4.2 Flashcards
what’s a value?
general principles, beliefs or guidelines about how we should live our lives. they tell us what’s right and wrong, good and bad.
different societies have different values; e.g. modern societies such as the UK place a high value on pursuing individual wealth, but tribal societies place more value on the group than individual.
whats a norm?
specific rules or socially accepted standards about how we are expected to behaviour in specific situations.
these can be informal, unwritten rules such as not queue jumping, or formal written rules such as not driving with a certain level of alcohol in your blood.
what’s are mores?
basic, essential normals that society sees as vital for maintaining standards of decency and civilised behaviour.
societies most important moral rules.
e.g. the prohibition against murder.
name 2 social changes that have affected policy development
Public perception of crime: drunk driving
cultural changes and LGBT rights
explain drink driving as an explanation for affecting policy development
over time, views about drunk driving have changed and this has led to changes in laws and policies
made illegal to drink drive in 1925, but no clear definition of what ‘drunk’ meant.
meanwhile car ownership was increasing. in 1951, only 15% if households owned a car, but by 1971, this had risen to 55%. this resulted in more deaths; 5000 in 1950 to 8000 by 1960s
due to public concern about this, the 1967 road safety act introduced a blood alcohol limit of 80g per 100ml blood.
breathalysers
in 1968, the first breathalysers were introduced for road use. this helped reduce road deaths by over 1,100 and series injuries by over 11,00.
the proportion of accidents where alcohol was involved fell from 25% to 15%
tougher laws:
in 1983, the high risk offender scheme was introduced for convicted drivers with an alcohol problem.
campaigns:
explain LGBT rights and how it’s affected policy development
before the 60’s:
for centuries, same-sex sexual activity was condemned as sinful and severely punished by the law due to religion playing a powerful role in shaping people’s values.
1533 Buggary act made sodomy between men punishable by death and men were executed until as late as 1835.
1861, abolished death penalty for sodomy.
by 1954, there were 1000 men in prison for homosexual activities.
the 1967 act
decriminalisation of sexual activity in private between men aged 21 and over.
changes in societies values and attitudes
changes considerably in recent decades and today about 2/3 of population see nothing wrong with same sex relationships, compared with 1/5 or less in 1980’s.
we can see these changes in attitudes in relation to these 3 changes:
individualism - the belief that individuals should have the right to choose how they live their lives as long as they don’t harm others.
equal rights - can be seen in the growth of women’s rights, equal treatment regardless of race, colour or religion.
secularisation - the declining influence of religion in people’s lives. religions have generally opposed homosexuality.
further legal change
- 1994 - age of consent lowered from 21 to 18 and in 2000 it was equalised with heterosexual sex at 16.
- 2005 - civil partnerships for same sex couples.
- 2013 - same sex marriage act.
