The social construction of health and illness | AQA A-Level Sociology

For Specification 7192

AQA A-Level Sociology | Free Revision Notes

Estimated study time: 60–75 minutes

exam questions by topic 👇

The social construction of health and illness A-Level Sociology revision topic introduces a distinctively sociological way of thinking about what it means to be healthy or ill. AQA requires students studying Health to understand sociological explanations of the social construction of health and illness, alongside the related construction of disability and the body and different models of health and illness.  This lesson focuses specifically on how definitions of health and illness can be socially shaped and why variation in those definitions matters sociologically. It provides an important foundation for models of health and illness [Models of health and illness].

Learning Objectives 🎯

By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:

• Define what sociologists mean by the social construction of health and illness.

• Explain why health and illness can be understood as socially defined concepts.

• Examine how definitions of health and illness may vary between social contexts.

• Analyse the relationship between definitions of health and illness and the wider themes of culture, identity, differentiation and power.

• Evaluate sociological explanations of how definitions of health and illness are produced.

Revision Notes 📚

The social construction of health and illness A-Level Sociology revision focus

AQA requires students to be familiar with sociological explanations of:

• the social construction of health

• the social construction of illness

• the social construction of disability and the body

• models of health and illness.

The revision plan separates these into three lessons so that each can be studied carefully. This lesson therefore concentrates on health and illness. The closely related ideas of disability and embodiment are developed in the social construction of disability and the body [The social construction of disability and the body], while alternative ways of understanding health and illness are developed in models of health and illness [Models of health and illness].

What does social construction mean?

In this topic, social construction means examining health and illness as concepts whose definitions and meanings can be shaped by society.

The key sociological idea is that definitions of being healthy or ill do not have to be treated as completely fixed and self-evident. Sociologists can investigate:

• how people decide what counts as health or illness

• whether these definitions are shared by everyone

• whether definitions differ between social contexts

• whether accepted definitions change

• which social processes influence those definitions.

This does not mean that Sociology simply treats physical experiences as imaginary. The focus of the social construction argument is on the meaning, definition and classification of health and illness.

That distinction is important in an exam. A response that simply says, “illness is made up by society”, would not accurately explain social construction.

Health and illness as social definitions

The lesson plan specifically requires you to examine how definitions of health and illness may vary.

If a definition varies according to social context, sociologists can question the idea that there is only one completely fixed social understanding of what counts as being healthy or ill.

A useful way to think about the argument is:

1. A society uses definitions and categories to distinguish health from illness.

2. These definitions exist within a particular social context.

3. Social meanings and expectations may influence how those categories are understood.

4. Definitions may therefore differ or change.

5. Sociology investigates the social processes behind this variation.

The important point is the distinction between simply describing variation and explaining it sociologically.

Saying that definitions differ is description.

Explaining how social factors influence those definitions is sociological explanation.

Why might variation matter sociologically?

AQA requires the two course-wide core themes to run throughout substantive topics:

• socialisation, culture and identity

• social differentiation, power and stratification.

These themes provide useful ways of analysing socially constructed definitions of health and illness.

Socialisation, culture and identity

A sociological approach can ask how ideas about health and illness are connected to the wider culture within which people live.

This links naturally to the self, identity and difference [The self, identity and difference], where the course examines the way identity and difference can be socially caused and socially constructed.

For health and illness, questions could include:

• How might socially learned meanings influence ideas about what is normal or abnormal?

• Might definitions differ where cultural expectations differ?

• How might people's identities affect their experiences or interpretations of health and illness?

These are sociological questions because they move beyond the individual and examine the wider social setting in which definitions develop.

Social differentiation, power and stratification

AQA also requires students to apply social differentiation, power and stratification across substantive topics.

When studying the construction of health and illness, this means considering whether definitions and experiences are the same for all social groups.

It also encourages questions about power. For example, a sociological analysis can consider which groups or institutions have greater influence over accepted definitions of health and illness.

This provides an important foundation for later Health lessons on the unequal distribution of health chances, including social class and health chances [Social class and health chances], gender and health chances [Gender and health chances] and ethnicity, region and health chances [Ethnicity, region and health chances].

At this stage, however, you should keep the focus on the definitions of health and illness rather than moving into detailed explanations of unequal health outcomes.

Social construction does not mean that definitions are random

A socially constructed definition is not simply an individual's personal opinion.

Sociology is concerned with the relationship between individuals and their social context. A socially constructed definition can become widely understood or accepted within a particular social setting.

Therefore, there is an important distinction between:

	Individual opinion	Socially constructed definition
Main focus	What one person thinks	Meanings produced within a social context
Sociological interest	Limited if considered alone	How wider social processes influence definitions
Possibility of variation	Individuals may disagree	Definitions may vary between social contexts
Key question	“What do I think?”	“How has this definition come to be understood socially?”

This is why good Sociology answers move beyond individual beliefs and focus on the relationship between social context and meaning.

Variation and social construction

Evidence that definitions vary can be important because it encourages sociologists to ask why one definition rather than another is accepted.

The AQA specification requires a focus on contemporary UK society while allowing comparative dimensions where relevant. It also requires students to consider both evidence and sociological explanations for the substantive topics they study.

For revision, separate these two jobs:

Evidence of variation asks:

Do definitions differ or change?

Sociological explanation asks:

Why do these differences exist, and what social processes help to produce them?

That distinction can strengthen examination answers because simply identifying variation does not explain it.

Health and illness are related but distinct concepts

You should avoid using health and illness as though they are automatically interchangeable.

This lesson asks you to examine the social construction of both.

A sociological argument might therefore consider separately:

• how being healthy is defined

• how being ill is defined

• where the boundary between those categories is drawn

• whether the boundary is understood in the same way in every social context.

The significance lies in the process of definition and classification.

Linking social construction to the rest of the Health topic

The concept introduced here provides the starting point for several later areas of the AQA Health option.

Disability and the body

The specification places health, illness, disability and the body together within the same social-construction requirement. Your next step is therefore the social construction of disability and the body [The social construction of disability and the body].

The same broad sociological question applies: how far are meanings and categories shaped within society?

Models of health and illness

AQA also requires different models of health and illness to be studied. These provide another way of examining how health and illness can be understood and explained.

Do not attempt to substitute “social construction” for every model. Instead, use models of health and illness [Models of health and illness] to compare different approaches once you have studied them.

Mental illness

Questions about definitions become particularly relevant when you later consider the nature of mental illness [The nature of mental illness], another explicit part of the Health specification.

Keep these parts of the course connected, but do not merge them into one answer unless the examination question requires it.

Applying the course-wide sociological themes

AQA specifies several wider ideas that should run through the whole course, including:

• conflict and consensus

• social structure and social action

• the role of values

• sociological theories and perspectives.

For this lesson, these should function as analytical questions, rather than as separate topics to memorise.

For example:

Structure and action: How far are definitions shaped by wider social forces, and what part is played by individuals?

Conflict and consensus: Are definitions of health and illness generally shared, or might different groups disagree?

Power: Who has greater influence over definitions that become socially accepted?

Values: Can ideas about what should count as normal, healthy or ill be completely separated from social values?

These questions help turn basic description into sociological analysis.

Evaluating the social construction argument

Evaluation means doing more than saying that an argument is “good” or “bad”.

For this topic, one useful evaluative issue is whether variation itself is sufficient evidence of social construction.

If definitions differ, this supports the argument that they are not socially understood in exactly the same way everywhere. However, simply identifying variation does not tell us why it occurs.

A stronger sociological answer therefore needs to:

1. Identify the definition or meaning being discussed.

2. Show that it can vary or be socially shaped.

3. Explain the social processes that could account for the variation.

4. Analyse the significance of culture, identity, differentiation or power where relevant.

5. Reach a reasoned judgement.

How this knowledge may be used in an examination

AQA assesses three assessment objectives across A-Level Sociology:

• AO1: knowledge and understanding of sociological theories, concepts and evidence

• AO2: application of sociological knowledge to issues

• AO3: analysis and evaluation, including presenting arguments, making judgements and drawing conclusions.

For social construction questions:

AO1 could involve accurately explaining the concept and the idea that definitions may vary.

AO2 could involve applying social construction to information supplied in a question or item.

AO3 could involve explaining why variation occurs, considering alternative interpretations and judging how strongly the evidence supports a social-construction argument.

A strong answer therefore should not stop with:

“Health is socially constructed because definitions are different.”

Instead, develop the chain of reasoning:

definitions vary → variation requires sociological explanation → social context can influence definitions → this supports a socially constructed understanding.

Key Words 🔑

Key word	Student-friendly definition	How it may be used in an exam
Social construction	The idea that meanings and definitions, including definitions of health and illness, are shaped within a social context rather than simply being treated as fixed.	Explain why definitions of health or illness may vary.
Health	One of the central concepts in this topic whose meaning and social definition sociologists examine.	Questions may require you to analyse how being regarded as healthy is socially defined.
Illness	A category concerning being regarded as ill whose definition can be examined sociologically.	Use when explaining how classifications of illness can be socially shaped.
Socialisation	A course-wide concept relevant to understanding how socially shared meanings may be learned.	Link definitions of health and illness to the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity where relevant.
Social differentiation	The existence of social differences between groups.	Consider whether definitions or experiences are the same across social groups.
Power	A core theme concerned with the capacity of individuals or groups to influence social life.	Analyse who may have greater influence over accepted definitions.
Stratification	Structured social inequalities between groups.	Link health to the wider AQA theme of social differentiation, power and stratification where appropriate.

Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake: Saying that “socially constructed” means health and illness are not real

Why this is incorrect: The topic concerns the social definition and meaning of health and illness. The argument is not adequately explained by simply claiming that illness is invented or imaginary.

How to improve: Use language such as “definitions may be socially shaped”, “meanings may vary” and “social context can influence classification”.

Mistake: Treating definitions of health and illness as completely fixed

Why this is incorrect: One of the explicit learning objectives is to examine how definitions of health and illness may vary.

How to improve: When revising, repeatedly ask whether a definition could differ between social contexts and what that variation would suggest sociologically.

Mistake: Describing variation without explaining it

Why this is incorrect: Showing that definitions vary is not the same as giving a sociological explanation of that variation.

How to improve: Use a chain of reasoning:

variation → social context → sociological explanation → significance

Mistake: Ignoring the course-wide themes

Why this is incorrect: AQA requires socialisation, culture and identity and social differentiation, power and stratification to be integral themes across substantive topics.

How to improve: Consider whether culture, identity, differentiation or power helps analyse the definition being discussed.

Mistake: Drifting into later Health lessons

Why this is incorrect: The Health topic includes several connected but distinct requirements. Detailed inequalities in health chances, healthcare access, mental illness and the role of medicine are separate areas of the revision plan.

How to improve: Answer the exact question. If it asks about the social construction of health and illness, keep definitions and their social production at the centre of the response.

Mistake: Giving an assertion instead of evaluation

Why this is incorrect: Writing “this proves health is socially constructed” does not analyse the strength of the argument.

How to improve: Ask what the evidence actually establishes. Variation can support a social-construction argument, but an effective answer should also explain why the variation occurs before reaching a conclusion.

Exam-Style Questions ✍️

Question 1

Define what sociologists mean by the social construction of health and illness. [2 marks]

Question 2

Explain two reasons why variation in definitions of health and illness is sociologically significant. [4 marks]

Question 3

A sociologist finds that two social settings use different definitions when deciding whether the same condition should be classified as an illness.

Using the concept of social construction, explain what this difference could suggest about definitions of illness. [4 marks]

Question 4

Explain how the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity may be relevant to the sociological study of definitions of health and illness. [6 marks]

Question 5

Explain how social differentiation and power could be used when analysing the social construction of health and illness. [6 marks]

Question 6

Analyse why evidence that definitions of health and illness vary does not, by itself, provide a complete sociological explanation. [8 marks]

Question 7

Evaluate the view that variation in definitions of health and illness supports the argument that health and illness are socially constructed. [10 marks]

Question 8

Read the following hypothetical source:

In one social context, a particular state is officially treated as an illness. In another social context, the same state is not classified in this way. Within each context, most people accept the prevailing definition.

Using the source and your knowledge of Sociology, analyse how the example illustrates the social construction of illness. [10 marks]

Answers and indicative mark scheme

Question 1

Award up to 2 marks for an answer explaining that social construction refers to health and illness being understood through socially shaped definitions or meanings, with recognition that these definitions may vary rather than being treated as completely fixed.

Question 2

Possible points include:

• Variation suggests definitions are related to social context.

• Variation raises the sociological question of how definitions are produced.

• Different meanings can be analysed through culture and identity.

• Differences can also raise questions about social differentiation and power.

Award credit for two explained points rather than two unsupported assertions.

Question 3

A developed answer should explain that the different classifications suggest that the category of illness is not being socially understood in exactly the same way in both settings. The response should connect the variation explicitly to social context and the production of definitions.

Simply repeating that “they have different definitions” would be descriptive rather than explanatory.

Question 4

Indicative content:

• AQA identifies socialisation, culture and identity as a core theme.

• Definitions of health and illness exist within a wider cultural and social context.

• Sociologists can investigate how socially shared meanings develop.

• Identity may also be relevant to how people understand or experience categories of health and illness.

Higher-quality answers should clearly connect the core theme to social construction rather than describing socialisation generally.

Question 5

Indicative content:

• Different social groups may not necessarily understand health and illness identically.

• Social differentiation encourages examination of differences between groups.

• Power raises questions about who has influence over accepted definitions.

• A sociological explanation should analyse how these wider social relationships may shape meanings.

Do not reward lengthy discussion of health inequalities unless it is clearly connected to the definition of health or illness.

Question 6

A strong response should recognise that evidence of variation shows that definitions are not identical in every social context, which is relevant to social construction.

However, variation alone does not explain:

• why definitions differ

• which social processes produce the difference

• how culture or identity may be involved

• whether differentiation or power is significant.

The strongest responses distinguish clearly between evidence of variation and a sociological explanation of variation.

Question 7

Indicative content could include:

• Variation is consistent with the idea that definitions are socially shaped.

• If definitions differ according to social context, they cannot simply be assumed to have one universally shared social meaning.

• Evidence of variation therefore provides support for a social-construction approach.

• However, variation itself does not identify its cause.

• A convincing sociological explanation must account for how and why particular definitions develop.

• A reasoned conclusion should judge how far evidence of variation supports the claim rather than treating it as automatic proof.

For the highest quality response, build an argument and finish with a clear judgement rather than presenting disconnected points.

Question 8

The source contains three important application points:

1. The same state receives different classifications. This demonstrates variation in definitions.

2. The classifications occur in different social contexts. This allows the variation to be connected to social context.

3. The definition is widely accepted within each setting. This shows that social construction is not simply a matter of one individual's opinion.

A developed response should explain that the source illustrates how meanings and classifications can become socially established within particular settings while still varying between settings.

For stronger analysis, connect the example to relevant AQA core themes such as culture, identity or power, while keeping the central focus on the social construction of illness.