Sociology · May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Question 2

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Sociologists debate the effectiveness of different agents of social control such as religion. Some researchers investigate how the hidden curriculum socialises children in schools, other researchers 2 concentrate on the impact of role modelling. One of the issues sociologists still debate is whether individuals continue to be socialised into traditional gender identities.

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2(a)[2]
What is meant by the term ‘role modelling’? One mark for a partial definition e.g. setting an example. Two marks for a clear definition e.g. acting as an example so that this behaviour is copied by others.
2(b)[4]
Describe two features of traditional femininity. Possible answers:
maternal – traditionally women have been expected to show ‘motherly’ feelings such as love, protectiveness etc. towards babies and children;
housewife role – traditionally women take on most of the housework, including associated ‘emotional’ work;
preoccupied with appearance and attractiveness – traditionally women are expected to take more care with their appearance both in terms of hair/make-up and clothing;
emotional – traditionally women have been seen to show their emotions e.g. crying when upset;
dependent – traditionally women have been encouraged to be financially and physically dependent upon men for their well-being;
wearing make-up – traditionally women are encouraged to use make-up to enhance their attractiveness to men, with beauty becoming a ‘daily routine;’
any other reasonable response. One mark for each feature correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each feature that is developed (up to a maximum of two).
2(c)[6]
Explain how socialisation occurs through the hidden curriculum. Possible answers:
it socialises children into the importance of punctuality by rewards and sanctions e.g. certificates for 100% attendance;
it promotes conformity by having clear rules and regulations. Systems of rewards and sanctions are used to ensure that children conform to the acceptable norms and values;
Marxists argue that it promotes the naturalness of hierarchies in society and thus prepares working class children to accept their superiors in the workplace;
feminists argue that traditional gender identities are reinforced via the hidden curriculum e.g. via textbook representations, teach expectations etc.;
the importance of a smart and business-like appearance is stressed through posters and sanctions;
good behaviour may be rewarded with treat trips, stickers, stamps etc. whilst poor behaviour will result in punishments such as detentions, communication with parents etc.;
students learn norms and values from their peers in school e.g. through positive and negative peer pressure;
any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail.
2(d)[8]
Explain why sub-cultures exist in society. Possible answers:
functionalists argue that youth sub-cultures function as a safety valve, helping young people to manage the difficult and turbulent period of adolescence;
New Right sociologists think that some criminal sub-cultures exist because of poor socialisation and lack of appropriate role models within some working or underclass families;
functionalists argue that some sub-cultures may be formed because the normal and legitimate routes to material success and status in society are blocked e.g. Cloward and Ohlin;
Marxists argue that youth sub-cultures are an act of rebellion and resistance to the inequalities of capitalism e.g. Cohen’s analysis of skinheads in 1970s Britain;
feminists such as McRobbie argue that girls may join a bedroom sub- culture to experiment with deviant activities e.g. smoking and drinking alcohol, and because they are prohibited or kept on the fringes of male- dominated subcultures;
Cohen suggests that some pupils join anti-school sub-cultures because they are denied status and respect in a system which labels them as ‘losers;’
some members of ethnic minorities may form extreme or deviant religious sub-cultures because they are marginalised and socially excluded from mainstream society;
some sub-cultures form purely out of shared interests e.g. in music and clothing;
any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well-focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout.
2(e)[15]
To what extent is religion the most effective agent of social control? Possible answers: Arguments for:
religions teach codes of ethics e.g. 10 commandments in Christianity – these guide and channel the behaviour and social interactions of believers;
each religion has a set of informal and formal rewards and sanctions which it can apply to ensure that members conform such as ostracism or ex-communication;
the threat of going to hell or the promise of eternal life in heaven is the ultimate way of ensuring that believers conform to the religious rules and way of life;
religion is an effective way of teaching cultural norms such as those surrounding diet e.g. Kosher or halal systems, and dress e.g. use of veil or kippah etc.;
Marxists argue that religion is a form of ideology which keeps people passive and tolerant of the status quo;
religious leaders function as role models for believers to imitate and this ensures continuity of norms and values across generations and cultures;
any other reasonable response. Arguments against:
in the West societies are becoming increasingly secular and hence religion is losing its effectiveness in controlling people’s behaviour e.g. the increasing use of contraception, even in countries with high levels of religiosity;
in today’s global society the media is now a much more effective tool for social control due to the 24/7 media culture and the pervasiveness of mobile technology;
for some groups, such as adolescents, the peer group is far more effective than religion in controlling behaviour e.g. through peer pressure, the threat of ostracism and the need for belonging;
the family is far more effective than religion as primary socialisation shapes attitudes and transmits core norms and values which are then enforced through the family’s use of a range of sanctions and rewards;
the workplace is more influential than religion for many people as their financial and material well-being is tied to success at work and this means that employees will try hard to achieve rewards such as pay rises and promotions and avoid sanctions such as warnings or being fired from their job;
education is more effective at controlling young people’s behaviour as pupils spend a lot of time at school where they are exposed to the hidden curriculum, part of which is a set of rules and expectations with a system of rewards and sanctions to reinforce it;
some argue that formal agencies such as the police and courts are far more effective in controlling individuals than any of the informal agencies because of the seriousness of their sanctions e.g. fines and imprisonment;
any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two- sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well-developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

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