2.3.1 Theory

Question 1

What is post modernity?

Answer 1

Post-modernity refers to the period of time typified by uncertainty, insecurity, diversity and chaos that has progressed from the relatively stable period of modernity

Question 2

What are the five features of post modernity?

Answer 2

1. Diversity
2. Insecurity
3. Globalisation
4. Choice
5. Media saturation

Question 3

What does ____ say about truth in postmodern society?

Answer 3

• Lyotard suggested a ‘myth of truth’ as the truth is so diverse in postmodern society

Question 4

What causes insecurity in a postmodern society?

(4)

Answer 4

• the insecure nature of employment due to rapid technological changes
• scarcity of resources
• global warming
• cultural changes making people feel isolated from their roots

Question 5

Name some of the effects of globalisation in a postmodern world

Answer 5

-displacement of national identities
- growth of transnational organisations
- global warming and war terror

Question 6

What do people have choice over in a postmodern society?

Answer 6

gender, education, families, religion.
- Post modern life is about
choosing what is right for
the individual

Question 7

What does ____ say about media saturation in modern society?

Answer 7

• Baudrillard sees the media as
  creating a ‘hyper-reality’
  where our experiences are
  not real

Question 8

What does Weber say about the impact of theoretical perspecive on objectivity?

Answer 8

Weber suggests
perspective and
methodology can be
separate

Question 9

Who suggests that declaring sociological intentions before research is necessary? And two examples

Answer 9

Gouldner

Marxists - class.
Feminists - Gender

Question 10

What is the Nature of
Scientific Inquiry?

Answer 10

To question without prejudice what is put before them and to test ideas and hypotheses whilst remaining neutral and objective

Question 11

Why does ? argue that the nature of scientific inquiry is not acceptable?

Answer 11

Weber
sociologists have a moral and ethical
duty to ensure that their findings do not cause harm and to challenge
political issues that do.
Sociologists should be citizens first

Question 12

What methodological preference to positivists have?

Answer 12

More modern Positivists prefer objective and scientific research and
look to remain politically and morally neutral

Question 13

What methodological preference do interpretivists have?

Answer 13

Interpretivists look to study
society to understand the different perspectives and to challenge politics and hierarchies in society

Question 14

What does ? argue about the influence on funding bodies on sociology being value free?

Answer 14

Gouldner suggests that funding is given for research into the interests of funding bodies.

Question 15

How does ? suggest that sociology should be objective in data collection?

Answer 15

• Weber
• by removing personalfeelings and prejudices by using open
  questions
• the interpretation of data is
  where unconscious bias and values may be present
• these should be subject to peer review.

Question 16

What are some of the contributions that feminism has made to society?

(3)

Answer 16

• challenging malestream sociology that is made by men to study men.
• controbutions to the role of women at work, in the family, and in education
• feminists movements which have changed social policy (e.g abortion, divorce act 1969, the sex discrimination acr)

Question 17

Who are the main functionalist theorists? (3)

Answer 17

Durkheim, Parsons, Merton

Question 18

What are the main points of functionalism?

(3)

Answer 18

• society is structured on shared norms and values which create **value consensus. **
• functionalism relies on institutions (religion, family, education) to provide primary and secondary socialisation to teach value consensus.
• uses the organic analogy/biological metaphor to describe the role of social institutions in society

Question 19

What do positivists argue about sociology as a science?

Answer 19

Positivists would suggest that
Sociologists can use objective facts. These facts are not able to be
influenced by researchers as long as
appropriate methods are used:
Durkheim’s Suicide

Question 20

What do interpretivists argue about sociology as a science?

Answer 20

Interpretivists would suggest sociology cannot be seen as scientific as human beings do not act in the same way as the elements. They have choices, interpret actions in different ways and people’s self concepts are made up of millions of different interactions which makes them highly unpredictable.

Question 21

What does ____ suggest about sociology being a science, using an example of swans?

Answer 21

Karl Popper - science is falsible.
- He argues that sociology can be a science if sociologists use a deductive approach with an initial theory that has the capacity to be disproved (falsified)
- E.g initial theory that all swans are white until investigated and falsified with a black swan.

Question 22

What does ? argue about science being within a paradigm and the implications for sociology?

Answer 22

Thomas Khun
- Scienctific discoveries are made within a set of shared paradigms so if a discovery goes against this its rejected until evidence overcomes existing paradigm.
- Therefore, sociology isn’t a science as sociologists have different paradigms and don’t all have shared assumptions.

Question 23

How does Karl Marx explain economic control in society?

Answer 23

Economic Control: The Bourgeoisie own the means of production, giving them power over the superstructure, including government, education, and legal systems.

Question 24

How does Karl marx describe worker exploitation and what does he say will happen once they realise?

Answer 24

Worker Exploitation: The Proletariat are exploited due to their need to work to survive, leading to false class consciousness. Marx believed that once workers realized this, they would revolt and establish a communist society.

Question 25

What are social action theories and what are four features?

Answer 25

Social action theories are a framework within sociology that emphasizes the capacity of individuals to act independently and make free choices, based on the interpretation of the social world around them
- micro-scale focus
- interactions
- self perception
- symbolic interpretation

Question 26

Define Micro-Scale Focus Research

Answer 26

Allows for detailed study of groups and individuals, providing a complete understanding of their actions and thoughts.

Question 26

Explain Understanding Self in Social Action Theories

Answer 26

Understanding Self: Focuses on self-perception and how individuals make sense of the world, highlighting the ‘looking glass self’ concept.

Question 26

Explain Interactions in Social Action Theories

Answer 26

Interactions: Emphasizes the importance of interactions with others in shaping behavior, with media and labels having significant impacts.

Question 26

Explain Symbols in Social Action Theories

Answer 26

Symbols: Examines the role of symbols in organizing the social world and the subjective interpretation of these symbols by different social groups.

George Mead

Individuals shape their identities based on the labels that other people attach to them.
Mead believed that each individual interacts with others through the use of symbols.
For example words, facial expressions, hand gestures, etc.

Question 26

Who used the term ‘looking glass self’? What does it mean?

Answer 26

Cooley referred to the ‘looking
glass self’ when describing how people come to make sense of
who they are

Question 27

Why might ideology lead to sociology not influencing social policy?

Answer 27

due to a clash of ideologies between the researcher and the government

Question 28

How do think tanks mean that sociology doesn’t effect social policy?

Answer 28

Think Tanks are often set up to inform governments of possible solutions to issues. These think tanks are often closely associated with government ideologies

Question 29

How does globalisation decrease sociology’s impact on social policy?

Answer 29

• Increased globalisation has
  led to a loss of control from
  individual nation-states, with
  authority given over to
  supra-national governmental
  organisations. e.g IMF or World Bank,
• These may tell the nation to reduce social spending. This is called
  structural adjustment polices.

Question 30

How to lobbying groups influence social policy?

Answer 30

• Many companies pay lobbyists to protect their interests in government
• Companies may make large donations to political parties in order to help them get elected and once in power, lobbyists will monitor
  legislation to ensure that it does not harm a business interests.

Question 31

How does the electoral system influence social policy?

Answer 31

Governments rely on voters to be in power so want to make policies that will make the most people vote for them, especially ‘floating voters’ who may be swayed.

Question 32

What are the five reasons why sociology doesn’t affect social policy?

Answer 32

• ideology
• think tanks
• globalisation
• lobying groups
• electoral system