The Interpretive Perspective in Medical Sociology: Part I

Abstract

The theoretical perspective in medical sociology continues with the discussion of the interpretive paradigm, a microsociological approach in the study of health. In this first part, a number of microsociological substantive models from social psychology and sociocultural research are presented. After the examination of the basic features and methodological implications of the interpretive perspective, Max Weber’s classical theories are presented, including Weberian social action theory (this is an application of classical sociological theory of social action to explain care and support) and Weber’s Bureaucratic Rationality (this also represents the application of classical theory of Weber to the explanation of organisation of health care). Other substantive theories presented include the health belief model (HBM), a model developed from social psychology to explain health-related behaviours; theory of planned behaviour (TPB), a theory also developed from social psychology to predict behaviour in general, but is now consistently used for health-related behaviours; Suchman’s stages of illness behaviour, a microsociological approach of illness behaviour built on the sick role model; and Andersen’s model of health services utilisation, which includes a number of macro issues influencing health services utilisation.