Assessment Feedback.
1. Outline and explain two functions of religion [10 marks]
2. Applying material from Item A, analyse two reasons for changing patterns of marriage in recent decades [10
marks]
3. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religion today is more about
believing than belonging [20 marks]
Question 1: Question 2:
Examples of Functionalist Views: ● Secularisation. The declining significance of
religion in UK society could have contributed
to the declining popularity of marriage. For
1. First function - psychological many, marriage is no longer a religious
Malinowski 1954 ceremony, and there is no social stigma
- Religion helps in times of crisis eg birth marriage death. associated with cohabitation (couples living
- funeral rituals help create social solidarity, it binds people together without being married) which was
together. once thought of as “living in sin”. This is
-religion can be used in unpredictable times: further evidenced by the fact that, while
- in his study Tobian island in the western pacific presents there has been some fluctuation in numbers
that when the islanders went fishing in the safer lake (the of marriages, the number of religious
lagoon) they didn't prepare any religious rituals as they knew ceremonies has continued to steadily decline.
it was safe. ● Divorce rates. As we shall see, there has
-however, when the islanders went fishing in the ocean they been a dramatic increase in the number of
performed 'canoe magic' which was a type of religious ritual divorces. This could have had the effect of
to help and ease their minds due to the uncertainty. putting people off getting married, as so
- this helps reinforce social solidarity. many end in divorce.
● Expense. Apparently the average wedding in
the UK costs over £27,000.
2. Second function - Value consensus ● The pure relationship. Anthony Giddens
-Parsons (1967) (1995) has written about the quest today for
- religion helps individuals cope with unforeseen the perfect relationship which again could put
events. some off getting married if they’re always
-preforms 2 essential functions imagining a better relationship is around the
- religion creates legitimate societies central values in corner. The role of marriage has changed,
the way that it sacralised basic norms and values certainly, as it is all about the perfect
consensus. relationship rather than the financial security
- it helps promote social solidarity and value that particularly women used to use the
consensus. institution for in earlier periods.
-religion is a primary source of meaning , it answers
ultimate questions about human conditions (why the Another significant trend in marriage in the second
half of the 20th century has been to delay it …
good suffer).
- helps maintain stability within society. reasons:
● Secularisation. Again, because there is less
3. Third function - Durkheim and the study of the stigma attached to cohabitation, increasingly
Arunta: people may “try before you buy” and marry
He identified 4 key functions: after a successful period of cohabitation.
● Women’s careers. While women in particular
Discipline - religious rituals impose self-discipline, which may have seen marriage as a necessary rite of
1. Outline and explain two functions of religion [10 marks]
2. Applying material from Item A, analyse two reasons for changing patterns of marriage in recent decades [10
marks]
3. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religion today is more about
believing than belonging [20 marks]
Question 1: Question 2:
Examples of Functionalist Views: ● Secularisation. The declining significance of
religion in UK society could have contributed
to the declining popularity of marriage. For
1. First function - psychological many, marriage is no longer a religious
Malinowski 1954 ceremony, and there is no social stigma
- Religion helps in times of crisis eg birth marriage death. associated with cohabitation (couples living
- funeral rituals help create social solidarity, it binds people together without being married) which was
together. once thought of as “living in sin”. This is
-religion can be used in unpredictable times: further evidenced by the fact that, while
- in his study Tobian island in the western pacific presents there has been some fluctuation in numbers
that when the islanders went fishing in the safer lake (the of marriages, the number of religious
lagoon) they didn't prepare any religious rituals as they knew ceremonies has continued to steadily decline.
it was safe. ● Divorce rates. As we shall see, there has
-however, when the islanders went fishing in the ocean they been a dramatic increase in the number of
performed 'canoe magic' which was a type of religious ritual divorces. This could have had the effect of
to help and ease their minds due to the uncertainty. putting people off getting married, as so
- this helps reinforce social solidarity. many end in divorce.
● Expense. Apparently the average wedding in
the UK costs over £27,000.
2. Second function - Value consensus ● The pure relationship. Anthony Giddens
-Parsons (1967) (1995) has written about the quest today for
- religion helps individuals cope with unforeseen the perfect relationship which again could put
events. some off getting married if they’re always
-preforms 2 essential functions imagining a better relationship is around the
- religion creates legitimate societies central values in corner. The role of marriage has changed,
the way that it sacralised basic norms and values certainly, as it is all about the perfect
consensus. relationship rather than the financial security
- it helps promote social solidarity and value that particularly women used to use the
consensus. institution for in earlier periods.
-religion is a primary source of meaning , it answers
ultimate questions about human conditions (why the Another significant trend in marriage in the second
half of the 20th century has been to delay it …
good suffer).
- helps maintain stability within society. reasons:
● Secularisation. Again, because there is less
3. Third function - Durkheim and the study of the stigma attached to cohabitation, increasingly
Arunta: people may “try before you buy” and marry
He identified 4 key functions: after a successful period of cohabitation.
● Women’s careers. While women in particular
Discipline - religious rituals impose self-discipline, which may have seen marriage as a necessary rite of
