Sociology A level paper 2
Q&A
Bean pole family - answer-A family with a long, thin structure. For example, there might
be 4 generations alive, but each generation hasn't had many children. This is a 21st
century example of an extended family, but its members are more likely to live apart
than in the past.
Birth Rate - answer-The number of babies born per thousand per year.
Civil Partnership - answer-The legally or formally recognised union of a man and a
woman (or in some countries two people of the same sex) in a committed relationship.
Co-habitation - answer-Two people living together in the same household in an
emotionally intimate, committed relationship without being officially married.
Commercialisation of Housework - answer-Where new technologies lead to new
products which people can buy which reduces the amount of domestic labour people
have to do at home - e.g. hoovers, washing machines, microwaves and microwave
meals reduce the amount of time spend cleaning, washing and cooking.
Death Rate - answer-The number of deaths per thousand members of a population per
year.
Dual Burden - answer-When someone does both paid work and a significant amount of
the domestic labour, such as housework at home. According to radical feminists, it is
mainly women who suffer this.
Economic Factors - answer-Refers to things to do with money - for example how wealth
a society is and the amount of wealth and income an individual or family has.
Emotion Work - answer-Thinking about the emotional well-being of other members of
the family and acting in ways which will be of emotional benefit to others. For example,
hugging and reassuring children when they have nightmares, organising Christmas and
birthday parties so that everyone feels included and has a good time.
Extended family - answer-Family beyond the traditional nuclear family, incorporating
aunts, uncles, and grandparents. In the traditional extended family, members live in the
same household, in more modern extended families
,Gender Norms - answer-The 'expected' patterns of behaviour associated with
masculinity and femininity - for example, femininity = caring, masculinity = competitive.
Gender Roles - answer-The social positions and occupations we associate with men
and women - for example we tend to associate the caring role with women, and the
'provider role' with men.
Globalisation (simple definition) - answer-The increasing interconnectedness of
societies across the globe.
Ideological Functions - answer-Refers to the ways in which the ideas spread through
institutions work top maintain the power of dominant groups in society.
Individualisation - answer-The process where individuals have more freedom to make
life-choices and shape their identities because of a weakening of traditional social
structures, norms and values. For example, secularisation means people have more
choice over whether they should get married or simply cohabit.
Instrumental Role - answer-The provider or breadwinner role which involves going out
to work and earning money for the family - the traditional male role within the family.
Matrifocal Household - answer-A family structure in which mothers are the heads of
household and fathers have less power and control in family life and the allocation of
resources.
Migration - answer-Moving from one country or area to another.
Negotiated Families - answer-Vary according to the wishes and expectations of their
members, who decided what is best for them by discussion. Negotiated families are
more equal than traditional nuclear families, but more unstable. This is the typical type
of family in postmodern society.
Net Migration - answer-The difference between the numbers of people immigrating to
and emigrating from a country.
Nuclear Family - answer-A man and a woman and their dependent children, either their
own or adopted.
, Patriarchy - answer-A society where men hold the power and women are excluded,
disadvantaged or oppressed. An example of a patriarchal society is one which women
are not allowed to vote, but men are.
Personal Life Perspective - answer-A sociological perspective which believes we should
understand family life from the perspective of the individuals who make up the family,
focusing on the diverse ways in which different individuals within the family define and
perceive their own experiences of family life.
Postmodernism - answer-The view that social changes (such as globalisation and more
consumerism) since the 1950s have resulted in a world in which individuals have much
more choice and freedom than is suggested by Modernists social theories such as
Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism.
Primary Socialisation - answer-The first stages of learning the norms and values of a
society; learning basic skills and norms, such as language, and basic manners.
Serial Monogamy - answer-Where an individual has a string of committed relationships,
one after the other.
Social Construction of Childhood - answer-The idea that the norms and values and
social roles associated with childhood are influenced by society, rather than being
determined by the biological age of a child.
Symmetrical Family - answer-A family in which the roles of husbands and wives,
although not identical are more similar. There are three elements:
- Both men and women do paid work.
- Men and women both do housework.
- Couples spend their leisure time together rather than separately
Total Fertility Rate - answer-The average number of babies a woman will have during
her fertile years (15-44).
Toxic Childhood - answer-Where social changes, especially the invention of new
technologies, does increasing amounts of harm to children. For example, the internet
and mobile phones results in screen saturation with increases anxiety and reduces
attention spans.
Q&A
Bean pole family - answer-A family with a long, thin structure. For example, there might
be 4 generations alive, but each generation hasn't had many children. This is a 21st
century example of an extended family, but its members are more likely to live apart
than in the past.
Birth Rate - answer-The number of babies born per thousand per year.
Civil Partnership - answer-The legally or formally recognised union of a man and a
woman (or in some countries two people of the same sex) in a committed relationship.
Co-habitation - answer-Two people living together in the same household in an
emotionally intimate, committed relationship without being officially married.
Commercialisation of Housework - answer-Where new technologies lead to new
products which people can buy which reduces the amount of domestic labour people
have to do at home - e.g. hoovers, washing machines, microwaves and microwave
meals reduce the amount of time spend cleaning, washing and cooking.
Death Rate - answer-The number of deaths per thousand members of a population per
year.
Dual Burden - answer-When someone does both paid work and a significant amount of
the domestic labour, such as housework at home. According to radical feminists, it is
mainly women who suffer this.
Economic Factors - answer-Refers to things to do with money - for example how wealth
a society is and the amount of wealth and income an individual or family has.
Emotion Work - answer-Thinking about the emotional well-being of other members of
the family and acting in ways which will be of emotional benefit to others. For example,
hugging and reassuring children when they have nightmares, organising Christmas and
birthday parties so that everyone feels included and has a good time.
Extended family - answer-Family beyond the traditional nuclear family, incorporating
aunts, uncles, and grandparents. In the traditional extended family, members live in the
same household, in more modern extended families
,Gender Norms - answer-The 'expected' patterns of behaviour associated with
masculinity and femininity - for example, femininity = caring, masculinity = competitive.
Gender Roles - answer-The social positions and occupations we associate with men
and women - for example we tend to associate the caring role with women, and the
'provider role' with men.
Globalisation (simple definition) - answer-The increasing interconnectedness of
societies across the globe.
Ideological Functions - answer-Refers to the ways in which the ideas spread through
institutions work top maintain the power of dominant groups in society.
Individualisation - answer-The process where individuals have more freedom to make
life-choices and shape their identities because of a weakening of traditional social
structures, norms and values. For example, secularisation means people have more
choice over whether they should get married or simply cohabit.
Instrumental Role - answer-The provider or breadwinner role which involves going out
to work and earning money for the family - the traditional male role within the family.
Matrifocal Household - answer-A family structure in which mothers are the heads of
household and fathers have less power and control in family life and the allocation of
resources.
Migration - answer-Moving from one country or area to another.
Negotiated Families - answer-Vary according to the wishes and expectations of their
members, who decided what is best for them by discussion. Negotiated families are
more equal than traditional nuclear families, but more unstable. This is the typical type
of family in postmodern society.
Net Migration - answer-The difference between the numbers of people immigrating to
and emigrating from a country.
Nuclear Family - answer-A man and a woman and their dependent children, either their
own or adopted.
, Patriarchy - answer-A society where men hold the power and women are excluded,
disadvantaged or oppressed. An example of a patriarchal society is one which women
are not allowed to vote, but men are.
Personal Life Perspective - answer-A sociological perspective which believes we should
understand family life from the perspective of the individuals who make up the family,
focusing on the diverse ways in which different individuals within the family define and
perceive their own experiences of family life.
Postmodernism - answer-The view that social changes (such as globalisation and more
consumerism) since the 1950s have resulted in a world in which individuals have much
more choice and freedom than is suggested by Modernists social theories such as
Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism.
Primary Socialisation - answer-The first stages of learning the norms and values of a
society; learning basic skills and norms, such as language, and basic manners.
Serial Monogamy - answer-Where an individual has a string of committed relationships,
one after the other.
Social Construction of Childhood - answer-The idea that the norms and values and
social roles associated with childhood are influenced by society, rather than being
determined by the biological age of a child.
Symmetrical Family - answer-A family in which the roles of husbands and wives,
although not identical are more similar. There are three elements:
- Both men and women do paid work.
- Men and women both do housework.
- Couples spend their leisure time together rather than separately
Total Fertility Rate - answer-The average number of babies a woman will have during
her fertile years (15-44).
Toxic Childhood - answer-Where social changes, especially the invention of new
technologies, does increasing amounts of harm to children. For example, the internet
and mobile phones results in screen saturation with increases anxiety and reduces
attention spans.
