theories

Question 1

functionalist sociologists

Answer 1

parsons
durkhiem
all functionalists

Question 2

parsons

functionalist

Answer 2

organic analogy - society works like a human body

institutions - religion, education, media, gov

if one of the institutions stops working society will suffer

synoptic links- family - provides primary sociolisation, education - provides secondary education

evaluation - not all institutions work together some institutions have functional automony

Question 3

durkheim

functionalist

Answer 3

in order for society to work there must be state of social order

• value consensus
• social solidarity
• harminous society

synoptic links - willis study - 12 lads - overthrew social order

evaluation - not all members follow value consensus (synoptic link)

Question 4

all functionalist 1

Answer 4

study from a macro perspective
institutions shape individuals

synoptic links - education - education acts as a bridge from family and work life

evaluation - labelling theories argue that it is better to look at society using a micro perspective

Question 5

all functionalists 2

Answer 5

latent functions
functionalism is useful for looking for positive functions in society that arent obvious.

synoptic links - functionalists are able to point out that crime is positive ( boundary maintenance)

evaluation - ignores the blatent functions. doesnt tell us where the institutions come from in the first place, functionalism can be telological.

Question 6

New right general

Answer 6

Society has deteriorated and society is no longer in a state of social order

Synoptic link - Murray - as a result of overgenerous welfare state it has caused the increase in single parents

Evaluation - feminists argue that the new right theorists are trying to reinforce patriarchy by suggesting that society goes back to traditional roots

Question 7

Marx 1

Answer 7

Economic determinism – the bourgeoisie determines everything else that happens in society – base superstructure model - The bourgeoisie are at the top of Capatilist society so they rule over everyone else

Evaluation – micro sociologists believe that society works the other way round, the individuals control institutions

Question 8

Marx 2

Answer 8

False class consciousness – the proletariat are unaware that they’re being exploited – Institutions help spread false class consciousness months of proletariat

Synoptic link – education teachers the hidden curriculum and religion teaches you to accept your place in society

Evaluation – neo-Marxists argue there is a growth of Class consciousness in society ( willis and 12 lads )

Question 9

Marx 3

Answer 9

 communist revolution is needed to deal with the problems of capitalism this means that the proletariat game class consciousness and rebel against the bourgeoisie

 evaluation – communism does not work for example people become greedy and the system becomes corrupt and they lose the incentive to work hard

Question 10

Sommerville and wilkinson

Liberal feminism

Answer 10

Society has now become less patriarchal there has been a Genderquake which is a shakeup of gender in society therefore we now see far more women in senior roles than ever before

Evaluation – still some areas of society that are very patriarchal for example religion and Catholicism

Question 11

Ansley

Marxist fem

Answer 11

Capitalism reinforces patriarchy and the proletariat females are left to suffer

Synoptic link – the studies of families suggests that women are the takers of shit

Evaluation – patriarchy still exists in non-capitalist countries and in Adlers Liberation thesis women are benefiting from the capitalist society women in the top job rows can use their position to commit crime

Question 12

Greer

Rad fem

Answer 12

Women who are forced into heterosexuality when in reality women would be far happier in homosexual relationships woman should aim for separatism. Political feminism is the idea of feminists forming a political party which tries to put these ideas into place

Synoptic link – Dunne and her study of the 37 lesbian couples were found to be more symmetrical

Evaluation – they failed to acknowledge how the position human has improved and the idea of separatism is unrealistic

Question 13

Difference feminism

Answer 13

Women experience patriarchy but experience patriarchy in different ways it should be studied alongside patriarchy in order to get a complete understanding – Intersectionality

Evaluation – it does not matter if you’re black or white, working-class or middle-class it is simply being a woman that is all that matters as patriarchy is patriarchy

Question 14

Mead

Social action theory

Answer 14

Humans go through the interpretive phase where social order is maintained because humans have the ability to interpret situations and then act accordingly

Evaluation – macro theories like Marxism argue that human response is based on how we have been trying to respond. Humans do not actually have free will

Question 15

Cooley

Social action theory

Answer 15

Looking glass self – when we know what type of person we are by looking at how others react to us. This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy

Evaluation – not all people fulfil their prophecy some people actually reject their labels – self rejecting prophecy

Question 16

Goffman

Social action theory

Answer 16

Impression management – is when people change the way they behave in front of others for example people flick from being on stage ( putting a face on ) to off stage ( feeling relaxed and comfortable ) Society works because well in public to act normal (on stage)

Evaluation – hard to distinguish when a person is on or off stage

Question 17

Garfinkel

Social action theory

Answer 17

Indexixality - when people are unclear of the situation
Reflexivity- when people discuss the Unclear situation until it becomes clear
This most important thing in society is to speak the same language so that they can make sense of situations

Evaluation – language is key to society working however he fails to realise that having a shared language is only possible if institutions like family teach us language

Question 18

Baudrillard 1

Postmodernism

Answer 18

Collectivism has been replaced by individualism. Individuals now care more about themselves and society. People pick and mix their identities People no longer form groups based on things like their social class. Institutions help spread false class consciousness amongst the proletariat

Evaluation – collectivism does still exist in society today e g malinowski’s point about people still using religious funerals

Question 19

Baudrillard 2

Postmodernism

Answer 19

Hyperreality – people can no longer distinguish between the media world and the real world.

Evaluation – although technology has improved society it has not changed society that much things like television can aid our real world experience

Question 20

Lyotard

Postmodernism

Answer 20

Society has changed so much that our traditional theories such as functionalism, Marxism, feminism are no longer useful. These theories are all metanarratives meaning they try to explain society with one idea but it can’t be explained like this

EValuation – Oh theories can still be of use for example nuclear families are still coming according to Chester so old theories of the family are still useful

Question 21

Liberal feminism

Sociology and social policy

Answer 21

Early government policies promoted patriarchy now the government is listening to the idea of liberal feminism therefore there are policies that now support women

 synoptic link – for example divorce act, equal pay act

Evaluation – radical feminists reject the view that these changes in law can liberate women radical feminists argue that reformist Nature of liberal feminist is too soft and a revolutionary approach is needed

Question 22

Marxist

Sociology and social policy

Answer 22

Government policies are only there to benefit the bourgeoisie for example the NHS is only there to ensure that the working class are well enough to return to work

Evaluation – social Democrats argue that some policies to benefit the poor for example benefits

Question 23

Functionalism

Sociology And social policy

Answer 23

Functionalists argue that policies that I’m not improve in society for example the Butler act was put in place to make sure that every single child received a secondary education

Evaluation – Marxists argue that functionalists of spiritless technicians

Question 24

New right

Sociology and social policy

Answer 24

They have had some impact on government policies like marriage tax allowance and policies on crime. The government should not be involved in peoples lives to prevent society becoming reliant on the government

Evaluation – post-modernists argue that the new rights want to revert back to tradition but society has now changed far too much for that to happen

Question 25

Comte and durkhiem

Sociology in science

Answer 25

Sociology can be scientific.
Argues that sociology is the Queen of science. Using positivist methodology is very scientific and shows that sociological study is very similar to scientific study. Durkheim studied suicide using official statistics he established trends and patterns about suicide in the same way that scientists would establish trends and patterns about scientific phenomena

Evaluation – mead argues that humans are too complex to be studied scientifically

Question 26

Popper

Sociology in science

Answer 26

Sociology can’t be scientific.
Science is based on fortification but sociology is not. Sociological theories can’t be disapproved in the same way scientific theories can. Marx’s communist revolution is an example of a sociological theory that can’t be disproven

Popper does acknowledge that sociology can be scientific if sociologists made the theories more precise

Question 27

Huhn 

Sociology and science

Answer 27

Sociology can’t be scientific
Science is based on a fixed paradigm but sociology is not. Scientists agree on what to study, how to study and what they should do to find their results. Each theory is criticised by another meaning that a fixed paradigm cannot be formed

EValuation – acknowledges that if sociologists formed a fixed paradigm then it could be more scientific