Sociology · Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Question 2

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The Wild Boy of Aveyron was a child who lived in the woods, in 18th Century France. When he was captured the child couldn’t speak. The Wild Boy of Aveyron is one of many examples of feral children used to highlight the role of primary socialisation.

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2(a)[2]
What is meant by the term ‘feral children’? [2]
Unsocialised children who do not have the patterns of behaviour that mark them out as human. One mark for partial definition, e.g. a child that is more like an animal Two marks for clear definition, e.g. a child that has not had the benefit of primary socialisation and has animal like behaviour.
2(b)[4]
Describe two examples of what is learnt in primary socialisation. Two from:
Learning language
Eating/table manners
Walking
Potty training/personal hygiene
Gender roles
Domestic skills
Values
Norms
Any other reasonable response. One mark for each example identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each description (up to a maximum of two).
2(c)[6]
Explain how children learn social expectations. [6]
Candidates will be expected to show a broad understanding of complex patterns of socialisation. Candidates may talk about either primary or secondary socialisation or both. Possible answers:
Rewards and sanctions
Canalisation and manipulation
Imitation
Through the hidden curriculum, e.g. learning to obey rules and regulations
Through coercion
Role models, e.g. in media or family
Peer pressure
Primary socialisation, e.g. family teaching you to walk
Secondary socialisation
Any other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the process of learning social expectations. Responses may be short and undeveloped. At the top of the band, there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Alternatively, candidates may offer a wider range of weak points. Answers may be placed broadly within the concept of socialisation in general, e.g. they have to obey their parents or they will be punished. Band 2 (4–6) A clear and accurate explanation showing good sociological knowledge and understanding of the social processes involved in learning expectations which is supported by relevant examples. Sociological terms should be expected. At the top of the band candidates will use sociological terms and concepts, referring to a range of factors, e.g. children learn to conform through a variety of processes these may include both positive and negative sanctions from their family, peers and other agencies of socialisation.
2(d)[8]
Explain why socialisation is necessary for social conformity. [8]
Candidates need show an awareness of the impact of inadequate socialisation or the results of socialisation into a different sub-culture to the mainstream culture. Possible answers:
Without adequate socialisation people do not follow the accepted norms and values of society. Individuals need to know the beliefs, norms and values of society in order to be accepted by the society or group.
Without adequate socialisation individuals may not conform to ‘normal’ human behaviour
Social harmony may not be possible without conformity
Functionalist view shared norms and values are necessary for society to function
Even in sub-cultures individuals are taught to conform to the groups values
Education teaches conformity through the hidden curriculum
Family canalise and manipulate individuals into conforming to gender roles
Media present norms, values and role models for individuals to conform to.
Any other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of why socialisation is necessary to social conformity. There may be some discussion of socialisation or lack of socialisation but this may not be directed to the question. Responses may be short and undeveloped. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the top of the band, candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 (4–6) Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. Answers may focus on describing socialisation or social conformity;
this may include description of inadequate socialisation, without any attempt to explain why it is necessary to social conformity. At the top of 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. Band 3 (7–8) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of why socialisation is important to social conformity. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately. Answers will be well focused on the question and there will be a range of reasons presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout.
2(e)[15]
To what extent does nurture explain human behaviour? [15]
Candidates will be expected to engage in the classic ‘nature’ vs ‘nurture’ debate. They may recognise that as genetic science changes more is known about genes and behaviours and that sociology as a discipline is inevitably more interested in ‘nurture.’ Arguments for:
Humans do not display instinctive behaviour
Social relativity of gender roles, i.e. examples of no mothering role
Celibacy – nurture overcoming natural instincts
Socio-biology is ethnocentric in nature
Inadequate socialisation, i.e. individuals may not be recognisably human without socialisation like feral children
Nurture not nature, Oakley
Role of agencies and processes of socialisation in developing human behaviour
Any other reasonable response. Arguments against:
Biological determinism
Aggression
Hormones
Sex drive, urge to reproduce
Mothering instinct, Bowlby (1953)
Genetic inheritance, e.g. intelligence, criminal behaviour
Nature not nurture universal values
Any other reasonable response. Band 0 No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–4) Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the nature vs nurture debate. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided, e.g. human behaviour is learnt because babies are born helpless. At the bottom of the band, use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. At the top of the band, candidates may understand learnt behaviour is linked to socialisation and nurture. Band 2 (5–8) In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the nature vs nurture debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to address the issues raised by the question. There may be limited use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided responses are unlikely. At the top of the band, candidates may describe studies of inherited characteristics like criminality, e.g. Lombroso. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 (9–12) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the nature vs nurture 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 this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question, e.g. sociologist argue that humans show little in the way of instinctive behaviour, they do not have the urge to nest like birds, but rather methods of raising child vary greatly from society to society suggesting they are learnt behaviours resulting from socialisation. Band 4 (13–15) Answers in this band will show an excellent knowledge and understanding of the nature vs nurture debate. There will be a strong grasp of the argument 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 balanced. At the bottom of the band, some attempt at a conclusion will be made. At the top of 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, e.g. sociologist generally favour the view that most human behaviour is the result of socialisation and they are highly critical of socio-biology which suggests behaviour is the result of nature, but this may be a reflection of their subject based bias and advances in genetic may yet prove links to nature and behaviour. Section C: Social inequality

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