Interactionalism And Education

Question 1

What is interactionism:

Answer 1

Sociologists that look at the way in which people interact in society

Argue that most of the time people have the free will to create their own identity

Question 2

Labelling:

Answer 2

Judgement is made about a person. Could be based on behaviour, speech yet is often based on ‘snap’ judgement

Becker (1971) was an interactionalist sociologist who looked at labelling in 60 Chicago schools - stated that teachers judged a pupil based on how closely they fitted the idea pupil

Question 3

Setting and Streaming:

Answer 3

Setting - separating students into different ability subject groups

Streaming - separating students into different ability groups for all subjects

Question 4

Subcultures:

Answer 4

A culture within a culture - they share some norms and values with the rest of society and have some of their own

Lacey(1970) used the terms differentiation and polarisation to explain how and why subcultures develop in school

Question 5

Key sociologist: Becker

Answer 5

Looked at labelling in 60 Chicago high schools - stated that teachers judged a pupil based on how closely they fitted their idea of the ideal pupil

Question 6

Key sociologist: Ball

Answer 6

Looked at what happens when streaming is abolished in his study of Beachside Comprehensive

Question 7

Key sociologist: Gilborn and Youdell

Answer 7

Argue that teachers are much more likely to see working class and black students as having lower ability

Question 8

Key sociologist: Lacey

Answer 8

Used the term differentiation and polarisation to explain how and why subcultures develop in school

Question 9

Key sociologist: Archer et al

Answer 9

Nike identify’s - the way in which the working classes seek to gain status in society using heavily branded clothing