The Sociological Approach

What The Sociological Approach covers

The Sociological Approach is examined in Both papers, as social theory and methodology. It covers key sociological concepts, sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict, Durkheim, Marx and Weber and how sociological knowledge develops.

The 4 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Key sociological conceptsSociety, socialisation and its agencies, norms, values and roles, labelling, discrimination, power and authority, and social control.Open →
• Sociological perspectives: consensus and conflictFunctionalism, Marxism, feminism and interactionism, consensus and conflict, structural and action approaches, and how each perspective views families, education and the classroom.Open →
• Durkheim, Marx and WeberThe three classical sociologists in their time and place, Durkheim's social facts and anomie, Marx's bourgeoisie and proletariat, and Weber's verstehen.Open →
• How sociological knowledge developsHow feminism and social change reshaped sociology, how sociology differs from common sense, and how families, education, crime and stratification connect.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take The Sociological Approach further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Norms vs Values

  Norms: specific unwritten rules of expected behaviour in a situation. Values: broad beliefs about what is important and right.

• Power vs Authority

  Power: the ability to make others act even against their will. Authority: control that people accept as rightful and legitimate.

• Primary socialisation vs Secondary socialisation

  Primary socialisation: learning society's rules in early childhood, mainly within the family. Secondary socialisation: learning society's rules later through school, peers and the media.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is sociology?

   Model answer

   Sociology is the study of society and how people's lives are shaped by the groups and institutions around them. Sociologists look for patterns in behaviour rather than individual choices alone.

2. 2

   What is meant by society?

   Model answer

   A society is a large group of people who share a territory, institutions and a way of life. The UK is an example of a society.

3. 3

   What is socialisation?

   Model answer

   Socialisation is the lifelong process by which people learn the norms and values of their society. Socialisation turns a newborn into a member of the social group.

4. 4

   What is the difference between primary and secondary socialisation?

   Model answer

   Primary socialisation happens in early childhood, mainly within the family. Secondary socialisation happens later through agencies such as schools, peer groups, religion and the media.

5. 5

   What is an agency of socialisation?

   Model answer

   An agency of socialisation is a group or institution that teaches people the norms and values of society. The family, education, the media and peer groups are agencies of socialisation.

6. 6

   What are norms?

   Model answer

   Norms are the unwritten rules of expected behaviour in a particular situation. Queuing and saying thank you are examples of norms in the UK.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

The Sociological Approach revision questions

What does The Sociological Approach cover in AQA GCSE Sociology?

4 subtopics: key sociological concepts, sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict, durkheim, marx and weber and how sociological knowledge develops. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is The Sociological Approach organised?

By the AQA 8192 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.