NZQA Expiring unit standard
Title
8992 version 3
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Analyse and evaluate the relevance of sociological theories
Level
Purpose
4 Credits 4
People credited with this unit standard are able to analyse sociological theories about human behaviour and social organisation, and apply sociological theories to an explanation of human behaviour and social organisation and evaluate their relevance.
Classification Social Science Studies > Sociology
Available grade Achieved
Explanatory notes
1 For the purposes of this unit standard there is more than one theoretical framework under which sociological theory may be taught and assessed. Providers may use any theoretical framework which recognises the different theoretical approaches within sociology. Possible frameworks include but are not limited to the following examples.
One theoretical framework is the division of sociological theory into the theoretical approaches of functionalism, structuralism, symbolic interactionism, and Marxism.
While these approaches are, to some extent, complementary to one another, there are major contrasts between them which influence the ways in which theoretical issues are handled by sociologists who adopt the various approaches.
Another possible framework is the division of sociological theory into positivist approaches and phenomenological approaches to the study of people and society.
Positivism is based on the belief that the principles and procedures of the natural sciences can be applied to the social sciences; the phenomenological perspectives are based on the belief that the subject matter of the social and natural sciences is fundamentally different and therefore the methods and assumptions of the natural sciences are inappropriate to sociology.
A third possible framework is the division of sociological theories into consensus theory, conflict theory and interpretivism. Within this framework, functionalism is an example of consensus theory, Marxism an example of conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism an example of interpretivist theory.
2 For this unit standard, at least two sociological theories must be analysed, applied and evaluated.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2020 New Zealand Qualifications Aut

NZQA Expiring unit standard 8992 version 3
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Outcome 1
Analyse sociological theories about human behaviour and social organisation.
Evidence requirements
1.1 The analysis describes sociological explanations of human behaviour and social organisation in terms of the ideas and concepts pertaining to the theories.
Range at least two concepts which could include but are not limited to - power, status, social class, culture, society, norms, values, beliefs, roles.
1.2 The analysis establishes the similarities and differences between the sociological theories in a way that distinguishes one interpretation of the social world from the others.
Range at least one difference, which may include but is not limited to - emphasis on consensus or conflict, emphasis on freedom of human action or on the constraining nature of social influences, a positivist or a phenomenological approach, a macro or micro view of the social world, the sociological concepts central to the theories.
1.3 The analysis acknowledges the assumptions that underpin the sociological theories in a way which distinguishes each theory from the others.
Range at least one assumption which may include but is not limited to - the nature of social reality, a positivist approach to sociology, an interpretive approach to sociology, macro theory; micro theory.
1.4 The analysis accounts for the origins of the theories in terms of the contribution of particular theorists to the development of the theories.
Range at least one theorist; theorists may include but are not limited to -
Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Max Weber, George Herbert Mead,
Talcott Parsons, Robert K. Merton, Herbert Blumer.
Outcome 2
Apply sociological theories to an explanation of human behaviour and social organisation and evaluate their relevance.
Range the theories that are applied and evaluated are to be those that are examined to achieve the first outcome.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2020 New Zealand Qualifications Aut

NZQA Expiring unit standard
Evidence requirements
2.1
8992 version 3
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Aspects of human behaviour and social organisation are explained in terms of the assertions of the sociological theories.
Range at least two examples of human behaviour or social organisation.
2.2 The evaluation demonstrates how each theory is a partial view of the social world and establishes the comparative strengths and limitations of the sociological theories in terms of their utility for explaining human behaviour or social organisation.
Range at least one strength and one limitation for each theory.
This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process Version Date Last Date for Assessment
Registration 1 6 December 1996 31 December 2017
Revision 2 7 July 1999 31 December 2017
Review 3 22 August 2014 31 December 2017
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference 0119
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do
.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
NZQA National Qualifications Services
SSB Code 130301

New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2020 New Zealand Qualifications Aut