Sociology · Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 21 · Question 1

0495

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The family and individual roles within the family have changed in many different ways. Average family size is getting smaller and cohabitation is becoming more accepted in modern industrial 1 societies. Different types of family are also emerging, such as single parent families. Sociologists believe that social factors such as ethnicity and social class affect an individual’s experience of family life. However, some individuals reject family life and choose to live in alternatives to the family.

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1(a)[2]
What is meant by the term ‘cohabitation’? One mark for a partial definition, e.g. not being married. Two marks for a clear definition, e.g. two people who are not married to each other, living together in an intimate relationship.
1(b)[4]
Describe two alternatives to the family. Possible answers:
singlehood – one person households are increasing in many societies with the rising number of divorces and greater opportunities for women;
communes – a group of unrelated people who choose to live together and share living space, meals and at least some of their property – these may be based on religious, environmental or political beliefs;
friends as family – people have much greater choice today in their family lives and many sociologists believe families are perceived to be less permanent than they once were. This gap may have been filled by friends who are often relied upon more than family;
shared households – these can be temporary e.g. student accommodation or more permanent e.g. joint mortgage with friends or a shared tenancy;
Nayar tribe – large groups of women and children lived under one roof;
brothers were responsible for bringing up the children with the biological father playing no part;
retirement/care/foster homes – these institutions can often perform many of the functions associated with the family despite their being no blood ties;
any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two).
1(c)[6]
Explain how family life can be affected by ethnicity. Possible answers:
marriage – these can vary cross-culturally meaning different ethnic groups may have different experiences and expectations of marriage
cultural traditions – different ethnic groups have different cultural expectations that can affect family life e.g. whether divorce is allowed or whether lone parent families are seen as acceptable;
grandparents – in many cultures it is thought to be the responsibility of the family to care for elderly relatives, not the state – this can affect family life;
conjugal roles – in some ethnic groups it is still seen as the norm for segregated conjugal roles to be in place whereas in other cultures joint roles are the norm;
states – may try to influence the particular size or type of family that different ethnic groups have e.g. historic legislation in China;
religion – contraception is frowned upon in some religions and this can lead to larger families for some ethnic groups e.g. Roma gypsies;
Afro-Caribbean families – these may be more likely to be matrifocal than other ethnic groups which will affect the experiences of the children and family members;
South Asian families – these ethnic groups are more likely to have larger extended families with traditional gender roles, so affecting experiences of family life;
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.
1(d)[8]
Explain why the average family size is getting smaller in modern industrial societies. Possible answers:
contraception – as this becomes more widely and freely available so women are able to control the number of children they have;
secularisation – the decline in religion means that there is less pressure on couples to marry and reproduce;
working women – women focusing on their careers may mean they wait until they are older to have children or decide not to have them at all;
education – many young people are now in education until early adulthood and therefore this delays starting a family;
feminism – feminists recognise that having children can often impact negatively upon a woman’s career, earning power and freedom – this may discourage women from having many or any children;
cost of living – this is rising globally and therefore partners have to consider carefully whether they can afford to have children;
rise of individualism – this brings with it ideologies of choice and freedom meaning that individuals believe it is up to them to decide how to live their life, they do not need to conform to traditional societal expectations;
globalisation – in the digital world we are all globally inter-connected and are therefore influenced by the possibilities of travel and by our understanding of family life in other parts of the world e.g. the rise in DINK families in China / Japan may influence others;
loss of functions – as the state increasingly takes over functions once performed by the family the need to have large families is lessened;
industrialisation – the fit thesis states that the move to an industrial society needed smaller families that could be geographically mobile;
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 maybe 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 in 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.
1(e)[15]
To what extent can living in a single parent family have a positive effect on family life? Possible answers: Arguments for:
freedom and choice – postmodernists would see single parent families as a means for individuals to choose how they want to live their lives without regulation from traditional norms and values;
gender roles – single parent families will not see oppressive segregated roles in place which should lead to happier experiences of family life;
feminism –single parent families are a means to escape patriarchy and for women to have more power and control e.g. matrifocal families;
role models – single parents can be strong role models for their children showing how hard work and determination can lead to success;
economic capital – there are many very successful single parent families who are economically well off and who have strong aspirations for their children, ensuring they have access to vital social and cultural capital when growing up (Bourdieu);
gender neutrality – single parent families are often less stereotypical than other family units when it comes to socialisation and social control and this may help to reduce the damaging and limiting gender stereotypes found in society (Oakley);
dark side of the family – single parent families may be a means to escape domestic violence and abuse and can thus be a positive experience for family members;
any other reasonable response. Arguments against:
determinism – no one type of family can affect how family life is experienced, that depends upon the situation and the individuals involved;
stress and frustrations – living in a single parent family may be the result of divorce or separation which can lead to unhappiness and anger amongst both adults and children;
poverty – single parent families only have one wage and therefore are more likely to experience poverty and deprivation than other types of families which can negatively affect family life;
functionalism – they believe that single parent families are unable to perform the essential functions necessary in the family – only the nuclear family can do this;
New Right – they believe that single parent families are part of the underclass who do not socialise their children adequately. This, they say, leads to educational underachievement and criminality;
lack of father figure – as most single parent families are headed by females, many sociologists are concerned about the absence of a male role model and the negative impact that this may have on boys in particular growing up;
less parental time – single parent families may have less time to spend with their children due to the pressures of work and not having a partner to share tasks with – this may cause loneliness and unhappiness for children who spend a lot of time looked after by others;
stigma – in some societies there is still a stigma surrounding single parent families meaning that parents and children are negatively labelled (Becker) which can be very damaging emotionally;
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 questions 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.?

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