Sociology Death and Dying Flashcards

William Worden's 'Tasks of Mourning' model differs from Kübler-Ross's stages primarily because it:

Answer: Frames mourning as active work the bereaved must accomplish

Worden's model emphasizes that mourners must actively accomplish four tasks—accepting the loss, processing the pain, adjusting to a new environment, and finding an enduring connection with the deceased.

The concept of 'continuing bonds' in grief theory, introduced by Klass, Silverman, and Nickman, challenges earlier grief models by suggesting that:

Answer: Maintaining a connection with the deceased is healthy and normal

Continuing bonds theory holds that bereaved individuals benefit from maintaining an ongoing relationship with the deceased rather than severing ties, contradicting earlier 'letting go' models.

In the sociology of death, 'sequestration of death' refers to:

Answer: The removal of death and dying from everyday public life into institutional settings

Sequestration of death describes the modern trend of isolating death in hospitals, nursing homes, and funeral homes, making it less visible and familiar to society compared to pre-industrial cultures.

Which sociologist coined the term 'awareness context' to describe patients' and staff's knowledge about a dying patient's condition?

Answer: Barney Glaser and Anselm Strauss

Glaser and Strauss (1965) identified four awareness contexts—closed, suspected, mutual pretense, and open—based on who knows the prognosis and what is openly acknowledged.

Anticipatory grief is best defined as:

Answer: Mourning that begins before the actual death of an anticipated loss

Anticipatory grief occurs when individuals begin mourning in advance of an expected death, such as when a loved one receives a terminal diagnosis.

Sociologist Norbert Elias argued in 'The Loneliness of the Dying' that dying people in modern society often feel isolated because:

Answer: The living are increasingly embarrassed by death and withdraw from the dying

Elias argued that modern discomfort with death leads the living to distance themselves from dying people, leaving them in social isolation at the end of life.

The 'dying trajectory' concept in medical sociology refers to:

Answer: The perceived expected duration and pattern of a patient's dying process

Dying trajectory, developed by Glaser and Strauss, describes how medical staff and families form expectations about how long dying will take and the shape of its course, influencing care decisions.