Sociology: Chapter 6

Suicide

how does sociology define suicide?

intentional self inflicted death that’s studied as a form of deviance from prevailing social norms

how does the CDC define suicide?

self directed injurious behavoir with an intention to die as a result of the behavoir

how does WHO define suicide?

an act of self injury with varying degrees of lethal intent

how can suicide intentions be implicit?

accidental death and high-risk behaviors are not included, making it hard to classify as suicide

what country had a suicide rate of 14.1 per 100,000?

the US

true or false: the world has a suicide rate of 8.9 per 100,000

true

has the suicide rate around the world increased or decreased since 2000?

decreased

in what areas is suicide prevalent?

low to middle income countries where theres limited mental health resources

what are the 5 reasons for suicide?

1) mental illness

2) depression

3) alcohol related disorders

4) disruption in social relations

5) chronic pain and illness

in the US males suicide completion rate is 3-4x more likely that who?

females

in males what age does suicide peak at 32 deaths per 100,000?

65+

why do elderly people commit suicide?

age related issues and losses

in females what age does suicide peak at 10 deaths per 100,000?

45-54

what age group has the lowest suicide rate of all age groups?

15-24

in youth, what has happened to the suicide rates over the last 40 years?

rates tripled

in females, patterns of suicide are associated with what mental disorders?

depression, dysthymia, and seasonal affective disorder

are suicide ATTEMPTS higher in males or females?

females

what ethnicity has the highest suicide rates?

american indian and Alaska natives

what gender amongst native americans has the highest suicide rates and why?

men for economic reasons such as being unemployed

what ethnicity has the lowest suicide rates?

asians

white males commit more than what percent of suicides?

70%

whose the most vulnerable overall regarding age, race, gender and relationship status?

older white men that are unmarried or divorced

in what country are the suicide rates for males and females reversed?

china

theres approx 500,000 attempts of suicide each year in what country?

the US

a suicide attempt is considered a what?

cry for help

Maris reported that those that attempt are usually…

young females experiencing depression

what did Jamison (Jamison→ Jam→ healthy→ healthy people) say about suicide regarding mental health?

healthy people do not commit suicide and those with depression that take drugs have higher rates

people with one or more what make up 90-95% of all suicides?

psychiatric illnesses

what are the 5 warning signs of suicide?

1) suicidal threats

2) withdrawal

3) mood swings

4) self destructive behavoir

5) experience of a life crisis or trauma

what did Schneidman have to say about suicide?

suicide is not impulsive but carefully planned

schneidman found that 90% of persons who commit suicide give what within a week of their deaths?

verbal or behavoiral clues

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the purpose of suicide?

to seek a solution

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the goal of suicide?

cessation of consciousness

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the stimulus of suicide?

unbearable psychological pain

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the stressor of suicide?

frustrated psychological pain that pushed you to commit

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the emotions of suicide?

hopelessness and helplessness

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the cognitive state of suicide?

ambivalence where you wish to die yet be rescued

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the perceptual (tunnel vision) state of suicide?

constriction where you feel you need to choose between suffering or dying

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the action behind suicide?

escaping like running away or quitting a job

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the interpersonal act behind suicide?

communication of intent such as clues and behavoirs

regarding psychological commonalities, what is the pattern of suicide?

life long styles of coping such as escaping when things get hard

what did Jerry Jacobs (Mark Jacobs→ spending $→ rationalize spending $$$) focus on?

rationalization for suicide

what are a few ways people rationalize suicide

experience unsolvable problems, socially isolated, ask God for forgiveness, death seems the only solution

whats Gould’s contagion (contagion→ contagious→spread due to exposure)?

exposure to suicide/behavoirs that may result in an increase in suicide and suicidal behavoirs

whats an example of Gould’s contagion?

when celebrities commit suicide, suicide rates increase in the following months

whats Gould’s cluster?

occurrence of a striking number of suicides in a given geographical location

whats an example of Gould’s cluster?

common among adolescent suicide as imitation

what are the two types of clusters according to Haw?

mass and point

mass cluster

media related during a restricted time period linked to an actual or fictional suicide

what does Gibbs says about how disrupted social relations explain suicide?

the greater the incidence of disrupted social relations the higher the suicide rate

point cluster

high number of suicides in a short amount of time

murder-suicide

individual intentionally kills people before killing themselves

whats the demographic (most likely offender) in terms of race, age, and history) for murder/suicide?

white, middle aged or older man with a history of substance abuse

what are the 5 patterns of murder/suicide Stack discovered?

1) frusturated personal relationship

2) ambivalence

3) jealousy

4) separation

5) depression, helplessness and guilt

in what countries is assisted suicide legal?

switzerland, netherlands, luxembourg, canada, spain and belgium

death with dignity

medical aid suicide for terminally ill people

whats an example of a disrupted social relation causing suicide?

wife may experience a role disruption after passing of a spouse so they commit suicide

what are the 3 main criterias for death with dignity?

1) temrinally ill

2) 6 months or less to live

3) not influenced by depression

what 2 forms can assisted suicide assume?

1) deprived of food, water and medicaiton

2) physician prescribes lethal drugs

suicide by cop

involves domestic dispute, threat of lethal force and an edges weapon

who are most likely the victims of suicides by cops?

males that have a gun

what are the 2 goals of victims trying to die via suicide by cop?

1) instrumental

2) expressive

instrumental goal of suicide by cop

escape criminal consequences, escape insurance policies, manipulate partner into lifelong guilt

expressive goal of suicide by cop

rage and revenge, attention, etc.

what are Durkeims 4 types of suicide from his suicide and social integration model?

1) altruistic

2) egotistic

3) anomic

4) fatalistic

altruistic suicide

benefits the interest of the group

is altruistic suicide low or high inetgration?

high

egoistic suicide

enhance their own needs

is egoistic suicide low or high inetgration?

low integration

anomic suicide

response to chaos

is anomic suicide low or high regulation?

low

fatalistic suicide

response to conditions of extreme social regulation

is fatalistic suicide low or high regulation?

high regulation

how does Gibbs and martins Social integration theory explain suicide?

lower status integration leads to higher role conflict which increases stress and thus probability of suicide

what does Farber say about hopelessness and competence regarding suicide?

when hope is lost a persons sense of competence is also lost since we feel like we can’t control what happens to us

is Hirschi’s social bond and control theory an individual or broad explanation for suicide?

individual

what are the 4 componenets of Hirschi’s social bond and control theory?

1) attachment

2) commitment

3) involvement

4) belief

how does hirschi’s social bond and control theory explain suicide?

low attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief can lead to suicide

what does Bachman say about how structural deprivation explains suicide?

structural conditions may direct violence towards self and others

in what ways can structural conditions direct violence towards self?

suicide rate increases with unemployment and poverty since limited opportunity for economic self-sufficiency can intensify frustration

what does Palmer and Humphrey say bout occupational status and suicide?

risk tends to higher in both prestige and low prestige occupations

how does Merton’s strain theory explain suicide?

suicide is an escape from severe stress

how does Aker’s social learning theory explain suicide?

suicidal behavoir is learned from others or reinforced if its brings sympathy

how does clarke and cornish rational choice theory explain suicide?

suicide is views as a caluctaed choice where ending the pain outweighs teh cost

how does Phillip’s imitation explain suicide?

seeing or hearing about suicide in the media and copying it

how does Douglas differential association explain suicide?

suicide happens when a person identifies with someone else who died by suicide