For anyone studying Sociology at A or AS Level, this document provides a thorough companion to your classes and textbook. Introduction to Sociology provides an overview of the foundations of studying Sociology: theoretical approaches, social perspectives, case studies and statistics, as well as all...
Key Terms:
Sociology- the study of society.
Primary Socialisation- the first way in which a person is taught social norms and values, usually from
family or carers at a very young age.
Secondary Socialisation- the way in which a person is taught the social norms and values from outside of
their family, usually from teachers, friends, and the media.
Culture- things learned and shared by a group of people and transmitted from generation to generation.
Values- general principals or goals that tell us what is good and what we should aim for.
Sociology attempts to explain complex social beliefs and matters by investigating the interactions between
people and the institutions and societies they inhabit.
Case Study: Oxana Malaya- The ‘Feral Child’
Is behaviour instinctive or learnt?
Oxana’s parents left her to grow up in kennels with dogs.
She was 8 years old when she was reintroduced to society.
She had learnt to bark, walk on all fours, eat with her mouth, and couldn’t speak.
Primary socialisation is vital for development and shapes the way we think and act in the early stages of life.
Rehabilitation is not an exact science or formula.
What is Culture?
Cultures all around the world can be similar, or vastly different from each other.
Case Study: The Korowai Tribe
First contact was made 40 years ago, they thought they were completely alone on the planet.
They live in treehouses and hunt for food.
Don’t wear shoes or much clothing.
They have a hierarchy and gender roles.
For more information: https://maptia.com/martingros/stories/the-korowai
What are Values?
Examples of British values:
- Democracy
- Voting
- Rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Good education
Summary
Sociology aims to explain matters within societies all over the world, and how their culture, values and
norms may differ from each other. Case studies that exemplify the basic study of sociology include the
primary socialisation of Oxana Malaya, the culture of the Korowai Tribe, and British Values.
, Social Differentiation and Stratification
Key Terms:
Differentiation- the distinction made between social groups and persons on the basis of biological,
physiological, and sociocultural factors such as gender, age, or ethnicity, resulting in the assignment of
roles and status within a society.
Stratification- the hierarchy or vertical division of society according to class.
Cultural Capital- knowledge of modern culture, tastes and lifestyle.
Classes in Britain and their percentage (%) of the population:
- Elite: 6%
- Established middle: 25%
- Technical middle: 6%
- New affluent: 15%
- Traditional working: 14%
- Emergent services: 19%
- Precariat: 15%
Social class is based on your friends and who you socialise with.
Differentiation:
Some sociologists argue that social status does not always come from economic factors such as wealth and
income.
It can also come from education, occupation, speech, dress, age, gender and race.
Gender inequality:
- Men are taught to suppress their emotions to appear strong.
- ‘gender pay gap’- women typically get paid less than men in the same role.
- Stereotypical gender roles
- Women’s sports get less media attention.
- More women than men live in poverty.
- Women are less likely to be CEO’s of major companies.
Ethnic inequality:
- discrimination towards immigrants.
- Black pupils underperform in education.
- Unemployment is 2x as high for ethnic minorities.
- Infant mortality rate of Black African and Pakistani babies is nearly double that of white babies.
Age inequality:
- News presenters are often older men and younger women.
- The retirement age keeps increasing.
- Elderly people are often presented as weak and fragile.
- Children are economically dependant on their parents and aren’t allowed to work.
Disability inequality:
- Lack of accessibility to places.
- Not seen as capable to work.
- Treated as unintelligent immature children.
- Not just a medical condition, but a social one too.
- Disabled people have become marginalised and discriminated against by social attitudes.
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