What is Sociology?

Question 1

What is Sociology?

Answer 1

Sociology is the study of people and their behaviour.

Question 2

Why do sociologist create theories?

Answer 2

Sociologist create theories to explain human behaviour and the workings of society.

Question 3

What are theories?

Answer 3

Theories are explanations of the pattern we find in society.

Question 4

What type of subject is Sociology?

Answer 4

Sociology is an evidence-based subject. This means opinons and theories must be backed up by the facts of society.

Question 5

How and why do Sociologist collect evidence?

Answer 5

Sociologist collect evidence by research to establish whether thoeries are correct. A good theory is one that explains the availbale evidence.

Question 6

What is the beliefs about or behaviour?

Answer 6

That our behaviour is either natural or ‘innate’ (inborn), or whether it is the result of nurture - that is, our upbringing in society.

Question 7

What do biologist argue about with our behaviour?

Answer 7

Biologist argue that behaviour is mainly shaped by natural instincts.

Question 8

What is an instinct?

Answer 8

An instinct is an innate, fixed, pre-programmed pattern of behaviour shared by all members of a given species

Question 9

What is the belief about instinctive behaviour?

Answer 9

Instinctive behaviour doesn’t have to be learned. Many instincts are an automatic response to particular stimuli in the environment.

Question 10

What are examples that biologist use to claim that human behaviour is governed by instinct?

Answer 10

Biologist claim that that humans have natural instincts for reproduction, self-preservation, and that women have a maternal instinct for child-bearing and rearing.

Question 11

What do Sociologists believe that human behaviour is governed by instinct?

Answer 11

Sociologist point out out that as whole our behaviour is not fixed biologically. And although we may all possess the same biological urges or drives, the way we act on them varies between individuals and societies.

Question 12

What are examples that sociologist use that explains that human behaviour id not governed by instinct?

Answer 12

1. Although we have a sex drive, the way we satisfy it can vary: from promiscuity to monogamy, polygamy etc. - or we may choose to become celibate.
2. we have a drive for self-preservation, yet some people choose to commit suicide or risk their lives in war.
3. women are said to have a maternal instinct, yet some choose to abandon or abuse their children - and road over a fifth of women in britain choose not to have children at all.

Question 13

What do sociologist believe about the enormous variations in behaviour between individuals and societies?

Answer 13

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

Question 14

What is an alternative way that sociologist explain human behaviour?

Answer 14

As an alternative way of explaining human behaviour, therefore sociologist use the two related ideas of culture and socialisation.

Question 15

How do sociologist define culture?

Answer 15

Sociologists define culture as all those things that are learned and shared by a society or a group[p of people and transmitted from generation and generation.

Question 16

What does culture include?

Answer 16

Culture includes all things, that a society regards as important, such as customs, tradition, language, skills, knowledge, beliefs, norms and values.

Question 17

What are values?

Answer 17

Values are general principles or goals. they tell us what is good and what we should aim for.

Question 18

What are norms?

Answer 18

Norms are the specific rules that govern behaviour in particular situations.

Question 19

How do sociologist use the term sanctions?

Answer 19

Sociologist use the term sanctions to describe anything that encourages people to conform to norms.

Question 20

What are rewards and punishments?

Answer 20

Rewards are positive sanctions and punishments are negative sanctions.

Question 21

What are sanctions a form of?

Answer 21

Sanctions are a form of control. that is, they are a way of ensuring that society’s members behave as others expect them to.

Question 22

How do cultures and their norms vary greatly?

Answer 22

What one culture considers as normal or desirable, another may see it as unacceptable. For example, it is permitted to have several spouses at the same time, whereas in other only one spose is allowed.

Question 23

What are subcultures?

Answer 23

Subcultures are different groups that vary significantly from their mainstream culture.

Question 24

What is believed about how we gain culture?

Answer 24

That we are not born with a culture - instead we must learn it from members of society.

Question 25

What do sociologist mean about socialisation?

Answer 25

Sociologists refer to the term socialisation by the process of learning one’s culture - learning all the things necessary for us to be accepted as full members of society. And learning the things we need to perform our particular roles within society.

Question 26

What is primary socialistion?

Answer 26

Primary socialisation takes place in the early years of life and occurs largely within the family, where we learn language, basic skills and norms.

Question 27

What is secondary socialisation?

Answer 27

Secondary scalation takes place later, at school and in wider society.

Question 28

What do we learn through primary socialisation?

Answer 28

Through primary socialisation we learn what is expected of us as members of a family.

Question 29

What do we learn through secondary socialisation?

Answer 29

Through secondary socialisation we are introduced to the more impersonal adult world.

Question 30

What are examples of secondary socialisation?

Answer 30

Examples of secondary socialisation is peer groups, the mass media and religion.

Question 31

What is a status?

Answer 31

A status is a position in society.

Question 32

What are the two types of statuses?

Answer 32

The two types of statuses are ascribed and achieved status.

Question 33

What are ascribed status?

Answer 33

Ascribed status are based on fixed characteristics that we are born with and cannot normally change, such as our sex or ethnicity.

Question 34

What are achieved status?

Answer 34

Achieved status are stauses that are achieved through our own efforts, such as getting into university or being promoted at work.

Question 35

What are the people given status expected to follow?

Answer 35

Those who are given a status are expected to follow a particular norms of behaviour. i.e. a status of a teacher is expected to mark students work.

Question 36

What is the structural view?

Answer 36

The structural view sees us as entirely shaped by the structure of society. it sees us as behaving according to society norms and expectations, which we internalise through the socialisation process.

Question 37

What does this view tell us?

Answer 37

That society determines our behaviour - we are like puppets on a string, manipulated by society.

Question 38

What is the strurctural view also described as?

Answer 38

The structural view is 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.

Question 39

What is the social action view?

Answer 39

The social action view sees us as having free will and choice. It emphasises the power of individuals to create society through their actions and interactions.

Question 40

What is the social action view described as?

Answer 40

The social action view is described as a ‘micro’ approach because it focuses on a small-scale, face-to-face interactions between individuals.

Question 41

What do sociologist believe about the structural and social action view?

Answer 41

Most sociologist accept that individuals do not have some degree of choice, as the social action view argues, but that their choices are limited by the structural view of society, as the the structural view argues.

Question 42

How do Functionalist sociologist view society?

Answer 42

Functionalist sociologists see society as based on value consensus; that is, harmony and agreements among its members about basic values.

Question 43

How do functionalist sociologist see society held by?

Answer 43

According to functionalist sociologists, society is held together by a shared culture into which all its members are socialised.

Question 44

What does it mean if a society shares a same culture?

Answer 44

Sharing the same culture integrates individuals into society by giving them a sense of solidarity or ‘fellow feeling’ with others. It enables members of society to agree on goals and how to achieve them and so allows them to cooperate harmoniously.

Question 45

What is another way that Functionalist sociologist see Society?

Answer 45

Functionalist sociologist see society as like a biological organism such as the human body. like a body whose parts fit together and depend on one another, society too is a system of independent parts. Each part performs functions that contribute to the well being of society as a whole.