STUDYING
SOCIETY
REVISION
The key parts to this topic
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What is sociology?
Perspectives
Social structure
Social class
Social process
Social issue
Quantitative research
Qualitative research
UNIT 1
• REMEMBER, THERE ARE NO 12
MARK QUESTIONS FOR THIS PART
OF UNIT 1.
• The marks are:
1, 1, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6 (30)
UNIT 1
•Studying Society
•Education
•Family
1 hour 30 (30 mins a
topic – minute a mark)
1.What is sociology?
1. Fill in the missing words:
Sociology is the study of the _______ in which we
live and it examines how we are ___________
and shaped through being members of
___________ and organizations. It concentrates
on the way we ______ society what it is and the
way society makes us what ____ are.
We; influenced; society; groups; make
2. What is society?
• the whole way of life of a group of people
passed from one generation to the next
• a set of written rules regulating what may or
may not be done by members of a society
• A group of people who have common
interests and a distinctive culture
• An informal rule that guides our behaviour in
a particular situation
3. Which of the following is
not an example of British
‘culture’ (way of life)
• Education for all children
• The common usage of pubs as a place to
socialise
• The smoking of shisha pipes
• The importance of sports
4. True or false
Sociologists believe that we
always act in the same way no
matter what the social
situation
5. Identify three
commonly held British
values
Nature vs. nurture
• One of the key questions that sociologists
grapple with is the question of whether or not
we are most influenced by society or genetics.
• Watch the following video clip and answer the
following questions:
1. What type of child is this?
2. Why is the child acting in this way?
3. What does it prove, nature or nurture?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR-cWZ4CChI
SOCIALISATION
The process of learning the norms and value
of our society – how to behave. People’s
socialization will vary according to one’s
gender, ethnicity, religion, social class,
nationality, region etc…
Primary?
Secondary?
ALL OF THESE SOCIALISATION
AGENCIES COULD BE CONSIDERED
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL CONTROL
DO MARXISTS THINK THAT SOCIAL CONTROL IS
A GOOD OR BAD THING AND WHY?
DO FUNCTIONALISTS THINK SOCIAL CONTROL IS
A GOOD OR BAD THING AND WHY?
DO FEMINISTS THINK SOCIAL CONTROL IS A
GOOD OR BAD THING AND WHY?
Perspectives
• Sociological perspectives help us understand
society.
• There are two major types, conflict and
consensus perspectives.
• Conflict perspectives think that society
contains groups that are working against each
other
• Consensus perspectives think that society is
held together by shared norms and values
Conflict or consensus?
Marxists argue that society is split
into different social classes. The
upper social classes are in power
and they act in a way which
reproduces their power and also
reinforces capitalism. The working
classes on the other hand are
exploited and are powerless.
Conflict or consensus?
Functionalists see all the different
parts of society as working
together like the parts of a well
oiled machine. Each part has a
function and they all need to work
well in order for the machine to
work well.
Conflict or consensus?
Feminists argue that society is
deeply patriarchal (male
dominated) and therefore women
are exploited.
Social
stratification
• Societies are divided according to different
groups and these groups can have a powerful
influence on individual’s lives.
• GENDER
• ETHNICITY
• SOCIAL CLASS
What is social class?
-
Social class refers to the socio-economic
position of someone in society.
Your social class depends on both yours and
your family’s background:
Education
Friends
Occupation
Income
GIVE ONE EXAMPLE OF
HOW SOCIAL CLASS
MIGHT AFFECT AN
INDIVIDUAL’S LIFE
What is the difference
between gender and sex?
Gender is a social construction. It is different
depending on the culture and the time.
Different cultures often have different gender
roles.
Sex is the biological difference
GIVE ONE EXAMPLE OF
HOW GENDER MIGHT
AFFECT AN
INDIVIDUAL’S LIFE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VqsbvG40Ww
What is ethnicity?
Ethnicity refers to an individual’s cultural,
national and racial background. EG: AfroAmerican or White British
Often people will have a mixed ethnicity.
GIVE ONE EXAMPLE OF
HOW ETHNICITY
MIGHT AFFECT AN
INDIVIDUAL’S LIFE
• Black people were more likely to be detained
under section 136 of the Mental Health Act
• Chinese communities have one of the highest
rates of inter-ethnic marriages and also have a
record of extremely high academic
achievement.
• For a period of around three decades, experts
have found the prevalence of poor physical
and mental health to be significantly higher
amongst Irish people than that of the general
population.
RESEARCH
METHODS
Unstructured interviews
Observation
QUANTITATIVE
or
QUALITATIVE
Questionnaires
Structured interviews
Unstructured interviews
Observation
ADVANTAGES
AND
DISADVANTAGES?
Questionnaires
Structured interviews
• Interactionists advocate that qualitative
research is the best because it helps sociologists
understand them truly understand individual’s
actions and beliefs because they have the chance
to either observe it first hand or at least allow
people to talk in depth. This approach is high in
validity.
• Positivists argue that sociology should be
studied like a science therefore reliability is the
key. It is vital that the researcher keeps their
distance from the subject and is completely
unbiased.
DEFINE THE FOLLOWING
1 minute a term.
A*-B
Extension – types,
strengths, weaknesses
SAMPLE
REPRESENTATIVE
PILOT
STUDY
PRIMARY
DATA
CLOSED
QUESTIONS
OPEN
QUESTIONS
VALIDITY
Going native
Bias
Hawthorn
effect
RELIABILITY
QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
PARTICIPANT
OBSERVATION
OVERT
OBSERVATION
COVERT
OBSERVATION
TRIANGULATION
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WOULD
YOU USE AND WHY?
• White working class
underachievement in education
WHAT PROBLEMS MIGHT THIS
METHOD FACE?
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WOULD
YOU USE AND WHY?
• Street gang activity
WHAT PROBLEMS MIGHT THIS
METHOD FACE?
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WOULD
YOU USE AND WHY?
• White collar crime
WHAT PROBLEMS MIGHT THIS
METHOD FACE?
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WOULD
YOU USE AND WHY?
• Media violence effects
WHAT PROBLEMS MIGHT THIS
METHOD FACE?
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WOULD
YOU USE AND WHY?
• Domestic violence
WHAT PROBLEMS MIGHT THIS
METHOD FACE?
WHAT RESEARCH METHOD WOULD
YOU USE AND WHY?
• Voting intentions
WHAT PROBLEMS MIGHT THIS
METHOD FACE?
12 mark question
• Discuss how far sociologists
would agree that
qualitative research is the
best methodological
approach.
YES – 50%
NO – 50%