Which sociologist is associated with the concept of egoistic suicide?

Which sociologist is associated with the concept of egoistic suicide?

• A. Karl Marx
• B. Max Weber
• C. Emile Durkheim
• D. Sigmund Freud

Answer: (C)

Egoistic suicide arises when social integration is too weak, and a person feels deeply detached from the social world. Durkheim argued that strong bonds to family, community, and institutions help individuals find meaning and regulate their behavior; when those ties are lacking, individuals can experience isolation and meaninglessness that raise the risk of suicide. This idea sits within Durkheim’s broader framework of how social structure shapes individual actions, alongside other forms he described like altruistic, anomic, and fatalistic suicide, which show what happens when integration or regulation is too high or too disrupted. Because Durkheim laid out this typology and tied it to social connectedness, the concept of egoistic suicide is linked to him. The other thinkers mentioned—Marx, Weber, and Freud—developed influential theories in sociology and psychology, but they did not formulate this specific classification.

Egoistic suicide arises when social integration is too weak, and a person feels deeply detached from the social world. Durkheim argued that strong bonds to family, community, and institutions help individuals find meaning and regulate their behavior; when those ties are lacking, individuals can experience isolation and meaninglessness that raise the risk of suicide. This idea sits within Durkheim’s broader framework of how social structure shapes individual actions, alongside other forms he described like altruistic, anomic, and fatalistic suicide, which show what happens when integration or regulation is too high or too disrupted. Because Durkheim laid out this typology and tied it to social connectedness, the concept of egoistic suicide is linked to him. The other thinkers mentioned—Marx, Weber, and Freud—developed influential theories in sociology and psychology, but they did not formulate this specific classification.