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social pathology

American  

noun

  1. a social factor, as poverty, old age, or crime, that tends to increase social disorganization and inhibit personal adjustment.

  2. the study of such factors and the social problems they produce.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

One of the more disturbing rat experiments discussed is a study of the effects of crowding on the development of social pathology.

From New York Times Oct. 31, 2022

The challenge is to make sure that the winners aren’t winning by extracting their gains in a way that creates a social pathology that’s bad for everyone.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 28, 2022

Virtually every measure of social pathology continues to gain ground.

From Slate Nov. 18, 2019

It is not a matter of particular acts of cruelty or violence, specific forms of social pathology, or this or that person who has made a disastrous choice.

From The New Yorker Jun. 12, 2017

The problem of crime is one of the great problems of social pathology.

From Sociology and Modern Social Problems by Ellwood, Charles A. (Charles Abram)

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