The United States has resulted in activism for social and policy change throughout a great deal of our history. We’ve addressed issues such as women’s suffrage, civil rights, war, the environment, tobacco use and bullying. As with any issue, you will have those who are for and those against proposed changes. Social change research is a necessary factor when attempting to influence policy or change behaviors. If we don’t conduct appropriate research on the area we expect to inflict change, we are likely to make errors as to the cause of behaviors resulting in unsuccessful interventions (McLoughlin & Young, 2005).
Smoking has been a long standing social issue. Even with known health risks, people still continue to engage in the behavior. Schools, communities, and state and federal government agencies have taken to participatory research to encourage smoking cessation and to discourage people from partaking in the risky behavior. Participatory or action research occurs when researchers actively work with a community or group of interest in an effort to understand the issue and hand which then allows them to create effective interventions for change (Nelson, 2016). Vassar College has created an action research team to address tobacco use on campus and other universities are following suit. It is estimated that as many as 30% of college students use tobacco products and more than 40% of college smokers are likely to become full-time smokers (TTAC, 2016). Most of the university action research has aimed at creating a smoke-free campus while also educating students on the negative health effects of tobacco use.
Activist research has also taking a forefront in the anti-tobacco campaign. Those engaging in activist research are both vested in and generally working to change attitudes and beliefs through their research (Nelson, 2016). In the case of smoking, tobacco companies have been known to utilize activist research as a means of pushing their agenda. A large majority of this research goes into marketing and advertising and the tobacco companies have found success just through well-placed signage at convenience stores and other tobacco retailers (Feighery, Ribisl, & Haladjian, 2003). One way they’ve ensured retailers continue to advertise their products is through cash incentives (Feighery et al., 2003) which can be rather difficult for business owners to turn down.
For the most part, social change research has done much good, but research may not always have everyone’s best interest in mind. This type of research is likely to become increasingly common and it is critical that people educate themselves on important issues and critically evaluate research claims and outcomes.
References
Feighery, E. C., Ribisl, K. M., & Haladjian, H. H. (2003). How tobacco companies ensure prime placement of their advertising and products in stores: interviews with retailers about tobacco company incentive programmes. Tobacco Control, 12(), 184-188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tc.12.2.184
McLoughlin, L., & Young, G. (2005). The role of social research in effective social change programs. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 21(), 57-70.
Nelson, A. (2016). Lesson 13: social change/participatory research [Lecture notes]. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/canvas/fa16/21681–14011/content/13_lesson/printlesson.html
TTAC. (2016). College tobacco use: a cause for alarm. Retrieved from http://ttac.org/services/college/facts/alarm.html
I find this post, which focuses on the social change research necessary to decrease the normality of smoking. It really shows how much society has shifted. My grandmother and I were talking just today about how the popularity and social status that was once associated with smoking has shifted dramatically. According to her, at one time from the early to late 1900’s, smoking was the “fad”, it was “cool”; everyone who was anyone smoked. She even recalled having friends and family members who did not like the experience of smoking, yet they would light cigarettes and not inhale, simply for the benefit of being part of the in-crowd. Even from a deceased aunt, my grandmother received a cigarette box and matching ashtray that was meant to be a coffee table ornament and was once a common household item.
That being said, I am in agreement with the idea that smoking needs to be discouraged. Smoking was once of peak popularity due because medical knowledge and technology was not adequately advanced to understand the consequences. However, by the time those consequences were identified, smoking was already too imbedded into our culture. Although the status that is associated with smoking is now far different, the steps of social change research to dissipate the commonality of smoking, I feel, would benefit the greater good.