4 mark questions paper 1 sociology

Question 1

Describe two roles associated with young people.

Answer 1

A Student – engaged in education and learning, transitioning to adulthood Son / daughter/ child – restrictions from parents
Friend – supportive of other members of peer group

Question 2

Describe two informal sanctions.

Answer 2

Gossip- people may talk about the person’s behaviour by spreading rumours or sharing their dissaproval with others.
Disapproving looks or gestures- someone may raise an eyebrow, shake their head or give a disapproving glare to signal their disapproval of someone’s behaviour.

Question 3

Describe 2 formal sanctions

Answer 3

Legal punishments- when someone breaks the law they may face snactions such as fines,probation,imprisonement.
academic disciplinary actions- if a student is engaging in deviant behaviour, they may face detention or expulsion.

Question 4

Describe two characteristics of upper-class culture.

Answer 4

Social closure – excluding other classes from entry into the upper class,e.g. by promoting marriage between families.* Exclusive social networks – peer groups that provide contacts in later life formed in schools/university (‘old boys’ network’).

Question 5

Describe two types of questionnaires.

Answer 5

Postal questionnaires- are normally completed in private without the presence of the researcher. Researcher administered questions-are completed in the presence of the researcher with respondents answering questions verbally.

Question 6

Describe two examples of social norms.

Answer 6

Saying please and thank you is expected to use when making requests or expressing gratitude. Personal space- there is an unwritten social norm to maintain certain distance from each other during conversations or interactions.

Question 7

Describe two examples of social identities.

Answer 7

Gender identity- refers to the cultural expectations that society connects with masculinity and femininity
Class identity- refers to a group of people who have similar socio-economic status typically determined by factors such as wealth,education and occupation
Ethnicity- refers to the shared cultural practices,tastes and attributes of a group.
Age- a social construction which means that what it means to be young, old or any age depends on the society at the time.

Question 8

Describe two features of globalisation.

Answer 8

is the development of global economic and cultural influences. Features: Interdependent societies-due to opening up societies, communities and individuals to new and different behaviour, ideas and experiences. Global economic interests-as there are now imported range of cultural ideas, styles and fashions from around the world.

Question 9

Describe two ways the peer group may influence behaviour.

Answer 9

by giving disapproving looks and negative comments, this will make a person want to change so that they fit in with their peer group. fear of exclusion from the group, this might result in being peer pressured to doing things like alcohol.

Question 10

Describe two characteristics of youth identity.

Answer 10

Concern with image and consumption -this is because they are at the age where they feel pressured to meet popular trends.
Rebellion and resistance (often to social control)- because they want to test boundaries of acceptable behaviour as young people.

Question 11

Describe two features of longitudinal studies

Answer 11

Measures changes/trends/relationships over time this is because it is research that is done over a long period of time to show correlations in the study and to trace developments..Sample attrition-over time the
sample size is likely to fall as individuals drop out for various reasons such as death or unwillingness to continue.

Question 12

Describe two ways in which deviance may be socially constructed.

Answer 12

Subcultures- a group that has values that are different to the mainstream culture.
Under socialisation- when the process of socialisation is incomplete or inadequate.
Marginalisation- the pushing of an individual or group or society, denying them an active voice and identity.
Cultural deprivation- not having the values and attitudes which are likely to bring success in society.
Resistance- the ways in which people combat and contest the dominant power in a society.

Question 13

Describe two roles associated with old people

Answer 13

Mentors- older individuals who offer guidance, support and knowledge to younger generations.
Retirees- because they no longer have the physical capacity to work

Question 14

Describe two roles associated with middle aged people

Answer 14

Parents-as this age stage is linked with their children leaving home. Career builders- middle aged individuals often focus on advancing their careers during this stage of life

Question 15

Describe two characteristics of working-class culture.

Answer 15

have a strong sense of political identity - because they have strong links with the labour party and trade unions.
Immediate gratification- because they are seen to want to live for the moment as they have no hope of aspiring for social mobility.

Question 16

Describe two characteristics of middle-class culture.

Answer 16

high levels of social mobility- the middle class aspire to be successful and move up the social ladder.Deferred gratification- the middle class believe that if saved hard in the early stages of their careers and have educational achievement they would get the benefits later.

Question 17

Describe two features of social surveys

Answer 17

It allows researchers to collect data from a large number of people- this provides a broader understanding of social trends and patterns.It identifies relationships and trends by analysing statistically quantitative data- this makes it more objective as there less chances of bias.

Question 18

Describe two features of ethnography

Answer 18

It has strong ecological validity- this provides an overall understanding and is good for achieving verstehen.It has detailed and rich data that can be collected over time- this increases its validity due to the detailed accounts of its findings.

Question 19

Describe the two types of structuralism

Answer 19

Consensus structuralism- is a consensus structuralist approach that focuses on the idea of social order and stability within a society.Conflict structuralism- is a consensus approach that focuses on the idea of social conflict and power struggles within a society

Question 20

Decribe the types of conflict structuralism

Answer 20

Feminist theory-the idea that the interests of men are more important than women’s interests and that there are different reasons for the inequalities between men and women
(liberal, radical and Marxist feminism).
Marxism- the economic and political theory that argues there is a struggle between the bourgeoisie and proletariat.

Question 21

Describe interactionism and structuration.

Answer 21

Interactionism-is the micro sociological approach that focuses on the behaviour of individuals and is based on the idea that people create and re-create society on a daily basis through daily routines.
(Mead,Goffman,Cooley) Structuration- a theory developed by Giddens which outlined the importance of both structure and action in considering the relationship between society and the individual.

Question 22

Describe two features of laboratory experiments

Answer 22

are easy to replicate, this is because the researcher has more control over both the research conditions and the variables being tested. They take place in closed environments , this is because standardised research conditions give them a high level of reliability.

Question 23

Describe 2 features of field experiments.

Answer 23

Has high validity-this is because the experiment is done in a natural environment which tends to establish underlying reasons for everyday behaviour. Has low reliability, this is because variables are not controlled which means the experiment cannot be replicated by another researcher.

Question 24

Describe 2 features of content analysis.

Answer 24

It is high in reliability. This is because it uses a coding system which can be easily replicated by another researcher. Identifies underlying themes and patterns encoded in representations. This is because it has a systematic and quantitative approach to uncover hidden messages and patterns.

Question 25

Ways research can be affected by how it is funded

Answer 25

Funders interest might affect objectivity, this is because funders may have their own agendas or biases that they want in the research to support. Amount of money available. This is because some research methods are more expensive than others.

Question 26

Two different types of data

Answer 26

Primary data-information collected personally by the researcher . Secondary data- data that already exists that is not personally generated by the researcher

Question 27

Describe two sampling techniques

Answer 27

Random sampling- which is the random selection of names from a sampling frame to produce a representative sample.
Opportunity sampling- sometimes called convenience sampling, involves choosing from those individuals who are easiest to access.

Question 28

Describe two types of qualitative interviews

Answer 28

Unstructured interviews- are free-form interview method that enable researchers to acquire an understanding of how people think and feel. Semi-structured interview, an interview that encourages a respondent to talk at length about a particular subject.

Question 29

Decribe two types of feminity

Answer 29

Assertive femininities which want to resist male power without overthrowing it. Emphasised femininity which is the traditional form of femininity that is influenced by male interests.

Question 30

Describe two types of masculinity.

Answer 30

Hegemonic masculinity- a traditional form of masculinity that is based on physical and mental characteristic of what a male should be. Subversive masculinities - an alternative form of masculinity that challenges and undermines traditional masculinity.

Question 31

Describe two secondary sources of qualitative data

Answer 31

Participant observation- a research method that involves the researcher participating overtly or covertly in the behaviour they are studying.
Personal documents- is a secondary source of data that covers areas such as personal letters,diaries,histories and websites.

Question 32

Describe the stages of research design.

Answer 32

the research problem- when the sociologist decides things such as the general topic to study and then develops more specific ideas about what aspect to study. Sampling frames- a list of everyone in a target population.

Question 33

Describe two reasons why a researcher might use a pilot study.

Answer 33

Identify problems with the research design. This is because a researcher will be able to make modifications to their method or approach before committing to the actual study. Save the researcher time and money, This is because it is designed to test the practicality of carrying out such a stud

Question 34

Describe the two approaches to research

Answer 34

Positivism- an approach to sociology based on studying society in a scientific manner. Interpretivism- An approach to sociology based on uncovering the meaning of social events and interactions.

Question 35

Describe two ways the family may influence behaviour.

Answer 35

Through socialisation as he family teaches the basic norms and values of everyday life.Through imitation as children mimic parent’s behaviour as a guide because they are role models.

Question 36

Describe two ways education may influence behaviour.

Answer 36

By acting as a social bridge between the family unit and the wider society as children are socialised into important values. By using the hidden and formal curriculum to enforce behaviour that is seen as socially acceptable

Question 37

Describe two ways the workplace may influence behaviour

Answer 37

by making you go through the process of re socialisation by having to learn the rules, regulations and associated norms of their new workplace.by socialise individuals through teaching them what they need to do gain for example a promotion.

Question 38

Describe two ways religion may influence behaviour

Answer 38

by having a figure of authority or worship who acts as role model to follower as these figures of authority have huge influence over the values of their followers. By socialising society’s members into value consensus by investing certain values with a sacred quality, i.e. by infusing them with religious symbolism and special significance.

Question 39

Describe two ways the media may influence behaviour

Answer 39

by having a direct and indirect effect on us by portraying behaviours and lifestyles which influences it audiences. by having an agenda setting that highlight certain issues events or perspectives which influences public opinion that can change behaviour

Question 40

Describe two practical factors that can influence choice of research
method.

Answer 40

Time taken-This is because some research methods take much longer to complete than othersAnother factor is opportunity and access. This is because some methods may require special requirements than others

Question 41

Describe two strengths of using overt approach to participant observation

Answer 41

It prioritises ethical considerations by revealing to the participants the clear intentions of their observation It has great potential for greater access and rapport as the researcher is openly identifying themselves which can help gain access to groups that are hesitant making them more willing to share

Question 42

Describe two limitations of using overt approach to participant observation

Answer 42

It has great potential for the Hawthorne effect as participants may alter their behaviour as they know that they are being observed. It has less chances of validity and gaining in depth data as the practical issue of noting down the data collected from the observation is hard as the researcher engages with the participants everyday life

Question 43

Describe two strengths of using covert approach to Participant observation

Answer 43

Avoids the Hawthorne effect as It allows researchers to observe participants’ natural behaviour in their everyday life because participants are unaware that they are being observed. It it deals with is the practical issue of access. This is because Ability to study groups that wouldn’t otherwise give access to a researcher e.g. some deviant groups

Question 44

Describe two ethical issues associated with sociological research.

Answer 44

Informed consent-his is because respondents should have the right to decide whether or not they want to be involved in the research.is legal considerations. This is because researchers need to decide if it is ethical to research something that can involve observing or participating in illegal behaviour.

Question 45

Describe two limitations of using covert approach to Participant observation

Answer 45

It raises ethical concerns of consent as the participants are unaware that they are being observed their consent cannot be obtained. There is limited interaction and context since they are not engaging in conversations or building relationships with them.

Question 46

Describe two characteristics of the positivist approach to sociological
research.

Answer 46

It emphasises objectivity as positivist believe that research should be done in a systematic and scientific manner to avoid bias. They prefer quantitative data/methods Focus on gaining data that is high in reliability Collecting data that enables comparisons across groups and over time(patterns and trends).

Question 47

Describe two characteristics of the interpretivist approach to sociological.
research.

Answer 47

It puts emphasis on subjective understanding as interpretivists believe that social reality is constructed through the meanings and interpretations that individuals give to their experiences. It prefers qualitative methods as it wants to gather rich depth detailed data about individual’s experiences and interpretations.

Question 48

Explain two reasons why interpretivists use participant observation in
sociological research.

Answer 48

ability to experience the
way of life of the study group. Participant observation permits
research to take place in a natural environment which interpretivists see as
vitals the opportunity to build rapport and have verstehen. This is because by the researcher taking part they are able to see things from the participants viewpoint and understand their behaviour by being with them