Sociology · Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Question 2
0495
As printed in the paper
Show the answer and mark scheme
2(a)(i)[2]
Define the term role. Award one mark for a partial definition, e.g. a housewife. Award two marks for a clear definition, e.g. the patterns of behaviour expected of someone because of their status in society. Accept any other reasonable answer.
2(a)(ii)[2]
Define the term digital surveillance. Award one mark for a partial definition, e.g. police using CCTV. Award two marks for a clear definition, e.g. the use of digital technology to observe and control behaviour. Accept any other reasonable answer.
2(b)[2]
Give two examples of youth sub-cultures. Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). Possible answers:
gyaru;mods;emos;hippies;punks;goths;skinheads;bedroom sub-culture;anti-school sub-culture;gangs;any other reasonable answer.2(c)[6]
Explain three ways identity can be positively affected by global culture. Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of three). Award one mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of three). Possible answers:
global culture embraces aspects of different cultures and enables them to be seen or consumed around the world e.g. Indian, Chinese and Japanese foods are now widespread and popular outside of their home cultures;there is now more of a global culture which is partly the product of global media and technology so people can use this technology to connect and interact with others and create new social bonds with others who are geographically distant;a global culture may establish common standards on human rights that benefit all human beings and to which all societies should aspire to e.g. as enshrined in the UN Charter of Human Rights which gives rights to women, children and minority communities;global culture includes cultural hybrids e.g. contemporary fashion often incorporates design elements, fabrics and styles from various cultures e.g. traditional Japanese textiles used in modern clothing designs or Native American-inspired patterns on mainstream fashion items;or culinary examples include sushi burritos (Japanese and Mexican fusion), kimchi tacos (Korean and Mexican fusion);
education is now becoming expected throughout the world and this has a positive impact on people’s life chances and enriches their experience of the world;emphasis on equality within the family and joint conjugal roles are increasing whilst segregated roles are decreasing thus allowing women and men more flexibility with regard to their roles;exposure to global culture allows individuals to learn about and appreciate the diversity of human societies – this broadens their perspectives, making them more culturally sensitive, tolerant and open- minded and making prejudice and discrimination less acceptable;any other reasonable answer.2(d)[6]
Explain three ways individuals may create an online digital self. Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of three). Award one mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of three). Possible answers:
social media allow users to create and edit their own profiles which give selected information about a user’s identity e.g. gender, age, relationship status etc – so individuals can choose how and what they show about themselves;social media platforms allow users to add user generated content – messages, photos, videos – to present an image of their life to others e.g. showing friendship groups, sharing successes etc;many social media platforms link profiles or suggest links based on information they hold about users so people can extend their social networks and social ties online e.g. suggested friends or suggested matches on dating sites;choosing to join virtual communities that express an individual’s political or moral beliefs shows e.g. Schools Strike for Climate etc and allow them to connect with others who share the same views;digital communities can help people who face prejudice and discrimination join together for support and to organise both online and offline protests e.g. Black Lives Matter, #MeToo;digital communities can maintain ethnic identities particularly for migrant workers e.g. Chinese people can stay in contact with their families and with news from their country so feel part of the Chinese community abroad;people can find new interests and new communities to join which may become an important part of their identity e.g. online sub-cultures;some may create a deviant online identity through participation in cyberbullying/trolling or ‘scamming’ other people online e.g. people who are frequently banned from media platforms for abuse;any other reasonable answer.2(e)[8]
Discuss the view that society is a social construction. Your answer should include:
at least three developed points with evidence. Use Table C to mark answers to this question. Possible answers:society is socially constructed along gender lines e.g. males and females are socialised into ‘opposite’ gender roles rather than gender differences being biologically based;society is socially constructed along ethnic lines e.g. different groups have developed different cultural traditions, customs and pass these on through the generations etc;cultural relativity – societies around the world are vastly different in terms of their lifestyle e.g. Japanese customs and traditions around food are quite different from French, showing that each society creates its own lifestyle rather than them being natural and universal;society is socially constructed along social class lines e.g. capitalism is a social construction in which those who own the means of production (bourgeoisie) dominate the workers (proletariat) and use ideologies to socialise them into continued conformity;a society’s norms change over time illustrating that they are socially constructed – societies develop in response to social factors e.g. it is now the norm for women to vote and not have other rights formerly withheld from them and this is due to factors like social protests and the need to keep society functional rather than any natural forces;society is socially constructed along age lines – childhood, youth and old age each have their own social expectations, norms and values attached to them and these can change historically;values vary across societies and this shows they are socially constructed – people are not born knowing the values of their society and have to be taught them via socialisation;status is an important element in the structure of all societies and status means different things in different societies e.g. in indigenous American culture the giving away of possessions brought respect and high status, whereas this would be seen as odd behaviour in western societies where status is earned by amassing and keeping possessions privately;society is made up of institutions such as the family, media, the workplace, the economy, police, schools etc and all of these have been created and are maintained by societies;cultural practices, customs and traditions are constructed by societies to express their collective identity and values – these practices can vary significantly between different cultures and historical periods and are neither universal nor static;any other reasonable answer.2(f)[14]
Evaluate the view that the family is the most effective agency of socialisation. Your answer should include:
at least three arguments for and three arguments againsta conclusion. Use Table D to mark answers to this question. Possible arguments for:evidence shows that norms and values learned in the family during primary socialisation form the foundation of all subsequent socialisation by secondary agents e.g. learning culturally appropriate behaviours and virtues such as honesty;the core skills of talking, walking and key interpersonal skills are crucial for the child’s development and this is illustrated by cases of feral children who have not received primary socialisation and who therefore struggle to fit into society;the family uses rewards and sanctions to reinforce social norms and values and regulate children’s behaviour if they deviate, thus supporting social control;children learn their basic gender identity through the family – Oakley shows how canalisation, manipulation and verbal appellation are used to socialise children into masculinity and femininity;the family provides role models for children and young people as they mature e.g. children look up to and imitate the behaviours of older siblings and parents as part of their socialisation;people have their strongest bonds with other family members – the love, acceptance and approval they receive from family are important to individuals throughout their lives and hence they are likely to listen to their family more than other agents of socialisation;the family transmit fundamental ethnic/religious/social class-based norms and values which form a key part of an individual’s identity e.g. learning appropriate dress, food laws etc;any other reasonable answer. Possible arguments against:the family may be dysfunctional and therefore not provide adequate socialisation either in childhood or through adolescence leading to deviant children and adults;the media may be a more powerful influence during adolescence, particularly in the era of the internet and social media, where popular culture and celebrities may hold more sway in terms of who and what adolescents aspire to become;education continues to exert a powerful influence in socialisation e.g. through the hidden curriculum children learn broader social norms and values that they will need in the workplace such as punctuality and obedience;the peer group is often more influential during adolescence as peers spend more time with each other and turn to each other for support in the transition from childhood into adult status;for some individuals religion may be more influential if they have a deep faith – in such cases the norms and values of their religion may clash with those of the family;the workplace is a significant influence in terms of the re-socialisation it provides and also the informal and formal mechanisms of social control it uses such as rewards/promotions and sanctions;any other reasonable response.
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