Structured interviews use closed questions to be high in reliability but low in validity, while unstructured interviews use open-ended questions to be high in validity but time consuming. A semi-structured interview balances reliability and validity by using both closed and open-ended questions.
The document discusses how racial prejudice and discrimination within police can lead to stereotyping of black communities as crime-prone, fueling a moral panic hyped by the media. This causes alienation of the black community and use of military police tactics, reducing cooperation with police and sparking collective resistance. Ultimately, this reinforces prejudices and institutionalized racism.
Dobash & Dobash (1979) and other feminist theorists such as Firestone (1970) and Millett (1970) argue that domestic violence stems from men using violence to impose authority and control over women in marriage and the family. Wilkinson (1996) agrees that domestic violence is a means for men to oppress women. These feminists link domestic violence to patriarchal structures within marriage and the family.
Structured interviews use closed questions to be high in reliability but low in validity, while unstructured interviews use open-ended questions to be high in validity but time consuming. A semi-structured interview balances reliability and validity by using both closed and open-ended questions.
The document discusses how racial prejudice and discrimination within police can lead to stereotyping of black communities as crime-prone, fueling a moral panic hyped by the media. This causes alienation of the black community and use of military police tactics, reducing cooperation with police and sparking collective resistance. Ultimately, this reinforces prejudices and institutionalized racism.
Dobash & Dobash (1979) and other feminist theorists such as Firestone (1970) and Millett (1970) argue that domestic violence stems from men using violence to impose authority and control over women in marriage and the family. Wilkinson (1996) agrees that domestic violence is a means for men to oppress women. These feminists link domestic violence to patriarchal structures within marriage and the family.
This document provides a list of topics related to feminism and gender studies, including bedroom culture, the glass ceiling, the impact of fairy tales, feminist concerns with advertising, reputational labelling, linking Marxism and feminism, the power of TV soaps to spread ideology, dangers of "lad's mags" for women, barriers to women's careers, and dangers of gender stereotypes. The document prompts the reader to "pick a dot" or topic to learn more about various issues related to women's rights and roles in society.
This document discusses Marxism and the role of religion in maintaining social inequality according to Marxist theory. It argues that religion acts as an ideological state apparatus used by the ruling class to exercise social control over the working class. Religion spreads the dominant ideology of the ruling class and creates false class consciousness among workers, convincing them to accept their social position and not rise up against inequality. In this way, religion functions as a conservative force in society and helps preserve the unequal class structure to the benefit of the ruling class.
The Marxist approach views the family as serving ideological functions by passing down ideas from one generation to the next and as a unit of consumption that uses resources and passes down inheritance of private property. Criticisms of this view also exist.
This document defines key terms related to mass media such as mass media, new media, and the press. It discusses the history of audio formats from 1895 to 2001 and provides a table categorizing different types of mass media such as television, newspapers, books, and video games. The document aims to analyze broad problems with media and discusses concepts like hyperreality, alienation, and culture of simulation.
The document discusses different definitions of the term "family" including a simple definition from the Oxford Dictionary referring to a group of parents and children living together in a household. It also discusses a definition from sociologist George Murdock from 1949 referring to a group living together including adults of both sexes in a socially approved sexual relationship and one or more children, whether biological or adopted. The document asks readers to consider their own definition of family and why the concept of family is so important.
This document discusses various tools and topics that can be used in sociological research methods related to education, including linguistic deprivation, teacher expectations, racism in schools, parental and university choice, pupil subcultures, careers education, material deprivation, government policy effectiveness, and more. It also asks what the acronym PERVERT stands for in relation to research methods.
The document discusses how views of childhood have changed over time and across cultures. Benedict claims that in non-industrial societies, there is less distinction between adult and child behavior and expectations, and children are treated very differently than in Western societies. Specifically, children in non-industrial cultures often take on responsibilities earlier, have less restricted sexual behaviors, and show less obedience to adult authority. The document then discusses factors like industrialization, laws preventing child cruelty and labor, and theories of child development that have led childhood to be constructed differently and children to be more dependent and protected in modern Western societies.
Cultural, social class, and generational diversity all contribute to differences in family forms. Cultural diversity refers to differences between families of various ethnic, religious, and ideological backgrounds. Social class divisions exist between upper, middle, and working classes as well as within those groups. Generational diversity refers to differences in experiences and attitudes between older and younger family members and generations.
The document is a mark scheme for a sociology exam assessing students' understanding of different sociological explanations of suicide. It provides detailed criteria for evaluating answers in bands from 0-21 marks based on the students' interpretation, application, analysis, and evaluation of concepts from the item and elsewhere. Higher bands are characterized by explaining two or more sociological perspectives on suicide accurately and applying them appropriately to the question.
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
Sociological research has the potential to influence social policy in several ways:
1) Sociological studies can reveal the true nature and extent of social problems, challenges dominant views, and leads to a redefinition of issues. This occurred with studies of poverty and disability.
2) Establishing definitions and counting the size of marginalized groups through research can raise their profile and lead to new policies. This happened when the disabled population was more accurately defined and quantified.
3) Systematic reviews of research evidence can identify effective solutions and approaches to social issues. An example is a review that informed policies to reduce teen pregnancy and support young parents.
However, critics argue that government-funded research may not be
1) Sudhir Venkatesh spent time living with the Black Kings gang in Chicago to study urban poverty from within the community.
2) He met J.T., the leader of the local gang, who offered to let Venkatesh shadow him for a day to truly understand life in the neighborhood.
3) Over time, Venkatesh grew close to J.T. and other gang members as he observed their daily activities, though he recognized J.T. was a criminal and his research depended on the gang's approval.
This document discusses crime prevention and punishment from various sociological perspectives. It examines strategies for preventing crime, ranging from situational crime prevention to community programs addressing root causes. It also looks at different views of punishment, including deterrence, rehabilitation and incapacitation. Additionally, it covers trends in victimization and the concept of victimology - the sociological study of victims, their experiences and how some groups are at higher risk of being victimized.
This document discusses key concepts in sociology related to social inequality based on age and ethnicity. It provides definitions of ethnicity, ethnic group, and examines how sociologists believe these attributes can create unequal life chances. Specific inequalities are explored around issues like discrimination, legislation, and how views of age and ethnicity may differ cross-culturally.
Here are some potential positive and negative consequences of divorce for each group:
For the husband and wife:
Positive: Opportunity for personal growth and happiness in a new relationship.
Negative: Financial difficulties from single parenthood or splitting assets. Emotional distress.
For the family:
Positive: Conflict may be reduced.
Negative: Loss of the traditional family structure, less contact with extended family. Financial difficulties.
For the children:
Positive: Grow up in a happier environment without parental conflict.
Negative: Stress and insecurity from family breakdown. May feel torn between parents. Adjustment to new living situations.
This document provides information about an advanced sociology exam that will take place on January 15, 2013. It is divided into three sections and students must choose one section to answer all the questions from. The exam will last 1 hour and students must write their answers in an AQA 8-page answer book. The exam is out of a total of 60 marks. Questions worth 24 marks require answers in continuous prose and will be assessed on use of English, organization of information, and appropriate use of specialist vocabulary.
The document also provides two sample exam items, one discussing the dark side of family relationships like domestic violence and child abuse, and problems with statistics on these issues. The other sample item discusses reliability of statistics on modern families
This document provides memory hooks and tools to help students remember important concepts in sociology. It includes acronyms and phrases to summarize key ideas related to topics like family, education, crime and deviance, religion, research methods, and functionalist theory. Color-coded memory hooks are organized by theme to aid recall of sociological information.
The document discusses reasons for overrepresentation of ethnic minorities in crime statistics. It questions whether ethnic minorities truly commit more crimes or if statistics provide an inaccurate picture due to factors like institutional racism and stereotyping. Some reasons given for higher crime rates and convictions among ethnic groups include evidence of racism within police culture and practices, unfair targeting of minorities in stop-and-search policies, and socioeconomic challenges like poverty that are more common in minority communities. The case study of Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager murdered in 1993, illustrates failures in the police investigation potentially due to racism and stereotyping.
Some sociologists would agree that males are more likely to commit crimes than females due to differences in primary socialization and opportunities to commit crimes. However, others disagree because crime statistics may be inaccurate since males face higher rates of arrest and charges. Additionally, the chivalry thesis suggests that females receive more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system since it is male-dominated. In conclusion, there are many complex reasons for apparent gender differences in crime rates that are still debated among sociologists.
1) Gender is defined by sociologists as the social and cultural differences between masculinity and femininity rather than the biological differences between sexes.
2) From birth, individuals are socialized into gender through practices like dressing, naming, toys/books given which prepare individuals for different roles in society based on their gender.
3) While legislation has promoted more equality, sociologists argue that gender inequality still exists in areas like the workplace where women are more likely to be in lower level jobs and face barriers to promotion.
This document provides a list of topics related to feminism and gender studies, including bedroom culture, the glass ceiling, the impact of fairy tales, feminist concerns with advertising, reputational labelling, linking Marxism and feminism, the power of TV soaps to spread ideology, dangers of "lad's mags" for women, barriers to women's careers, and dangers of gender stereotypes. The document prompts the reader to "pick a dot" or topic to learn more about various issues related to women's rights and roles in society.
This document discusses Marxism and the role of religion in maintaining social inequality according to Marxist theory. It argues that religion acts as an ideological state apparatus used by the ruling class to exercise social control over the working class. Religion spreads the dominant ideology of the ruling class and creates false class consciousness among workers, convincing them to accept their social position and not rise up against inequality. In this way, religion functions as a conservative force in society and helps preserve the unequal class structure to the benefit of the ruling class.
The Marxist approach views the family as serving ideological functions by passing down ideas from one generation to the next and as a unit of consumption that uses resources and passes down inheritance of private property. Criticisms of this view also exist.
This document defines key terms related to mass media such as mass media, new media, and the press. It discusses the history of audio formats from 1895 to 2001 and provides a table categorizing different types of mass media such as television, newspapers, books, and video games. The document aims to analyze broad problems with media and discusses concepts like hyperreality, alienation, and culture of simulation.
The document discusses different definitions of the term "family" including a simple definition from the Oxford Dictionary referring to a group of parents and children living together in a household. It also discusses a definition from sociologist George Murdock from 1949 referring to a group living together including adults of both sexes in a socially approved sexual relationship and one or more children, whether biological or adopted. The document asks readers to consider their own definition of family and why the concept of family is so important.
This document discusses various tools and topics that can be used in sociological research methods related to education, including linguistic deprivation, teacher expectations, racism in schools, parental and university choice, pupil subcultures, careers education, material deprivation, government policy effectiveness, and more. It also asks what the acronym PERVERT stands for in relation to research methods.
The document discusses how views of childhood have changed over time and across cultures. Benedict claims that in non-industrial societies, there is less distinction between adult and child behavior and expectations, and children are treated very differently than in Western societies. Specifically, children in non-industrial cultures often take on responsibilities earlier, have less restricted sexual behaviors, and show less obedience to adult authority. The document then discusses factors like industrialization, laws preventing child cruelty and labor, and theories of child development that have led childhood to be constructed differently and children to be more dependent and protected in modern Western societies.
Cultural, social class, and generational diversity all contribute to differences in family forms. Cultural diversity refers to differences between families of various ethnic, religious, and ideological backgrounds. Social class divisions exist between upper, middle, and working classes as well as within those groups. Generational diversity refers to differences in experiences and attitudes between older and younger family members and generations.
The document is a mark scheme for a sociology exam assessing students' understanding of different sociological explanations of suicide. It provides detailed criteria for evaluating answers in bands from 0-21 marks based on the students' interpretation, application, analysis, and evaluation of concepts from the item and elsewhere. Higher bands are characterized by explaining two or more sociological perspectives on suicide accurately and applying them appropriately to the question.
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
This document provides guidance on answering exam questions about crime and deviance. It discusses two 21-mark essay questions to spend 30 minutes on each, including discussing at least two sides of an argument and referencing relevant theories and studies. For the first question on ethnic differences in crime rates, explanations to assess include institutional racism in the criminal justice system versus theories of relative deprivation and poor upbringing influencing crime rates. For the second question on media portrayals of crime, topics to discuss include how the media distorts crime statistics and can cause moral panics, as well as its relationship to fear of crime. Subcultural theories from Merton to more recent work should be assessed chronologically for their usefulness in explaining subcultural crime and
Sociological research has the potential to influence social policy in several ways:
1) Sociological studies can reveal the true nature and extent of social problems, challenges dominant views, and leads to a redefinition of issues. This occurred with studies of poverty and disability.
2) Establishing definitions and counting the size of marginalized groups through research can raise their profile and lead to new policies. This happened when the disabled population was more accurately defined and quantified.
3) Systematic reviews of research evidence can identify effective solutions and approaches to social issues. An example is a review that informed policies to reduce teen pregnancy and support young parents.
However, critics argue that government-funded research may not be
1) Sudhir Venkatesh spent time living with the Black Kings gang in Chicago to study urban poverty from within the community.
2) He met J.T., the leader of the local gang, who offered to let Venkatesh shadow him for a day to truly understand life in the neighborhood.
3) Over time, Venkatesh grew close to J.T. and other gang members as he observed their daily activities, though he recognized J.T. was a criminal and his research depended on the gang's approval.
This document discusses crime prevention and punishment from various sociological perspectives. It examines strategies for preventing crime, ranging from situational crime prevention to community programs addressing root causes. It also looks at different views of punishment, including deterrence, rehabilitation and incapacitation. Additionally, it covers trends in victimization and the concept of victimology - the sociological study of victims, their experiences and how some groups are at higher risk of being victimized.
This document discusses key concepts in sociology related to social inequality based on age and ethnicity. It provides definitions of ethnicity, ethnic group, and examines how sociologists believe these attributes can create unequal life chances. Specific inequalities are explored around issues like discrimination, legislation, and how views of age and ethnicity may differ cross-culturally.
Here are some potential positive and negative consequences of divorce for each group:
For the husband and wife:
Positive: Opportunity for personal growth and happiness in a new relationship.
Negative: Financial difficulties from single parenthood or splitting assets. Emotional distress.
For the family:
Positive: Conflict may be reduced.
Negative: Loss of the traditional family structure, less contact with extended family. Financial difficulties.
For the children:
Positive: Grow up in a happier environment without parental conflict.
Negative: Stress and insecurity from family breakdown. May feel torn between parents. Adjustment to new living situations.
This document provides information about an advanced sociology exam that will take place on January 15, 2013. It is divided into three sections and students must choose one section to answer all the questions from. The exam will last 1 hour and students must write their answers in an AQA 8-page answer book. The exam is out of a total of 60 marks. Questions worth 24 marks require answers in continuous prose and will be assessed on use of English, organization of information, and appropriate use of specialist vocabulary.
The document also provides two sample exam items, one discussing the dark side of family relationships like domestic violence and child abuse, and problems with statistics on these issues. The other sample item discusses reliability of statistics on modern families
This document provides memory hooks and tools to help students remember important concepts in sociology. It includes acronyms and phrases to summarize key ideas related to topics like family, education, crime and deviance, religion, research methods, and functionalist theory. Color-coded memory hooks are organized by theme to aid recall of sociological information.
The document discusses reasons for overrepresentation of ethnic minorities in crime statistics. It questions whether ethnic minorities truly commit more crimes or if statistics provide an inaccurate picture due to factors like institutional racism and stereotyping. Some reasons given for higher crime rates and convictions among ethnic groups include evidence of racism within police culture and practices, unfair targeting of minorities in stop-and-search policies, and socioeconomic challenges like poverty that are more common in minority communities. The case study of Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager murdered in 1993, illustrates failures in the police investigation potentially due to racism and stereotyping.
Some sociologists would agree that males are more likely to commit crimes than females due to differences in primary socialization and opportunities to commit crimes. However, others disagree because crime statistics may be inaccurate since males face higher rates of arrest and charges. Additionally, the chivalry thesis suggests that females receive more lenient treatment in the criminal justice system since it is male-dominated. In conclusion, there are many complex reasons for apparent gender differences in crime rates that are still debated among sociologists.
1) Gender is defined by sociologists as the social and cultural differences between masculinity and femininity rather than the biological differences between sexes.
2) From birth, individuals are socialized into gender through practices like dressing, naming, toys/books given which prepare individuals for different roles in society based on their gender.
3) While legislation has promoted more equality, sociologists argue that gender inequality still exists in areas like the workplace where women are more likely to be in lower level jobs and face barriers to promotion.
1) Social action theorists argue that people are not constrained by external forces and have control over their own attitudes and actions.
2) Society is a product of people interacting in social groups and applying meanings to social behaviors.
3) Norms and values are seen as flexible guidelines that people apply different meanings to depending on the social situation.
Huntington argued that there are 7 major civilizations - Western, Orthodox, Islamic, Sinic, Hindu, Japanese and Latin American/African - and that conflicts will emerge along the dividing lines of these civilizations, especially between the Western and Islamic worlds. However, critics argue that Huntington's theory oversimplifies conflicts and ignores other important factors like economic and political interests, as well as differences in views on issues like individualism, gender equality and sexuality between societies.
This document discusses values and ethics in sociology research. It outlines the positivist view that sociology should be objective and value-free like the natural sciences. However, others argue this is unrealistic as researchers are inevitably influenced by their own values and motivations. The document also discusses whether truly neutral research is possible given factors like who funds the research and the personal interests of researchers. It concludes by considering perspectives like committed sociology that believe research should not remain neutral and should aim to change society in some way.
This document outlines aims for answering short style questions: to answer as many questions as possible to identify weaknesses for last-minute revision, increase confidence, and prepare for an upcoming exam.
Secondary data sources that sociologists use include life documents, photographs, diaries, letters, official publications, previous research, and media sources. However, each of these sources has disadvantages such as potential lack of accessibility over time, presenting biased positive perspectives, being selectively edited, and relying on flawed human memory. Sociologists must be aware of these limitations and potential biases when utilizing secondary data in their research.
1. Education & Social Policy The Education System is widely regarded as one of the most important & influential institutions within society. Due to this, Education is at the forefront of political thought with different political groups arguing over how the system should be ran e.g. in terms of equality, efficiency, funding, curriculum etc……. By the end of this topic you should; > Know the main features of important educational policies, including the Tri-Partite System, Comprehensivisation, Marketisation & those relating to Gender & Ethnicity. >Understand & be able to apply sociological perspectives to educational policies. > Be able to evaluate the impact of educational policies on inequality of achievement.
2. It all started with Industrialisation…. Industrialisation created the need for a trained, skilled, educated workforce. Before any formal Education System was put in place in the UK, schooling depended on social class… M/C families could afford to have their children privately educated whilst W/C families had to rely heavily on church-based & family-based basic education. This all changed with the introduction of the first ever Education Act in the UK…… The Forster Education Act 1870: This made Education compulsory from the ages of 5 – 11 years-old (raised to 13 y.o in 1880) in an attempt to Educate the masses & eliminate the social class divide. Parents now had a choice of 3 types of school to send their children: The key to studying Policies: > What is the Policy? > What problems does it identify? > What improvements does it aim to make & how? > Was/ Is it effective? Elementary School Grammar School (Fees) Public School (Fees)
3. Although the Forster Act 1870 tried to eliminate Social Class inequality in education, this only catered for children up to the age of 13/14 y.o. As such, once pupils left their first schools it was the M/C that were able to go into Secondary schooling (again creating Social Class Inequalities). This changed with the introduction of…. The Butler Education Act 1944: World War II was reaching an end & the emphasis in the UK was to create ‘A land fit for heroes’. The Conservative Government thus ‘Opened Up’ Secondary Education to the masses i.e. reduce Social Class Inequalities within Education. As a result the R.A Butler 1902 - 1982 was introduced…. Tri-Partite System Secondary Modern School The idea here was to produce ‘Parity of Esteem’ (Equality of Opportunity) between the social classes – Meritocratic Ideology. Technical School ‘Primary Schooling’ 11+ Exam Grammar School
4. Secondary Modern School W/C > Are there any problems with using exams to measure ability.? Technical School W/C ‘Primary Schooling’ 11+ Exam Grammar School M/C Evaluation of the Butler Act & the Tri-Partite System: This system actually recreated the social class divide rather than eliminate it…… > Revise your notes on Social Class differences in Education (External & Internal Factors) > M/C Children had better Primary Schooling thus were better prepared for the 11+ Exam. > The 11+ used M/C Elaborated Language (See Bernstein) > The negative Stigma attached to Secondary Modern Schools created a negative Self-Fulfilling Prophecy for the W/C pupils. > Teachers were lower paid in Secondary Modern Schools & thus arguably less Qualified/ Motivated. > Regardless of 11+ Results, M/C parents could still afford to pay for Public Schooling. > Secondary Modern Schools had poorer resources & facilities due to lack of income.
5. Due to the problems that the Tri-Partite caused for the W/C, it was replaced in the 1960s by the newly installed Labour Government which aimed to create Equality once again amongst the social classes. Comprehensivisation 1965 James Callaghan (PM) 1976 This created the Comprehensive schools that are so popular nowadays. The biggest clue as to what ‘Comprehensive’ Schooling is all about can be seen in the following definition: Harold Wilson (PM) 1964 & 1974 ‘Comprehensive’: meaning Covering or Involving Much; Inclusive – (Dictionary.com) Comprehensive Schools are schools that everyone attends regardless of ability or social class. The 11+ was abolished and a child’s schooling depended upon their ‘Catchment Area’. This aimed to ensure that all pupils would get ‘Parity of Esteem’ & ‘Equality’ within education as they would have the same teachers, same resources, same facilities, same funding etc … Despite these good intentions however, Comprehensivisation does have it’s downfalls…….
6. Evaluationof Comprehensivisation: With all pupils in one school, it was important to make sure all abilities were catered for & as such Setting & Streaming were introduced. What problems do Setting & Streaming create? (Revise notes on Labelling/ Interactionist Explanations of Social Class differences in Education) Streaming Setting Geo. Geo. Sci. Sci. Mat. Mat. Eng. Eng. Remember, ‘Evaluation’ means looking at the advantages of the argument (not just the disadvantages) X X Stream 1 Set 1 X Set 2 Stream 2 X Set 3 > Individual Talents get over-looked Stream 3 > High-Flyers are held back by lower ability pupils & vice-versa > M/C areas get M/C comprehensive Schools –W/C get W/C Schools. > M/C parents could still afford to pay for Public Schooling. > It was the choice of LEAs to ‘Go Comprehensive’ – therefore M/C/ Conservative LEAs could opt out of it & continue with the 11+ ‘Grammar School’ route.
7. Another policy that was introduced in the 1960s to address social class inequality within education was….. Educational Priority Areas 1965 It was recognised that, although comprehensive schools aimed at closing the social class divide in education, working class areas were home to working class schools These ‘deprived’ schools were listed as ‘Priority Schools’ & accordingly they received additional funding & resources to compensate. This is known as . Positive Discrimination How might pupils react when their school is labelled as a ‘Priority School’. How could a deprived, low-achieving school be helped out by the government?