Chapter 1 : what is sociology?

Question 1

(Part 1 culture and society) A society consists of what?

Answer 1

A group of people who hsare the same culture, who live in the same area and who feel part of a group.

Question 2

(Part 1 culture and society) What is culture?

Answer 2

The learned, shared behaviour of members of society which is passes on from generation to generation.
It consists of ways of behaving which are seen as normal.
It is a way of life of a particular society.

Question 3

What is a norm (and an eg)?(Part 1 culture and society)

Answer 3

Defins appropriate and acceptable behaviour for particular people in particular situations eg there are norms of dress for each gender, age group and social function.

Question 4

What do norms provide?(Part 1 culture and society)

Answer 4

Order in society.
Help to keep social life predictab;e and comprehensible.

Question 5

What are values?(Part 1 culture and society)

Answer 5

Much less specific than norms.
They are general guidlines for behaviour.
A belief that something is important and worthwhile.
A value states what is right and wrong.
Translated into behaviour by range of norms.

Question 6

How do sociologists see shared values?(Part 1 culture and society)

Answer 6

essential for the wellbeing of society.
They argue that shared values produce social solidarity - the cohesion and unity necessary for society to run smoothly.
Without shared values people would be pulling in diferent directions.
The result might be distruption and conflict.

Question 7

What is the definition of sociology?

Answer 7

the study of society and of people and their behaviour

Question 8

Sociologists study a wide range of topics, the AQA, AS and a level specifications include which 4 things?

Answer 8

education
families and households
beliefs in society
crime and deviance

Question 9

In studying topics like education, families, households, beliefs in society, crime and deviance sociologists create what to explain what?

Answer 9

Theories to explain human behaviour and the workings of society.

Question 10

What is the definition of theories in sociology and give an example?

Answer 10

Theories are explainations of the patterns we find in society.
Eg we may have a theory as to why there are differences in girls and boys achiebement levels in school.

Question 11

Sociology is a what based subject? This means it is not what ….. and must be what?

Answer 11

Sociology is an evidence-based subject.
This means it is not just about the sociologists personal opinion or pet theory - our opinions and theorys must be backed up by facts about society.

Question 12

Sociologists collect evidence how… by carrying out what… to establish what?
What makes a good theory?

Answer 12

Sociologists therefore collect evidence methodically by carrying out research to establish wheather their theories are correct.
A good theory is one that explains the available evidence.

Question 13

As well as producing theories about society, sociology has what? Give an example?
Governments may use the findings of sociological research to develop what?

Answer 13

Practical applications.
Eg if we know the causes of social problems such as educational under-achievement, we may br able to use this knowledge to design social policies to improve children’s educaztional opportunities.
More effective policies.

Question 14

People disagree about wheather our behaviour is what of two things?

Answer 14

‘natural’ / innate (inborn)
nurture - that is our upbringing in society

Question 15

What is an instinct… give an example? Some biologists argue that b ehaviour is mainly shaped by what?

Answer 15

An instinct is an innate, fixed, pre-programmed pattern of behaviour shared by all members of a given species.
Eg all blackbirds are ‘programmed’ to produce the same song patterns and a blackbird reared in isolation from others will still produce the same song.
Natural insticts.

Question 16

Instictive behaviour doesnt have to be what? Many insticts are an automatic response to what… give an example?

Answer 16

Instinctive behaviour doesn’t have to be learned.
Many instincts are an automatic response to particular stimuli in the environment, such as birds migrating as the seasons change.
These behaviours are not learned and the animal apparently have no control over them.

Question 17

Many biologists argue that, like animal behaviour, our behaviour is what… give an example?

Answer 17

Many biologists argue that, like animal behaviour, our behaviour too is governed by instinct.
Eg they claim that humans have natural instincts for reproduction and self-preservation and that women have a maternal instinct for childbearing and rearing.

Question 18

However, sociologists question whether human behaviour really is governed by what? They point out what on the whole what is not fixed biologically?

Answer 18

However, sociologists question whether human behaviour really is governed by insticts. They point out that on the whole our behaviour is not fixed biologically.

Question 19

Although we may all poses the same biological urges or drives, the way we act on them varies between individuals and societies. Give 3 examples?

Answer 19

1) Although we all have a sex drive the way we satisfy it can vary from promiscuity to monogamy, polygamy etc or we may choose to remain celibate.
2) We have a drive for self-preservation yet some people choose to comiy suicide or risk their lives in war.
3) Women are said to have a maternazl instinct yet some choose to abandon or abuse their children - and today over a fith of all women in Britain choose not to have children at all.

Question 20

What is an argument against our behvaiour being determined by instincts?

Answer 20

If our behaviour really was determined by instincts we would not expect to find such enormous variations in behaviour between individuals and societies.

Question 21

What do sociologists argue the reason for variations in our behaviour is caused by that is not instincts?
How and when is this learned?

Answer 21

Sociologists argue that the reason for these variations is that our behvaiour is learned rather than instinctive.
Much of this learning occurs in our early years through contact with other and this has an enormous influence on our behaviour and development.

Question 22

What are 4 examples of things that have to be learned from other members of society?

Answer 22

Eg language, knowledge of right and wrong, practical skills such as dressing oneself, table manners and so on all have to be learned from other members of society.

Question 23

Why do sociologists argue that biology and instincts cannot explain our bahvaiour?
As an alternative way of explaining human behaviour sociologists use what two related ideas ?

Answer 23

Sociologists argue that biology and instincts cannot explain our behaviour because most of it is learened not inborn and because it is not fixed for all members of our species but varies between societies.
As an alternative way of explaining human bahaviour, therefore, sociologists use the two related ideas of culture and socialisation.

Question 24

Sociologists define culture as what?
Culture includes which 8 things that a society regards as important?

Answer 24

Sociologists define culture as all those things that are learned and shared by a group of people and transmitted from generation to generation.
Culture includes all the things that a society regards as important : customs, traditions, language, skills. knowledge, beliefs, norms and values.

Question 25

What is an example of the culture of societies whose way of life is based on hunting?

Answer 25

For example the culture of societies whose way of life is based on hunting will include hunting skills and techniques, knowledge of the habits and movements of game animals and so on.
Similarly such cultures often contain shared beliefs about the spirits of the animals they hunt and how they should be treated.

Question 26

Members of a society share what two things?

Answer 26

Members of a society share norms and values.

Question 27

What are values… what do they tell us? Give an example and a contrast?

Answer 27

Values are general pricipals or goals.
They tell us what is good and what we should aim for.
Eg modern American society places a high value on individual achievement and the accumulation of personal wealth.
By contrast societies such as those of Native American Indians place a high value on individuals fulfilling their duties to the group, including the duty to share their wealth rather than keep it for themselves.

Question 28

While values lay down general principles or guidlines, norms are what? Give an example?

Answer 28

While values lay down general principles or guidlines, norms are the specific rules that govern bahaviour in particular situations.
Eg cultures that place a high value on respect for elders usually have specific rules on how they are to be approached or addressed.
It may not be permissionable to look directly at them when speaking to them, or openly disobey or disagree with them.

Question 29

Each culture has detailed rules or norms governign what… give 4 examples?
What are the two types of norms?

Answer 29

Each culture has detailed rules or norms governing every aspect of behaviour, from food and dress to how we perform our jobs or who we marry.
Some norms such as written laws or rules, are formal
Other norms are informal such as tbale manners

Question 30

If we fail to keep to the norm what might others do? Give an example.

Answer 30

If we fail to keep to a norm others may punish us.
Eg stealing may result in a fine or imprisonment.
Likewise when we uphold a norm we may be rewarded.
Eg obeying the norm that we should work hard at school to earn us a place at uni.

Question 31

Sociologists use the term sanctions to describe what?
Rewards are what type of sanctions while punishments are what type of sanctions?
Sanctions are a form of what?
That is they are a way of ensuring that societies members to what?

Answer 31

Sociologists use the term sanctions to describe anything that encourages people to conform to norms.
Rewards are positive sanctions while punishments are negative sanctions.
Sanctions are a form of social control.
That is they are a way of ensuring that societies members behave has others expect them to.

Question 32

What one culture considers normal or desirable another may see as what?
Give an example.

Answer 32

What one culture considers normal or desirable another may see as unacceptable.
For example in some cultures it is permitted to have several spouses at the same time (polygamy) whereas in others only one is allowed (monogamy).
Similarly, some cultures have taboos on specific foods or rules about what foods may be eaten together.

Question 33

There may also be what variations within society especcially a large complex one such as Britain?
Different groups may have their own what… that vary significantly from what…?
Give an example?

Answer 33

There may also be cultural variations within a society, especially a large complex one such as Britain.
Different groups may have their own subcultures that vary significantly from the mainstream culture.
Eg different religous groups may have different dietry norms as well as different beliefs about the afterlife.

Question 34

Cultures and their norms may do what over time?
Give 5 examples that have all chnaged in the recent past?

Answer 34

Cultures and their norms and values may change over time.
Eg attitudes to a wide range of behaviour including smoking, homosexuality, married women working, cohabitation and sex before marriage have all chnaged in the recent past.

Question 35

We are not born knowing what 4 things that we must learn from other members of society?

Answer 35

We are not born knowing right from wrong, how to speak a language or what type of food we should eat, we are not born with a culturre - instead we must learn it from other members of society.

Question 36

Sociologists refer to this process of learning one’s culture as what?
What is another way of describing socialisation ?

Answer 36

Sociologists refer to this process of learning one’s culture as socialisation:
learning all the things that are necessary for us to be accepted as full members of society.
Another way of describing socialisation is to say it is a process of ‘internalising’ the culture, whereby society ‘gets into’ and becomes part of us.

Question 37

When does socialisation begin and continue?
Sociologists distinguish between what two types of socialisation?

Answer 37

Socialisation begins when we are born and continues throughout life.
Sociologists distinguish between primary and secondary socialisation.

Question 38

What is primary socialisation?

Answer 38

Takes place in the early years of life and occues largely within the family, where we learn language, basic skills and norms.

Question 39

What is secondary socialisation?

Answer 39

Takes place later, at school and wider society.

Question 40

How are primary and secondary socialisation different?
What 3 other agencies of socialisation are there?
Each of these plays a part in what?

Answer 40

Through primary socialisation we learn what is expected of us as members of a family but secondary socialisation introduces us to the more impersonal adult world.
As well as the family and school there are other agencies of socialisation including peer groups the mass media and religion.
Each of these plays a part in transmitting the norms, values and skills we need in order to perform our roles in society.

Question 41

What is a status?

Answer 41

A status is a position in society.

Question 42

What are the two types of statuses… and what are they?

Answer 42

Some statues are ascribed: based on a fixed characteristics that we are born with and cannot normally change such as our sex or ethnicity.
Other statuses are achieved: through our own efforts such as getting into uni or being promoted at work.

Question 43

What is expected by those who occupy a given status?
Give an example?

Answer 43

Those who occupy a given status are expected to follow particular norms of behaviour.
Eg someone occupying the status of teacher is expected to mark students work, trat them fairly, start lessons punctually know their subject and so on.
This set of norms together makes up the role of teacher?

Question 44

What two things does socialisation involve learning?
Give an example between girls and boys?

Answer 44

Socialisation involves not only learning the general culture of society as a whole but also the things we need to perform our particular roles within society.
Eg boys and girls may be socialised differently to prepare them for different gender roles in adulthood.

Question 45

What are the two main views that look at how we are/aren’t the products of society and have no choice in how we act?

Answer 45

The structural view
The social action view

Question 46

How does the structural view see us?
The structural view sees us as behaving how?

Answer 46

Sees us as entirely shaped by the structure of society (the way society is organised or set up).
It sees us as behaving accordingly to society’s norms and expectations, which we internalise through the socialisation process.

Answer 47

In this view society determines our behaviour - we are like puppets on a string, manipulated by society.
This is sometimes described as a macro (large scale) approach because it focuses on how wider society influences us. The emphasis is firmly on the power of society to shape us.