OxfordAQA IGCSE Sociology: Introducing Sociology — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, in the style and at the standard of the examination. They are not reproduced past-paper questions — examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: Introducing Sociology revision notes

---

Section A

1. Define culture, norms, values and roles, giving an example of each. [4]

2. Explain what is meant by the nature–nurture debate in sociology. [3]

Section B

3. Explain, using evidence, why sociologists argue that human behaviour is learned rather than instinctive. [6]

4. Explain the difference between ascribed and achieved status, and between social control that is formal and informal, giving examples. [8]

5. Explain three ways in which the media may influence identity. [6]

6. A sociologist wishes to study bullying in a secondary school.

(a) Suggest a suitable method and justify it. [4] (b) Explain two ethical issues that arise and how each should be handled. [4] (c) Explain one problem of researching a sensitive topic with young people. [2]

7. Compare functionalism and Marxism as explanations of how society works, and explain one criticism of each. [6]

8. Explain the difference between absolute and relative poverty, and describe the cycle of deprivation. [6]

---

Answers

1. Culture — the whole way of life of a society, including its language, beliefs and customs, e.g. the celebration of Eid [1]. Norms — the specific rules governing behaviour in particular situations, e.g. queuing [1]. Values — the general beliefs about what is important and desirable, e.g. respect for elders [1]. Roles — the patterns of behaviour expected of someone in a given position, e.g. the role of a teacher [1].

2. The debate over whether behaviour is determined by inherited biological characteristics (nature) [1] or by learning through socialisation in a particular culture (nurture) [1]. Sociologists generally emphasise nurture, arguing that the wide variation in behaviour between cultures cannot be explained by biology, which is shared by all humans [1].

3. Cultural variation — behaviours regarded as natural in one society, such as gender roles, differ markedly between societies and across time, which biology cannot explain [1] [1]. Feral children — cases of children raised without human contact show they do not develop language, walking upright or social behaviour naturally, indicating these are learned rather than instinctive [1] [1]. Cross-cultural evidence on emotion and family form shows even apparently basic behaviours are shaped by culture [1]. Sociologists accept a biological basis for capacities such as language, but argue the content is entirely learned [1].

4. Ascribed status is given at birth or fixed and cannot be changed by the individual, e.g. being born into a royal family or a caste [1] [1]. Achieved status is earned through an individual’s own effort or ability, e.g. becoming a doctor [1] [1]. Formal social control is exercised by official agencies through written rules and stated sanctions, e.g. the police, courts and school exclusion policies [1] [1]. Informal social control operates through unwritten expectations and everyday reactions, e.g. disapproval, ridicule, gossip or exclusion from a friendship group [1] [1].

5. Any three, 2 marks each: through role models and stereotypes — the media presents images of how men, women and different ethnic groups should look and behave, which audiences may internalise [1] [1]. Through consumption and body image — advertising links identity to products and presents unrealistic ideals, affecting self-esteem particularly among the young [1] [1]. Through selective representation — some groups are under-represented or shown only in narrow roles, which shapes both their self-image and how others perceive them [1] [1]. Through social media, which allows people to construct and present a chosen identity and to find communities that reinforce it [1] [1].

6. (a) A suitable method would be an anonymous self-completion questionnaire distributed to all pupils, possibly followed by unstructured interviews [1]. The questionnaire is anonymous, so pupils are more likely to admit to being bullied or bullying than in a face-to-face interview [1]; it reaches a large sample quickly, giving representative quantitative data on how widespread bullying is [1]; follow-up interviews then provide the depth and validity to understand pupils’ experiences [1]. (b) Informed consent — the pupils are children, so consent must be obtained from parents or guardians as well as from the pupils themselves, and pupils must know they may refuse [1] [1]. Protection from harm — questions may cause distress by recalling upsetting experiences, so the researcher should keep questions carefully worded, allow pupils to skip items, and ensure support from a counsellor or pastoral staff is available afterwards [1] [1]. (Also accept confidentiality, with the caveat that disclosure of serious harm must be reported — which must be explained in advance.) (c) Young people may under-report or exaggerate because of embarrassment, fear of reprisal from the bully, or a desire to give the answer they think the adult wants [1], which threatens the validity of the data [1].

7. Functionalism sees society as a system of institutions working together, sharing common values, to maintain stability and social order [1] [1]; its main criticism is that it ignores conflict and inequality, treating society as more harmonious than it is [1]. Marxism sees society as shaped by conflict between social classes over the ownership of economic resources, with institutions serving the interests of the ruling class [1] [1]; its main criticism is that it over-emphasises economics, giving too little weight to other sources of identity and conflict, such as gender or ethnicity [1]. Both are structural theories, starting from society as a whole, unlike social action theories which start from the individual [1].

8. Absolute poverty is lacking the basic necessities needed for survival, such as adequate food, clean water and shelter [1] [1]. Relative poverty is falling below the standard of living considered acceptable in a particular society, which is why relative poverty can exist even in wealthy countries [1] [1]. The cycle of deprivation describes how disadvantage reproduces itself across generations: poor housing and diet lead to poor health and educational outcomes, which lead to low-paid work, which in turn produces poverty in the next generation, restarting the cycle [1] [1].

---

Where marks are usually lost

• Confusing norms with values.
• Saying formal social control means “serious” punishment.
• Choosing a research method without justifying it for the specific topic.
• Forgetting that research with children requires parental consent.
• Confusing absolute with relative poverty.
• Describing a perspective without a linked criticism.