society

Question 1

define values and give an example

Answer 1

values are the morals that decide how people behave in society. they are different in every culture but some are shared. e.g we say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ due to the value of politeness

Question 2

define roles and give an example of one

Answer 2

roles are positions we are given in society. they determine how we are expected to behave. e.g students have a role of being a student at school but maybe just a child at home

Question 3

define socialisation

Answer 3

the process through which we all learn the values and norms of society. this means we learn what is considered normal and are taught how to act in the specific roles we occupy

Question 4

name two agencies of socialisation

Answer 4

family, media, religion, peer groups, school, work

Question 5

define culture

Answer 5

people who share the same roles, norms and values as eachother

Question 6

define cultural diversity

Answer 6

when people have different roles, values and norms

Question 7

is culture socially constructed? how can you tell?

Answer 7

culture is socially constructed. the fact that there is cultural diversity between societies shows that behaviour is not biological but social.

Question 8

define subculture and give two examples

Answer 8

smaller groups within a larger culture that have their own distinct norms and values. e.g goths, punk, hippies, skinheads and mods

Question 9

what is the nature perspective/ biosocial theory?

Answer 9

our behaviour is mostly caused by our genes and biological factors

Question 10

what is the nurture perspective?

Answer 10

our behaviour is caused by our environment and uobringing

Question 11

what is a feral child?

Answer 11

a child who grew up without any socialisation

Question 12

define perspective

Answer 12

a way of looking at society aka sociological lenses

Question 13

what is value consensus and when is it achieved?

Answer 13

when everyone agrees on what is most important to society. functionalists think this is what keeps society together, functionaling and stable

Question 14

what is the biological analogy and what sociologists believe in it?

Answer 14

an argument made by functionalist sociologists that suggests society is like a human body, like organs, parts of society work together to keep the whole thing working

Question 15

why is functionalism seen as too positive by many sociologists?

Answer 15

it ignores conflicts and struggles. not everyone agrees with or follows the norms and values so, as a result, functionalism does not represent everyone

Question 16

define exploitation

Answer 16

a term used to describe workers not being fairly compensated for their work

Question 17

define profit

Answer 17

money made through the exploitation as owners get the money the worker would have if they could sell the product themself

Question 18

who are the bourgeoisie

Answer 18

the capitalist class who own and control the means of production

Question 19

who are the proletariat?

Answer 19

the working class who sells their labour to the bourgeoisie

Question 20

what two classes did Carl Marx believe that society is split into?

Answer 20

bourgeoisie and proletariat

Question 21

what is the myth of meritocracy and what sociologists believe it is a myth?

Answer 21

society is supposed to be a meritocracy, meaning rewards are given to those who work the hardest. Marxists believe that there are many barriers to success that prove this idea is a myth

Question 22

define gender role socialisation

Answer 22

a term that describes how people are taught different norms and values, based in their sex

Question 23

define patriarchy

Answer 23

a male-dominated society

Question 24

whose struggles do Marxists think society is built on?

Answer 24

the working class who don’t get credit for their work

Question 25

how do interpretivists see society?

Answer 25

they examine society on a micro scale instead of as a whole

Question 26

what does interactionism focus on?

Answer 26

how small scale interactions can have big scale impacts

Question 27

what is labelling and the self fulfilling prophecy? who believes in it?

Answer 27

a concept in interactionalist sociology that argued that we come to understand who we are through the treatment we get from other people

Question 28

what do interactionalists underestimate the impact of?

Answer 28

large institutions and structures in society e.g laws, education and families

Question 29

define stereotype

Answer 29

a common idea or way of seeing a particular thing, group or person. they are often oversimplified, exaggerated or incorrect

Question 30

define underclass and what do the new right see them as?

Answer 30

the poorest and most marginalised in society. the new right uses this term to refer to those who claim benefits and pose a threat to society

Question 31

outline and describe one way that lone parenthood causes crime (3)

Answer 31

a lack of a father figure in the home. the new right suggest that without two parents, children are brought up ‘inadequately socialised’ which leads to antisocial behaviour

Question 32

how does the new right view benefits?

Answer 32

they are against benefits and see them as ‘giving the donkey the carrot’ and removing the motivation (threat of poverty) to work