OxfordAQA A-Level Sociology (9690): Individuals, Society and Social Identities — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions; examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. As 9690 is a newly launched qualification (first teaching September 2026), use these alongside OxfordAQA’s own specimen papers and mark schemes.

Related: Individuals, socialisation and social identities revision notes

These questions cover specification sections 3.1.2.1 Individuals and society and 3.1.2.3 Social identities and social change of OxfordAQA International AS/A level Sociology (9690), Unit 2 Section A. Tariffs (2, 2, 4, 4, 8 and 20) follow the 40-mark Section A pattern used on the course’s other Marlbridge practice pages.

---

Questions

1. Define what is meant by a subculture. [2]

2. Outline the difference between an individual and a collective identity. [2]

3. Identify and briefly explain two ways in which stereotypes may affect individuals. [4]

4. Identify and briefly explain two ways in which nationality may form part of social identity. [4]

5. Explain two ways in which C. Wright Mills’s idea of the sociological imagination helps sociologists understand society. [8]

6. Using examples from a society you know, evaluate the view that globalisation and consumption are now the most important influences on social identity. [20]

Extra practice

7. Explain one way in which ethnic subcultures are maintained in multicultural societies. [4]

8. Explain how age and generation/cohort can shape identity. [4]

9. Explain two ways in which gender identities may be changing. [8]

---

Mark schemes

1. [2] A group within a wider society whose members share norms, values or practices that differ in some ways from the mainstream culture, for example an ethnic, religious or youth subculture (2). Partial: “a smaller group in society” (1).

2. [2] An individual identity is a person’s sense of their unique self — personality, choices, biography (1); a collective identity is a sense of belonging to and identifying with a group such as a nation, faith, ethnicity or class (1).

3. [4] Two ways, 2 marks each: stereotypes can lead to prejudice and discrimination in jobs or education; people may internalise stereotypes, affecting self-esteem; stereotypes can create a self-fulfilling prophecy; they can lead to othering and stigmatised identities (link to Goffman’s Stigma, 1963).

4. [4] Two ways, 2 marks each: national symbols, rituals and holidays create shared belonging; language and education transmit national history and values; citizenship gives legal rights and status; national identity may be strengthened by sport or conflict; diaspora members may keep a national identity abroad.

5. [8] Two ways, 4 marks each (identify, explain, develop, example):

• Linking personal troubles to public issues — Mills (1959) argued that problems that feel private, such as one person’s unemployment or divorce, become public issues when they affect many people and reflect social structures such as the economy or changing family norms.
• Connecting biography and history — the sociological imagination places individuals within historical change, showing how events such as migration or industrialisation shape life chances.
• Challenging common sense — it encourages questioning taken-for-granted explanations that blame individuals.

6. [20] Levels: 17–20 detailed, analytical, a range of evidence and examples from a named society, sustained evaluation, justified conclusion; 13–16 good knowledge, some evaluation; 9–12 reasonable knowledge, limited evaluation; 5–8 basic; 1–4 fragments.

For the view:

• Global media, brands and platforms supply identities across borders; young people in many societies share global styles.
• Consumption: people express identity through what they buy and display; postmodernists argue identity is chosen.
• Online identities let people construct multiple selves; Zuboff (2019) shows platforms shaping behaviour through data.
• Hybrid ethnic identities and diasporas reflect global movement.

Against the view:

• Identities based on class, gender, ethnicity, religion, age and nationality remain powerful and are learned through socialisation from birth.
• Ability to consume depends on income, so class limits choice.
• Globalisation can strengthen national or religious identities in reaction (cultural defence).
• Fanon (1952) shows how race and power shape identity in ways individuals cannot simply choose.
• Ascribed identities such as age and sex are imposed by others’ reactions.

Application: reward specific, accurate examples from a named society.

Conclusion: reward a supported judgement — for example that globalisation and consumption widen the range of identities but operate within structural limits.

7. [4] For example: religious institutions, community organisations and family socialisation pass on language, customs and values (2); festivals, media in community languages and transnational links with the homeland maintain belonging, and experiences of discrimination can strengthen group identity (2).

8. [4] Age categories such as childhood, youth and old age carry social expectations and status (2); a cohort or generation shares formative experiences — for example growing up with the internet — that shape tastes, values and identity (2).

9. [8] Two ways, 4 marks each (identify, explain, develop, example):

• Changing femininities — rising female participation in higher education and paid work in many societies has widened the range of acceptable female identities beyond the domestic role, though expectations about caring and appearance often remain.
• Changing masculinities — the decline of manual industry and growth of service work have weakened the identity of the male breadwinner; more men take an active role in childcare, while some respond by reasserting traditional masculinity.
• Online and media influences — social media and global media offer varied gender representations and communities, allowing people to explore gender identities, although stereotypes are also reinforced online.
• Law and policy — equality legislation and parental-leave policies in some societies change expectations of men’s and women’s roles.

---

Frequently asked questions

Is Mills named in the specification? Yes — “the sociological imagination (Mills)” is part of 3.1.2.1, and Mills is among the suggested sociologists for section 3.1.2.

Which question needs examples from my own society? Practise using them in the 20-mark question; the specification requires them in selected extended responses.

How do I evaluate in question 6? Weigh global and consumer influences against structural bases of identity, and reach a justified conclusion.

Related pages: Exploring Sociology study guide | Exploring Sociology practice questions