Question

Explain the study of suicide as carried out by Emile Durkheim and clarify the relationship between suicide and social integration. Explain causality and correlation.

Answer 1

Emile Durkheim explained suicide as determined by the degree of integration (between the individuals) in society and the degree of social control (over individuals). He classified suicide into four types:

1) Egoistic: Durkheim explained egoistic suicide as suicide caused due to the lack of integration of an individual in the society. In certain cases when individuals are not well-integrated into their social circle, they feel alienated and become vulnerable to suicide.

2) Altruistic: Durkheim explained altruistic suicide as the suicide caused as the result of over-integration of an individual into his society. In certain cases when individuals are too attached to their social circles or groups, they don't mind sacrificing their lives for the survival or betterment of the group increasing the possibility of altruistic suicide.

3) Anomic: Durkheim explained anomic suicide as the result of lack of regulation.

4) Fatalistic: Durkheim explained fatalistic suicide as the result of over-regulation in society.

Out of the four types of suicide, two types of suicide (Egoistic and Altruistic) are determined by the degree of social integration (adjustment and agreement between individuals). Low degree of social integration promotes egoistic suicide whereas high degree of social integration promotes altruistic suicide. This implies the importance of balanced social integration in preventing the instances of suicide.

CAUSALITY AND CORRELATION:

Correlation indicates the state of relation between two or more variables. While causation refers to state of change in one variable as caused due to the result of the occurence of the other variable.

Durkheim's theory of suicide implies correlation between the suicide rates and the degree of integration (as both high and low degree of social integration is related to higher suicide rates). The theory also implies the causation between the suicide and degree of integration (as low degree of social integration causes egoistic suicide and high degree of social integration promotes altruistic suicide).