AQA A-LEVEL SOCIOLOGY STUDY
GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ New Media. Answer: Interactive digital communication that allows
multi-directional engagement, such as social media, blogs, and online
forums.
◉ Vertical Integration. Answer: The control of all stages of media
production and distribution by a single company, ensuring
dominance in a specific area.
◉ Conglomeration. Answer: Expansion into diverse business areas to
spread economic risk and balance losses with profits.
◉ Diversification. Answer: Expansion into new business areas to
reduce reliance on a single product or service.
◉ Synergy. Answer: Utilizing diversity to create different product
packages and increase profitability.
, ◉ Technological Convergence. Answer: Incorporating multiple
technologies into a unified media system, such as the integration of
print, audio, and video into digital platforms.
◉ Ofcom & IPSO. Answer: Regulatory bodies overseeing media
content and ensuring responsible journalism, maintaining ethical
standards and protecting public interest.
◉ Manipulative/Instrumentalism. Answer: Control of media content
by owners to promote dominant ideology and justify power, often
through biased reporting and selective coverage.
◉ Dominant/Hegemonic Approach. Answer: Media reflects ideas of
the ruling class as 'normal,' indirectly influencing audience
perceptions and reinforcing existing power structures.
◉ Agenda Setting. Answer: Media's influence on emphasizing
conformity to social norms and isolating non-conformist behavior,
shaping public opinion and priorities.
◉ Gatekeeping. Answer: Editorial decision-making process
determining which stories are featured and the amount of coverage
they receive, shaping public discourse and perceptions.
GUIDE 2026 COMPLETE QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
◉ New Media. Answer: Interactive digital communication that allows
multi-directional engagement, such as social media, blogs, and online
forums.
◉ Vertical Integration. Answer: The control of all stages of media
production and distribution by a single company, ensuring
dominance in a specific area.
◉ Conglomeration. Answer: Expansion into diverse business areas to
spread economic risk and balance losses with profits.
◉ Diversification. Answer: Expansion into new business areas to
reduce reliance on a single product or service.
◉ Synergy. Answer: Utilizing diversity to create different product
packages and increase profitability.
, ◉ Technological Convergence. Answer: Incorporating multiple
technologies into a unified media system, such as the integration of
print, audio, and video into digital platforms.
◉ Ofcom & IPSO. Answer: Regulatory bodies overseeing media
content and ensuring responsible journalism, maintaining ethical
standards and protecting public interest.
◉ Manipulative/Instrumentalism. Answer: Control of media content
by owners to promote dominant ideology and justify power, often
through biased reporting and selective coverage.
◉ Dominant/Hegemonic Approach. Answer: Media reflects ideas of
the ruling class as 'normal,' indirectly influencing audience
perceptions and reinforcing existing power structures.
◉ Agenda Setting. Answer: Media's influence on emphasizing
conformity to social norms and isolating non-conformist behavior,
shaping public opinion and priorities.
◉ Gatekeeping. Answer: Editorial decision-making process
determining which stories are featured and the amount of coverage
they receive, shaping public discourse and perceptions.
