Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology ... · Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY Overview

Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department

A Level Sociology Transition Work

Welcome to A Level Sociology. We are looking forward to meeting you all in September. The following work is designed to prepare you for studying this new subject. You must aim to complete all sections to ensure you have a thorough understanding of the key topic areas

for when you begin Year 12. Please note the deadlines on some tasks and ensure you submit the relevant work to us in time. All other tasks please keep in a file ready to be

checked when we begin the course in September.


SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Overview of the course: This is a two-year course which ends with three two-hour papers each carrying an equal weighting towards your final A-level grade (A*-E). Topics we will cover will include: Year 12 Year 13 Theories of Sociology Crime and Deviance Methods of Sociology Media Families & Households Methods of Sociology Education Theories of Sociology Look at the specification - www.aqa.org.uk/Sociology - for more detail about these topics. You will be expected to know and understand (AO1) the information about the topics, to be able to apply (AO2) that knowledge and understanding and to be able to analyse and evaluate (AO3) that knowledge and understanding. Task 1 – What Will You Study? Highlight the topics on your specification and make a note below of the sections there are within each topic: Education………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Theory and Methods (Year 1) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Families and Households……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Media……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department Crime and Deviance ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Theory and Methods (Year 2) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Task 2 - What is Sociology?

Using any of these resources and/or any others you find make notes on what you understand about Sociology in the form of a mind map

- British Sociological Association - https://www.britsoc.co.uk/what-is-sociology/ - YouTube: What is Sociology? Crash Course Sociology

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnCJU6PaCio - Tutor 2 U - https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/blog/what-is-sociology

Task 3 - Nature/Nurture Debate

There are many ways of explaining why

certain people do things in certain ways. For

example, biologists think that people behave

as they do because they are controlled by

nature. This is known as Nature theory.

Humans are compared to animals and seen

to act on instinct.

Sociologists believe that people behave as they do because

they are taught how to behave. For example, the sociologist Michael Haralambos states,

‘Human beings learn their behavior and use their intelligence whereas animals simply act on

instinct.’ This is known as Nurture theory. Nurture means the way you are brought up. It is

also a reference to socialisation, the lifelong process by which we learn our culture, values,

norms and how to behave.

Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department Write down a list of things that you were taught by other people about how to behave.

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……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Sociologists reject nature theories for two particular reasons. If people behaved as they do because of nature, they would all act the same as each other. The following reasons show why people do not all act the same:

1. History: people acted differently in the past from the way that they do today. They had different ideas and different beliefs.

Think of two ways in which we are different from people in the past:

1.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2.………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Anthropology: this is the study of different human societies. Wherever you go in the world, people act differently from the way they do in Britain.

Think of four ways in which people in other countries are different from people in Britain:

1………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Sociology is the study of human groups and social life in modern societies. Sociology recognises that as members of society we have to learn social behaviour and this is done through a variety of social institutions and social groups throughout our lives.


Think about the following and discuss them with a member of your family and make some notes on what you discuss WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?

• Are we meant to live alone?

• What would a person be like if they grew up without human contact?

• What would a person be like if they were then introduced into a society?

• Do we need a society in which to survive?

• Can someone be truly human if they grew up without human contact?

• Are we ruled by our instincts? (An instinct can be defined as a complex,

unlearned pattern of behaviour that is universal in a species)

• Do people learn things like intelligence, criminal behaviour and gendered

behaviours or are they born with these

It should have become clear that humans, more than most other animals, are dependent upon other humans for the most basic needs such as food and shelter. We do not arrive in this world equipped with a collection of instincts inherited from our parents that will enable us to survive in a potentially hostile environment.

Watch this clip on Oxana Malaya who was abandoned by her parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93HymGXC_wM

1. Write down the main points from the clip •

•

•

•

2. Comment on what the case of Oxana Malaya teaches us about the following:

Importance of the family

How we are taught the basics in life

Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department There are many other examples of ‘feral children’. Research one more from the following list

1. Victor, The Wild Child of Aveyron 2. Kaspar Hauser 3. The Indian Wolf-Girls 4. John Ssabunnya 5. The wild boy of Hesse 6. Kamala and Amala

Task 4 – Socialisation

Socialisation is the term that sociologists use to describe the life-long process of learning the culture of any society. Culture is socially transmitted from one generation to the next through the process of socialisation. The American sociologist Charles Cooley (1864–1929) distinguished two types of socialisation: primary and secondary. These two forms of socialisation are defined partly in terms of the particular groups or ‘agencies’ in which they occur: Can you find definitions for the following:

Primary Socialisation = Secondary Socialisation =

Socialisation is not only the process by which we learn the culture of our society; it is also a mechanism of social control. This refers to methods used to persuade or force individuals to conform to those values,

norms and patterns of behaviour which the culture of their society requires. Social control

involves the use of rewards and punishments. Sociologists refer to these as sanctions.

These may be either positive sanctions (rewards) or negative sanctions (various types of

punishment):

Positive sanctions may range from gifts of sweets from parents

to children, to merits and prizes at school, to promotion at work

or to knighthoods and medals.


Negative sanctions may range from expressions of

disapproval, physical punishment, being ridiculed or gossiped about, dismissal

from work to being fined or imprisoned.

List and briefly explain three positive and three negative sanctions which affect the way you behave in your daily life:

POSITIVE

1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

NEGATIVE

1. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Norms

Norms are social rules which define correct and acceptable behaviour in a society or social

group to which people are expected to conform. They are essential to human society. They

guide and direct our behaviour and allow us both to understand and predict the behaviour

of others.

Norms exist in all areas of social life. In Britain, being late for work or an appointment;

jumping queues in supermarkets; laughing during funerals; walking through the streets

naked or never saying hello to friends are likely to be seen as rude, annoying or odd

because they are not following the norms of accepted behaviour.

Norms are usually enforced informally—by the disapproval of other people,

embarrassment, or a ‘telling off’ from parents.


Think of some norms for each of these situations.

School:

Home:

Friend’s house:

Values

Values are less specific than norms. They are general guides for behaviour. Values are ideas

and beliefs about what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and about standards which are worth

maintaining and achieving in any society. In Britain, values include beliefs about respect for

human life, privacy and private property, about the importance of marriage and the

importance of money and success.

There are official legal rules concerning values which are formally enforced by the police,

courts and prison and involve legal punishment if they are broken. For example, laws

against murder enforce the value attached to human life in our society.

Think of two values that are really important to you as

a person. You may have strong views about animals or

children or marriage for example.

1 2


Status

Sociologists use the term ‘status’ to refer to a position in society, for example father,

doctor, son, bank manager, teacher. Statuses may be ascribed or

achieved.

Ascribed statuses are fixed, often at birth, and are largely unchangeable.

For example, gender and race are fixed characteristics usually given by others.

An achieved status involves some degree of choice and results partly from

individual achievement. For example, a person achieves his or her job as a teacher,

doctor or scientist on the basis of ability and effort.

Role

Each status has an accompanying role. A role is a set of norms which defines appropriate

and expected behaviour for those who occupy a particular status.

A role can be compared to that of an actor on the stage following a ‘script’.

Roles are patterns of behaviour which are expected from people in different positions in

society. People in society play many different roles in their lifetimes, such as those of a

boy or girl, a child and an adult, a student, a parent, a friend and work roles like factory

worker, police officer or teacher. People in these roles are expected by society to behave

in particular ways. The police officer who steals or the teacher who is drunk in the

classroom show what these expectations of behaviour are!

List some of the roles you play and briefly outline what others expect of you in each of these roles. For example, how are you expected to behave as a student/pupil and what activities are you expected to carry out which you wouldn’t have to if you were not a student?

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One person plays many roles at the same time. For example, a woman may play the roles of woman, mother, worker, sister and wife at the same time. This may lead to role conflict, where the successful performance of two or more roles at the same time may come into conflict with one another, such as the conflict between the roles of full-time worker and mother which some women experience. For example, what happens if a child is ill? From your list of roles, try to pick out two examples of those which conflict with each other. Give a brief explanation of each example of role conflict. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..............................................................................................................................................

Task 5: Write a glossary of all the key terms that you have learnt through this introductory unit to keep in your Sociology file.


SECTION 2 – INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY A theory, for our purpose, is something that explains the relationship between two or more things. A perspective can be defined as a way of looking at and seeing something. To have a perspective, therefore, means to look at something (whatever that thing might be) in a particular way. When we talk about the sociological perspective, therefore, we are talking about the particular way those sociologists, as opposed to non-sociologists to try to understand human social behaviour. Task 1: Have a go at the questions on the next page to see what type of Sociologist you might be!


What Kind of Sociologist Will You Be? 1. The defining characteristic of humans behaviour is: A) Their gender/ sex B) Their social class C)Their Race D) Their integration into society E) Their culture 2. We have the freedom to choose our own behaviour A) Yes B) No C) Depends D) Doesn’t matter E) What is freedom? 3. What are your views on the family…. A) Family is oppressive to women and teaches us to conform to gender roles B) Family is a tool of the ruling class teaching us to obey authority C) Family is a vital part of socialisation that teaches us norms and values D) Family is what you make it, everyone has a different view on it E) Family – what is a family? You can’t define it 4. When it comes to inequality

A) Gender is the most serious issue! B) Money and power the rich exploit the poor! C) Inequality is normal part of society D) Inequality is a label that has different meanings to people E) You make your own reality up

5. When it comes to Crime

A) The justice system is more lenient on women B) Criminal laws protect the rich and powerful C) Crime is good for society as it reminds us of the rules D) Crimes are actions labelled as wrong to influence our behaviour E) Crime – what is a crime? Can we really define what a crime is?

6. When it comes to religion

A) Religion oppresses and controls women – telling us to cover up and be obedient B) Religion is a tool used by those with power to control us C) Religion is a useful institution which unites people who share a common set of beliefs D) Religion means different things to different people E) Religion is just another meta-narrative (big story) people use to explain reality


Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department Task 2: Research the key sociological theories. These websites may help but you may use any you find useful. Complete the following table (Don’t worry if you find this difficult – it is for everyone at first but will become much clearer when we are in lessons!) https://www.tutor2u.net/sociology/blog/meet-the-perspectives-functionalism-part-1 (from here you will be able to find links to all the other theories) https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/sociology/theories-in-sociology/sociological-theories/ https://revisesociology.com/sociology-theories-a-level/

Key thinkers Views of society View of the role of institutions such as the family, education,

mass media and religion Functionalism

The New Right

Marxism

Feminism

Postmodernism

Task 3: Biography Task

Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department Pick one of the famous sociologists from the list below to research. Find out as much as you can about them, using a range of sources Write a summary biography of your researcher ensuring you cover the following: • What type of sociologist are they? • When did they born/die? • Where are they from? • Provide an overview of at least one of their famous pieces of work • What are some of the key sociological terms/concepts that are linked with this person?

(and what do they mean?) • Try and sum up, in your own words, the contribution they have made to sociology • Include a picture SOCIOLOGISTS:

• Emile Durkheim • Karl Marx • Max Weber • Ann Oakley • Howard Becker

PLEASE SEND YOUR BIOGRAPHY TO MRS KINDER – [email protected] by the 10th JUNE


SECTION 3 – EDUCATION One of the key issues in the Sociology of Education is inequality in the education system in terms of social class, gender and ethnicity. Task 1: What do we mean by social class?

How can social class be measured?

Find the definition of meritocracy. Do you think we live in a meritocracy? Justify your answer

Read AT LEAST 2 of the following news articles:

• https://www.tes.com/news/few-one-20-born-poorest-areas-go-university • https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-47902642 • https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/aug/21/poorer-pupils-twice-as-

likely-to-fail-key-gcses • https://www.tes.com/news/are-private-school-pupils-cleverer-no-just-richer • https://cpag.org.uk/node/3081 What do these articles suggest about whether or not we live in a meritocracy? What are some of the suggested reasons for why poorer children are less likely to do well in education?


Find definitions and examples of the following key terms:

Definition Example Material Deprivation

Cultural Deprivation

Task 2: Watch the following and make notes on what they tell us about meritocracy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVLBIxuWfRM – this then leads you to a full length documentary if you want to find out more Poor Kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BN7ml6b-e4 (there are several parts to this documentary) Write a paragraph below that answers the following question: “Do We Live in a Meritocracy?” using something you have learnt from the above tasks to support your response Task 3: Now conduct some further research into either gender inequalities or ethnic inequalities in the education system and make some notes/ a mind map on what the inequalities are, reasons for the inequalities and relevant government policies. Download and print any interesting articles you find for your files if you are able to. Useful Websites: https://www.theguardian.com/education/sociology https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/Sociology www.tutor2u.net/sociology


SECTION 4 – FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS

Research Families in the UK using the following websites and any others you wish.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zcf8q6f https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46303120 https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/families/bulletins/familiesandhouseholds/2016 https://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/For-professionals/Research/CPA-Changing_family_structures.pdf?dtrk=true https://www.policyexchange.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/families-in-britain-apr-09.pdf https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z22fb9q/resources/1

Task 1: Create a mind map for your files using the following headings: the key changes in British families since 1900 (include stats), key issues that are debated by social scientists/politicians, changes in family policy, ethnic differences.

Task 2: Watch these 2 adverts for McCain chips, one from the 1990s and one from 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9R_QrbLDiw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ9fjN1az9g

Complete the similarities and differences chart showing how family life has changed over this time period. Do some further research to suggest why these changes in family life have taken place – think about things like structure, gender roles, experience of children

Similarities Differences


Task 3: Find definitions for these key terms:

Baby-boomer:

Nuclear family:

Attachment theory:

Latch-key children:

Serial monogomy:

Delinquency:

Matrifocal family:

Extended family:

Reconstituted family:

Task 4: Watch the C4 documentary ‘21 kids and counting’:

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/21-kids-and-counting (free to view; C4 login needed).

Write a sociological review of this programme, including:

• What is unusual/surprising about the Radford family?

• Are they what you expected? Why/why not?

• What can we learn from them about family life in modern Britain?

• What pressures do the family face and how do they manage these?

• Is this a ‘functional’ family, where everything works smoothly for the benefit of the whole, or a ‘dysfunctional family’? Explain your view.

Please submit your review to Miss Matthews at [email protected] by the end of June


Section 5 – Research Methods Task 1: In Sociology, data on society is collected in a number of different ways. Try to find definitions for the following terms and give an example of each:

Key Term Definition/Example Qualitative data

Quantitative data

Primary Research

Secondary Research

Positivist

Interpretivism

Sampling


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Jackson, C (2006) Lads and Ladettes in School: Gender and a Fear of Failure: Open University Press

Lads and Ladettes in School is a study by Jackson of young people aged 13–14 years old and the extent to which they behave in a lad or ladette manner. Jackson takes as her starting point for this research her concern that a significant number of boys in the contemporary UK appear to be behaving in a laddish way or are being labelled as laddish by the media. Jackson argues this is associated with the idea that it is ‘uncool’ to work and is possibly preventing some young boys from reaching their potential in school. Laddism is a set of values which are both anti-school and anti-education. Jackson argues there is some hearsay and anecdotal evidence that suggests girls are now behaving in a similar way. She wanted to establish the extent to which lad and ladette culture might be occurring in secondary schools.

One of Jackson’s aims was to try to understand the patterns of behaviour and attitudes that are associated with lads and ladettes. She also wanted to find out what motives they had for adopting such behaviour. She argues that without understanding the motives the young people had, it is difficult to challenge their underachievement and their general disruption to the school environment.

She also set out to investigate whether ladette culture is similar to, or different from, lad culture. Do ladettes, for example, also think it is uncool to work; are they also anti-school and anti-education? And, if they are, does it impede the girls who behave in this way in terms of their achievement?

Jackson used mixed methods to gain quantitative data which would produce evidence of any patterns or trends in relation to the behaviour of the young people and qualitative data which would provide an in-depth insight into their views. She carried out a series of questionnaires followed by semi-structured interviews.

There were two parts to this research. The research took place in six schools, two of which were single sex. The intake of the six schools was mixed in terms of social class, ethnicity, and academic achievement. Self-completion questionnaires were administered to all the boys and girls in year 9. These questionnaires were administered covering a range of themes including pupils’ aspirations and attitudes to behaviour and lad culture. From the 779 questionnaire responses, 75 girls and 78 boys were selected to be interviewed. These semi-structured interviews covered a range of topics including school based pressures, lads and ladettes and friends. The interviewees were selected to ensure there was a mix of pupils in terms of lad and ladette culture, general behaviour and academic levels.

Jackson followed ethical guidelines and, therefore, gained consent from the parents of the pupils as well as the pupils themselves. The pupils were told what the research was about and, with the exception of one boy, they all agreed that the interview should be tape recorded. Jackson, who is a young, white British woman, conducted all the interviews herself.

In her research, Jackson found that a view expressed by one pupil, Sandy, was one held by many of the interviewees.

CJ ‘If it was ‘cool’ to work hard in school and you got status from working hard, would you work hard?’

Sandy (female pupil) ‘Yes I would, I would if it was [cool]. But because at the moment it’s not, I just don’t [work hard]. I don’t try and I don’t intend to’.

Jackson also found that some girls and boys became part of a lad/ladette culture because of a fear of academic failure. It was a defensive mechanism and would provide them with a reason for their failure. She found it was a desire to be socially accepted that also fuelled ‘laddish’ behaviour in girls as well as boys. They wanted to ‘fit in’, to be seen as conforming to hegemonic masculinities and not normative femininities.

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In addition to the research on the pupils, Jackson interviewed 17 female teachers and 13 male teachers from the sample schools. They reflected a range of subjects, teaching experience and levels within the schools. These interviews tended to last between half an hour to an hour, whereas those with the pupils tended to be approximately half an hour. The teachers also received a list of topics for discussion prior to the interview. The interviews were audio taped and later transcribed.

One of the female teachers commented;

‘I think if you talked about laddish girls about 20 years ago they would be the ones that were tomboys. If you talk about laddish girls now, they are the ones who experiment [sexually] and who, if you like, are shameless.’

Task 2: 1. Read Jackson’s research 2. What was the aim of Jackson’s research?

3. What research methods were used?

4. What samples were used in the research?

5. What were the findings from Jackson’s research?

Urmston Grammar Sixth Form – Transition Work Sociology Department Section 5 – Contemporary Society

As a sociology student you will also be expected to keep up to date with the news and current events. Therefore we would like you to research a social issue that interests you! Task:

Explain why you chose that particular issue (what interests you about it?) THEN… EITHER: Create a media collage of articles on your issue and annotate them Produce a Powerpoint on your issue Write an essay style response answering a question about your issue (approx. 750 words)

Extension: Can you include any research or policy laws which deal with your issue? Name and explain them Can you relate to any of the sociological theories you have learnt about in this booklet? Some Suggestions (but feel free to come up with your own):

• Poverty in the UK – who is to blame? • Why have divorce rates increased? • Different experiences of childhood across the world • Racism in the Police Force • Fake News – how widespread is it? • Coronovirus – how will it increase inequality in our society? • Why do girls out-perform boys in education? • Does Prison Work? • Human Trafficking – who are the victims? • How has the nature of “deviance” changed during the coronavirus pandemic • Gender Equality in the UK (or around the world)

PLEASE HAVE THIS TASK COMPLETED BY THE START OF THE AUTUMN TERM TO HAND IN TO YOUR

TEACHERS. YOU SHOULD SPEND APPROX 3-4 HOURS ON THIS TASK

WELL DONE ON COMPLETING THE TRANSITION WORK! WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU IN

SEPTEMBER!

For anyone who would like to do more……

Sociology is everywhere so just choose any of TED talks, documentaries, films or books listed on the supporting document. Write a summary of what you learnt and why you think it is sociological.