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Contents Getting the most from this book �������������������������������������������������������4 About this book �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������5 Content Guidance Introducing socialisation, culture and identity (Section A) What is culture?�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 What is socialisation?����������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 What is identity? �������������������������������������������������������������������������������17 Option 1: Families and relationships (Section B) How diverse are modern families?�������������������������������������������������40 To what extent are roles and relationships within families and households changing? ���������������������������������������������������������������������54 Questions & Answers How to use this section���������������������������������������������������������������������58 Examinable skills �����������������������������������������������������������������������������58 Command words�������������������������������������������������������������������������������60 The AS examination Question 1 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 61 Question 2 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������70 Question 3 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������77 The A-level examination Question 1 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������84 Question 2 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������93 Question 3 ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������102 Knowledge check answers������������������������������������������������������������� 110 Index������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 111 9781471843471.indd 3 03/12/15 10:53 AM Content Guidance ■ Introducing socialisation, culture and identity (Section A) What is culture? Culture, norms and values Culture refers to the way of life of a society or social group which generally involves the learning and sharing of particular values, norms, beliefs, customs, language, history and knowledge. Giddens (1997) argues that it is culture rather than biology that makes people human. Values are beliefs and goals relating to what members of a society or culture feel are morally important and desirable. They act as general guidelines for behaviour. The principal values of UK culture include respect for human life, free speech, achievement, equality of opportunity, materialism, individualism, fairness, justice and respect for privacy. Norms are the cultural expectations or social rules that societies attach to particular types of behaviour. They often reflect key values. Norms affect all aspects of public and private behaviour, including diet, dress, romance, marriage, bringing up children, consumerism and so on. For example, in the UK, what, when and how we eat and drink, the ways in which males and females dress, how we express love, how we marry, how we treat our children, what we buy and so on are all shaped by dominant norms (and in turn by dominant values). Both values and norms — and, therefore, culture — are relative concepts. This means that they are subject to change over time. For example, only 50 years ago, homosexuality was a criminal offence. Customs are norms that have been established in a society for generations and are usually part of the historical traditions of a society that mark it out as culturally unique and distinctive. For example, in the UK Bonfire Night is celebrated on 5 November while in Wales, St David’s Day is celebrated as a national festival on 1 March each year. Exam tip When you revise, make a list of at least six norms and how they relate to key values Knowledge check 1 What value is promoted by the norms of knocking on people’s doors to gain entry or not reading other people’s diaries or letters? Exam tip It is important to illustrate the relativity of both values and norms by using historical and cross-cultural examples 6 OCR Sociology 9781471843471.indd 6 03/12/15 10:54 AM Introducing socialisation, culture and identity (Section A) Social roles are sets of norms or social rules which tell members of a society what should be the culturally expected behaviour of particular individuals. For example, the role of mother in the contemporary UK involves expectations about how ‘good mothers’ should behave, and is consequently used to socially judge individuals who may or may not live up to these expectations. Status refers to the prestige or social standing attached to a particular role because members of a society or social group value highly the behaviour associated with that role. For example, doctors are held in high regard in UK society because their behaviour is directly concerned with saving lives. Ascribed status refers to those roles that are fixed at birth by descent or inheritance, or by physical characteristics such as skin colour or gender. In some societies, the norms relating to the work people do, relationships, marriage, political and economic power and so on are restricted and unchangeable because status is ascribed. For example, the queen occupies an ascribed status because she inherited the position. Achieved status refers to those roles which are achieved through education, qualifications, hard work, skill and talent. In Western societies such as the UK, roles and status tend to be achieved because members of such societies value equality of opportunity and merit. Lord Sugar is a good example of someone who has achieved his status, given his early beginnings as a market trader. Types of culture Subcultures are minority social groups that generally subscribe to the values and norms of mainstream culture but which also share values, practices, interests and problems that are unique to them. Ethnic minorities living in the UK are subcultures because while they generally subscribe to the values and norms of most people in the UK, they may also subscribe to a daily religious and/or cultural lifestyle that reflects and celebrates their origins. However, subcultures are not restricted to ethnic minority or religious groups. Subcultures may originate in age differences. For example, territorial violent gangs found in inner-city areas and spectacular youth subcultures such as teddy boys, mods, skinheads, hippies, punks, goths and hipsters can be seen to constitute distinct subcultures. Subcultures may also be based on political or alternative ideas. For example, anarchists, squatters, New Age travellers and those who live on communes are subcultures because they tend to be anti-authority or are in conflict with some aspect of mainstream culture (although that does not necessarily mean that they totally reject mainstream culture). Finally, some sociologists suggest that the different lifestyles experienced by the working class, the middle classes and the upper class indicate the existence of class subcultures. For example, in some parts of the north of England, following rugby league is very much a working-class pursuit whereas following rugby union tends to be a middle-class pastime. Exam tip Make a list of social roles that you could use to illustrate this concept — for example, police officer Knowledge check 2 Is marriage an ascribed or achieved status? Exam tip You may be asked to compare and contrast youth subcultures Make sure you know at least two in enough detail to do this Spectacular youth subcultures These tend to be composed of young people who are marginalised or disaffected by society in some way or who simply want to rebel or be different They often develop a visible and strong sense of group identity which may be expressed in the form of everyday lifestyle, dress codes, taste in music, shocking or deviant behaviour and so on Component 1 7 9781471843471.indd 7 03/12/15 10:54 AM Questions & Answers AS question 2 Socialisation, culture and identity Read the source material and answer questions 1-4. Sociologists note that ethnic identity is important to significant numbers of people in the UK. This identity may be based on shared descent, history, language, religion, traditions and so on. However, there is evidence that some British people are adopting mixing and matching elements of different subcultures, especially ethnic ones, in terms of music, dance, fashion, food, education and friendship and therefore creating hybrid identities. 1 e 2 Define the concept of hybridity. (4 marks) Use examples to illustrate your definition. With reference to the source, identify and briefly explain two examples of hybrid identity. (6 marks) e Remember you have both a photograph and text to help explain and illustrate your two examples. 3 Using the source and your wider sociological knowledge, explain how national identity might be shaped by the education system. (8 marks) e Two reasonably detailed paragraphs are required. Do not forget to use the source, e.g. there is a reference to history that could be developed. Examples are crucial to show off your understanding. 4 Explain and briefly evaluate the view that British national identity is in decline. (12 marks) e Begin by explaining what is meant by British national identity and how British people are socialised into it by family, education, media and so on. In the second half of the essay, discuss how recent developments in Scotland and Wales as well as globalisation might be undermining national identity. Families and relationships 5 Define and briefly explain the difference between a family and a household. (5 marks) e Families are also households so make sure your example of the latter is not family orientated. 70 OCR Sociology 9781471843471.indd 70 03/12/15 10:54 AM AS question 2 6 e 7 Identify and briefly describe two recent changes in the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. (8 marks) Make sure the changes are clearly different from each other. Explain reasons for the decline in marriage since the 1970s. (12 marks) e Describe the trends in marriage, showing how trends today compare with the past. However, remember a fall in numbers does not necessarily indicate decline. 8 Evaluate the view that the family is beneficial both for society and for the individual. (20 marks) e This is the functionalist argument, which should be outlined in detail and evaluated using Marxist and feminist critiques. Student answer 1 Hybridity as a concept is normally used in conjunction with the concept of identity. It refers to people mixing and matching elements of more than one culture to create an identity that is unique to them. For example, some British-born Asians may ‘borrow’ styles or ways of behaving from British culture while retaining and respecting many aspects of their parent culture and religion. Asian men may wear a suit to the wedding of one of their English friends but traditional dress to the wedding of an Asian relative. e This is an accurate definition which is well illustrated with examples. 4/4 marks awarded. 2 The photograph in the source is of a mixed-race family. Such families and their children have grown in numbers in recent years. Platt suggests that children from such families will have hybrid identities because they are likely to be immersed in the two distinct cultures of their parents. Another example of hybridity in the source is the food that some people eat. When Asians came to the UK in the 1950s they brought their cuisine, particularly curry, with them and many of them opened restaurants. However, some Asian cooks realised that the English were very fond of gravy and invented a dish called tikka masala — a hybrid of Asian curry and English gravy — to cater for English tastes. This is now Britain’s favourite dish according to surveys. e This shows excellent use of the photograph and a sociological study to illustrate one type of hybridity. The food example is also convincingly discussed in detail. 6/6 marks awarded. 3 The teaching of history, English literature, English language and religion in British schools tends to promote national identity. For example, Shakespeare is often referred to as the world’s greatest playwright while traditional history teaching often focuses on Britain’s positive achievements at the expense of such negative British activities as slavery, massacres and Component 1 71 9781471843471.indd 71 03/12/15 10:54 AM