. (2010). Medicalization, social control, and the relief of suffering. In W. C. Cockerham (Ed.), The new Blackwell companion to medical sociology (pp. 211–241). Wiley-Blackwell. Download Davis, J. E. (2010). Medicalization, social control, and the relief of suffering. In W. C. Cockerham (Ed.), The new Blackwell companion to medical sociology (pp. 211–241). Wiley-Blackwell.
- Purdy, L. (2001). Medicalization, medical necessity, and feminist medicine. Bioethics, 15(3), 248–261.
- Singh, I. (2011). A disorder of anger and aggression: Children’s perspectives on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the UK. Social Science and Medicine, 73(6), 889–896.
Assessment: Module 4
A quiz and a series of questions related to the readings will be used to assess your comprehension and understanding of the concepts discussed in the assigned materials. Responses for Questions 1 and 2 should be 1–2 paragraphs in length (1-page maximum length for each question) and must thoroughly address all parts of the assigned questions. Responses to Question 3 should be 1 paragraph in length (approximately half a page).
Your response should be based on your understanding of the material, please provide direct answers to each question, not summaries of the assigned readings. The questions are structured to require that you think analytically and critically about the material when providing your response. The assigned questions are about the theories, ideas, topics, etc. discussed in the readings, not the findings of the individual readings assigned. Assigned readings serve as an example of concepts discussed in the course, but they should not be interpreted as the definitive position related to an area of research. If your response focuses primarily on explaining the results of an assigned reading, it is unlikely that you are addressing the assigned question. If you find yourself simply summarizing or paraphrasing the material described in the reading when addressing the question, stop, review the assigned question, and consider how your response addresses the concepts discussed throughout the module. Additionally, when addressing Question 3, you should be describing the role of the common theme identified in the question present across all assigned articles.
In your answers, do not use direct quotations from any sources. When providing support for your positions or examples to illustrate your points you may draw on the assigned readings, academic journal articles, or books. Please do not reference websites, magazines, newspaper articles, or other non-academic sources. Additionally, support for positions or examples may not be drawn from your individual opinions or experiences (See the “Helpful Information and Examples” page on the course homepage for a discussion of the difference between taking an academic position and a personal opinion.).
Be sure to address all portions of the assigned questions. APA style must be employed in your assignments for citations, formatting, and references. Please include only one combined reference section for all responses. Instances of plagiarism will result in a score of zero for the assignment, and the use of direct quotations will result in a 50% reduction in score.
Dr. Matusiak's description of Questions 1-3
Please answer the questions below:
- Davis (2010) and Purdy (2001) suggest natural human processes have been framed as dysfunctions, which requires society to evaluate the meaning of innovations. Additionally, Purdy encourages individuals to major in the humanities or social sciences rather than science. Based on the assigned readings’ discussion of medicalization and feminist medicine, why would it be more beneficial for future physicians to have a background in the humanities or social sciences? What would an understanding of the humanities or social sciences contribute to medicine? Explain your positions.
- Singh (2011) notes the societal differences between the US and UK in diagnosing and mobilizing ADHD, which leads some to argue that ADHD is more closely associated with de-valued behaviors rather than a medical disorder. Due to this debate, is it problematic that the initial treatment for hyperkinetic impulse disorder (1937) preceded the identification of the disorder (1957)? Why or why not?
In other words, is it a problem that children ingested chemicals at the direction of doctors before doctors knew which disease those chemicals treated? Keep in mind that the question is about the circumstances and history of diagnosing and treating ADHD (previously ADD, hyperkinetic impulse disorder). - The issues discussed by the authors suggest the suppression of specific voices on these issues. Whose voices have been suppressed and why is that important? Explain your reasoning.
Please upload your response here (Module 4) as a Word (.doc or .docx) file. Your response is worth 50 points.
You will have one opportunity to take the Module 4 quiz. You must read the assigned material in Lippman (2021) before attempting the quiz. The quiz is timed (40 minutes), and you will not have sufficient time to hunt for the answers to all questions without first reading the material. The quiz is worth 40 points.
Module 4 is worth a total of 90 points.