INTRODUCTION

The sociological model is a theory that explains why people act the way they
do. This social model suggests that our behavior is shaped by our interactions
with others and that we are not simply individuals acting independently.
Instead, we are part of a larger social system and our behavior is influenced
by the norms and expectations of that system. The sociological model is also
known as the social model.
The sociological model emphasizes the role of social factors in shaping
human behavior. This model is useful for understanding how our behavior is
shaped by the groups we belong to and the societies we live in.
Sociological explanation usually employs theories that relate ideas with
observations that are made. When a sociologist demonstrates that a series of
logically interrelated assumptions lead to a conclusion; it is said that a social
event has been explained. Explanation according to Allen (1990) “is primarily a
set of reasons why events occurred the way that it did”, also, scientific or
sociological explanation has one or more generalizations, one or more specific
observations and a conclusion. In generalization, sociologists use concepts
which represent characteristics (or properties) of social phenomenon that is to
be explained.
1. DIFFERENT TYPES OF MODELS WITH EMPHASIS TO SOCIOLOGICAL
MODELS
 Sociological model of voting behavior
 Social model of disability
 The social model of consumer behavior
 The social model of health/illness
Sociological model of voting behavior
Though voting behavior is a complex phenomenon that is shaped by a variety
of factors; the sociological model of voting behavior attempts to explain how
these factors interact to produce different patterns of voting behavior. It
attempts to explain how people vote.
It explains that people will vote for the candidate or party that they believe
will best serve their interests. The sociological model of voting behavior also
postulates that people vote based on their social backgrounds and
demographics. This means that people with similar social backgrounds are
more likely to vote for the same candidate or issue.

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For example, people who are college educated are more likely to vote for the
same candidate. This model is helpful in understanding how people make
their voting decisions, but it does not always accurately predict actual voting
behavior.
Social model of disability
The social model of disability is the belief that disability is caused by the way
society is organized, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference. This
means that disabled people are not intrinsically different from non-disabled
people, but that the barriers they face are created by society. These barriers
can be physical, such as inaccessible buildings; attitudinal, such as negative
attitudes towards disabled people; or institutional, such as discrimination in
employment.
The social model of disability has been developed by disabled people
themselves as a way of understanding and challenging their oppression. It has
been used to campaign for changes in society, such as accessible public
transport and inclusive education, which would enable disabled people to
participate fully in society.
The social model of consumer behavior
The sociological model of consumer behavior is just one way to look at how
people make decisions about what to buy. There are also economic and
psychological models that attempt to explain this same phenomenon.
However, the sociological model is unique in that it focuses on the role that
society plays in shaping our choices as consumers.
In the sociological model of consumer behavior, people are seen as active
participants in the construction of their own social reality. This means that
they are not passive victims of advertising or media messages, but rather they
actively interpret and make use of these messages in their everyday lives.
The social model of consumer behavior emphasizes the role of social factors
in shaping consumers’ choices and decisions. It is based on the idea that
people are social beings who are influenced by their interactions with others.
These interactions can take place in various contexts, such as families, peer
groups, schools, and workplaces.
Many other types of sociological models exist that aim to explain how people
can be affected by their interaction with themselves and the environment.

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The social model of Health/Illness
The sociological model of health has its origins in the work of Max Weber,
who argued that health is a function of one’s socioeconomic status.
The sociological model of health views health and illness as being determined
by social factors such as poverty, unequal access to healthcare, and exposure
to environmental hazards. This model emphasizes the need for social
interventions to improve health and reduce disparities in health outcomes.
For example, someone who is poor and lives in a disadvantaged
neighborhood is more likely to experience poor health than someone who is
wealthy and lives in an affluent neighborhood.
2. DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPLANATION OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL MODELS
 Positivism
 Phenomenology
 Structure and Action Explanation
 Symbolic Interaction
Positivism
Is a term first brought into use by Auguste Comte (1798-1857), it holds that all
knowledge can be based on science and scientific thought and that all
behaviour whether of objects or of people, is subject to general laws. The
possibility of identifying these laws inspired a generation of mid-to late
nineteenth century theorists in many area of knowledge, although the extent
of its influence on writers such as Marx and Durkheim remains under-dispute.
According to John (1999), “the three major models of scientific investigation
which sociologists have taken over from natural sciences are, firstly, that which
sees science as primarily as classificatory, second that which sees science as
the search for laws, and that finally which sees it as concerned with the
establishment of causal relations and sequence. For positivists, “Social Facts”
exist as definite realities and are external to the individual and coercive of the
actor(s). examples are Institutional, Structural, Functional, Group, Conflicts and
Collective explanation.
Phenomenology
The term phenomenology is most closely associated with Edmund Husserl
(1899 – 1938) and in sociology with Alfred Schultz (1899–1959). In this
tradition the belief is that positivism‟s search for social causes is illusory, falling
into the trap of determinism. Phenomenology denies that social behaviour, like
the movement of atoms and molecules, is determined by external forces which

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are beyond human control. For example: Individual, symbolic interactionism
and versetehen Explanation.
Structure and Action Explanation
The debate between the two camps of sociology as regard explanation of
social realities can also be seen as one between the concept of structure and
action. For the Structurist sociology should be the study of the effects of the
structure of society on social life-the macro or large-scale view. Patterns
created by structures such as religion, the family, and organizations or for
Marxists, capitalist relations of production are seen to be the starting point in
explaining anything in society. The analysis begins at a structural level; hence,
some may argue that an increase in unemployment can lead to an increase in
the crime rate, or that social disintegration is the cause of suicide, i.e. social
facts‟ exists as definite realities. If one player decides to change or break the
rules, their opponent will react to this deviant act (by refusing to continue
playing, for example).
Symbolic Interaction
Symbolic interactionism is presented as an explanation emphasizing small
scale understanding of how groups and individuals structure their perceptions
of action and meaning in society. Somewhere in-between is the tradition
emanating from Max Weber, which explores the possibility of uniting theories
of structure and action in society. The founder of symbolic interactionism,
George Herbert Mead (1863-1931), was more interested in psychology than
sociology and some critics say his theory reflect this. Symbolic interactionism
is essentially a theory of socialization. For instance; an image of a stick figure
with a dress means woman, an image of a stick figure without a dress means
man, drawing of a heart means love, a bald eagle means freedom and America
and a stick figure sitting in a chair with a large wheel means handicapped.
3. ESSENCE OF SOCIOLOGICAL MODELS IN EXPLANATION OF THE
SOCIOLOGICAL PHENOMENON
In essence, sociological models are the compass that guides us through the
labyrinth of the social world. They are the product of rigorous research and
analysis, enabling us to understand and analyze various aspects of human
society, social structures, and social interactions.
Is a supposition that intends to consider, analyze, and/or explain objects
of social reality from a sociological perspective, drawing connections between
individual concepts in order to organize and substantiate sociological

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knowledge. Hence, such knowledge is composed of complex theoretical
frameworks and methodology. Is an approach within the field of sociology
that aims to reveal what role human awareness plays in the production of
social action, social situations and social worlds. In essence, phenomenology is
the belief that society is a human construction. The social phenomenology
of Alfred Schütz influenced the development of the social constructionism and
ethnomethodology. It was originally developed by Edmund Husserl.

REFERENCES

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