Chapter 14 Learning Objectives

What Problems Are on the Way?

In this chapter, students should learn to do the following:

  1. Explain the various methods that can be used to forecast the future of society. These methods include genius forecasting, stimulation methods, and the scenario method, amongst others.
  2. Explain why forecasting is used, and the challenges of trying to forecast future societies and social problems.
  3. Understand how five theoretical perspectives—structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, feminist theory, and social constructionism—can explain future studies and forecasting.
  4. Explain the factors that would explain why certain social problems are prioritized by society.
  5. Describe the projected expectations for social problems tied to the environment, aging, economy, migration, and security.
  6. Describe the social problems related to advances in technology, and explain this relationship.
  7. Explain how changes in technology impact families and communities.
  8. Understand the impact of technology on mass communication, including the Internet.
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