...roles can be joint and equal or they can be segregated. Some sociologists would suggest that in modern life, conjugal roles are becoming more equal. Conjugal roles were studied by two sociologists named young and Wilmot who stated that traditional segregated conjugal roles, which were that partners had very distinctive and separate roles in a household e.g. Men have the instrumental role and work to get money for the family and women are in the expressive role which is where they provide the emotional support, have become more equal and turned into joint conjugal roles which are that the partners roles within a marriage or relationship are mostly shared, which has led to a ‘symmetrical family’. By symmetrical family they mean one in which the roles of husbands and wives are now much more similar, for example women now go out to work although it may be part time instead of fulltime. Young and Willmott found that the symmetrical family was more common in young couples who were geographically and socially isolated. The positive of the symmetrical family is that having women bring a second wage into the home raises the standard of living. However Oakley sees the housewife role as becoming dominant role for married women rather than a move towards symmetry. Another way to study gender roles is to examine time spent on different tasks. This helps to show whether men or women spend more time on paid and un-paid work. Sociologist Gershuny...
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...Research methods essay Examine the advantages for sociologists in using unstructured interviews for their research. Sociologists use different types of interviews in their research, these ranging from structured to unstructured interviews. The difference between them lies in how free the interviewer is to vary the questions and how they are asked. In its simplest form, a structured interview involves one person asking another person a list of predetermined questions about a specific topic. This involves minimal conversation between the interviewee and interviewer. An unstructured interview however has a specific topic, but there are no set questions, allowing the interviewer to gain an insight on the interviewee and their answers. The main difference is that in unstructured interviews, there is usually no set time limit, and the interviewer is free to ask any questions relevant to the topic, and these are usually asked as open questions. A theoretical advantage of using open questions is that the answers you get are more detailed, and therefore increases validity. However a disadvantage of using open questions may be that it is much more harder to draw conclusions from the findings – linking it back to the time consumption issue. Unstructured interviews are useful when exploring unfamiliar topics, as you have an idea of the subject, but you use unstructured interviews to gain a deeper understanding on the topic itself. This allows sociologists to use unstructured...
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...Examine the advantages for sociologists in using unstructured interviews in their research (20 marks) Unstructured interviews are open-ended questions which are flexible and free flowing as they is it not pre set. In an unstructured interview the interviewer has complete freedom to vary the interview. Therefore, there are many advantages for why sociologists chose to use unstructured interviews in their research. The formality of unstructured interviews allows the interviewer to develop a rapport- relationship of trust, with the interviewee. This is an advantage as it is more likely to put the interviewee at the ease and encourage them to open up than a formal structured interview. For example, William Labov, constructed an unstructured interview whereby he studied the language of Black American children, who were linguistically deprived. As he adopted a more relaxed, informal style, the interviewer sitting on the floor, allowing the children to have a friend with them enabled the children to open up and spoke freely. Therefore, unstructured interviews are useful when researching sensitive topics. Interpretivists favour unstructured interviews because they achieve the main interpretivist goal of validity. Open- ended questions allow interviewees to express themselves in their own words, thereby producing qualitative data that gives an insight into their meanings. Therefore, unstructured interviews are highly valid as it provides a depth of information through the use...
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...techniques used by sociologists in their research Snowballing sampling is where you use one of your own contacts who themselves has a contact to gain access to a particular group and this type of sampling can interlink between several people until you gain access to your desired group. Random sampling is fairly simple; it’s where the sample is picked completely at random for example picking names out of a hat. Examine the advantages for sociologists in using unstructured interviews in their research Unstructured interviews is an interview where the questions are not determined beforehand and the questions that are asked are spontaneous and the interviewee can elaborate on their answers; its less of an interview but more of a conversation. It’s a contrasting opposite to structured interviews which are standardised and have an interview schedule. Unstructured interviews are a qualitative form of research method. The most significant advantage of sociologists using unstructured interviews in their research is that they are highly valid in a number of ways. Unstructured interviews allow rapport to between the person being interviewed and the research so that the interviewee feels that they can trust the researcher because this research method is often used to discuss sensitive subject matters which people are unlikely to want to give confidential information of this type to a researcher reading from a clipboard. This establishment of trust will enable the research to be valid because...
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...Examine both the advantages and disadvantages of using unstructured interviews with students to find out about the effects of a streaming education. “Steaming involves allocating pupils of similar ability to the same class for all or most lessons”-Item B. If you conducted unstructured interviews they would tend to be a quiet time consuming and expensive way of finding out about the effects of streaming. Another weakness is it can be hard to gain access to interview participants as they are hierarchical institutions the permission of the head, the local authority and parents may have to be gained. However, in a school if the head gives permission for you to do your study on effects on streaming he/she may be able to make sure that staff and students are able to give up their time to be able to talk to you. This is particularly important when using unstructured interviews as individuals in school are very time pressured and so might not be able to give up the time to discuss the issue with you. The problem with this is that you could end up with an unrepresentative sample as if the principle is worried that you might reveal some kind of streaming bias he may only allow you to interview staff and students that show his school in the best possible light. One problem with doing research on young people is that they may be reluctant to fill in a questionnaire seriously and with younger children they may find it hard to express their opinions. One strength of using unstructured...
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...Examine the advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research (20 marks) There are different forms of interview, the main division being between structured and unstructured. Structured interviews result in quantitative data that can be turned into statistics, which sociologists can use to examine trends and patterns in behaviour. Positivists believe there is an objective social reality that can be scientifically studied. They favour structured interviews, because to study something scientifically, their research methods must be reliable and representative. Structured interviews are a standardised means of research; this is because they use the same set of questions for everyone. Often they use pre-set responses that respondents much choose their answer from, making collation of data much easier for the researcher. Interpretivists on the other hand, do not approve of structured interviews, they believe them to be fundamentally flawed because the respondent is not always free to answer in the way they wish. The data from structured interviews is directly comparable, due to the fact they use fixed questions and answers. They are also easily replicable and therefore useful in checking results of other interviews. If the questions and answers were different in each interview, like they are in unstructured and group interviews, the researcher could not compare responses over time in a longitudinal study. Structured interviews also have a very high response rate...
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...divided into two sections. Choose one section and answer all the questions in that section. Do not answer questions from more than one section. Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 90. Questions carrying 12 marks or more should be answered in continuous prose. In these questions you will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. G/T80704/Jun12/SCLY2 6/6/6/ SCLY2 2 Choose either Section A or Section B and answer all the questions in that section. Section A: Education with Research Methods You are advised to spend approximately 50 minutes on questions 0 You are advised to spend approximately 30 minutes on question You are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on questions 0 to 1 0 6 0 4 . 5 . to 0 9 . Total for this section: 90 marks Education Read Item A below and answer questions 0 1 to 0 4 that follow. Item A There are important differences in the educational achievement of pupils from different ethnic groups. For example, at GCSE, on average, Chinese and Indian pupils perform better than White, Bangladeshi, Pakistani or Black pupils. Within all ethnic groups, girls out-perform boys –...
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...paper is divided into two sections. Choose one section and answer all the questions in that section. Do not answer questions from more than one section. Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 90. Questions carrying 12 marks or more should be answered in continuous prose. In these questions you will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. A G/K92851/Jun13/SCLY2 6/6 SCLY2 2 Choose either Section A or Section B and answer all the questions in that section. Section A: Education with Research Methods You are advised to spend approximately 50 minutes on questions 0 1 0 6 to 0 4 . 9 . You are advised to spend approximately 30 minutes on question You are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on questions 0 5 . to 0 Total for this section: 90 marks Education Read Item A below and answer questions 0 1 to 0 4 that follow. Item A The educational achievements of both boys and girls have improved since the 1980s, but girls’ results have improved more rapidly. They have overtaken boys in Key Stage tests, at GCSE and at A level. Girls are also more likely than boys to go to university. However, gender differences in subject choice remain relatively unchanged in both academic and...
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...your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 90. Questions carrying 12 marks or more should be answered in continuous prose. In these questions you will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. G/T61607/Jan11/SCLY2 6/6/ SCLY2 2 Choose either Section A or Section B and answer all the questions from that section. Section A: Education with Research Methods You are advised to spend approximately 50 minutes on Questions You are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on Questions 0 0 1 0 6 to to 0 0 4 . 9 . You are advised to spend approximately 30 minutes on Question 5 . Total for this section: 90 marks Education Read Item A below and answer questions 0 1 to 0 4 that follow. Item A Sociologists see the education system as performing a vital role in modern societies. While the family can provide young people with basic values and some useful practical skills, it cannot equip individuals with everything they need in order to become fully functioning members of a large-scale society. In modern economies with a highly complex...
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...answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 90. Questions carrying 12 marks or more should be answered in continuous prose. In these questions you will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. GJ74914/Jan12/SCLY2 6/6/6 SCLY2 2 Choose either Section A or Section B and answer all the questions in that section. Section A: Education with Research Methods You are advised to spend approximately 50 minutes on questions 0 1 0 6 to 0 4 . 9 . You are advised to spend approximately 30 minutes on question You are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on questions 0 5 . to 0 Total for this section: 90 marks Education Read Item A below and answer questions 0 1 to 0 4 that follow. Item A According to some sociologists, cultural factors are the most important cause of social class differences in educational achievement. In their view, there are deep-rooted differences between working-class and middle-class subcultures. For example, they argue that working-class subculture encourages fatalism and collectivism, whereas middle-class...
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...answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 90. Questions carrying 12 marks or more should be answered in continuous prose. In these questions you will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. GJ74914/Jan12/SCLY2 6/6/6 SCLY2 2 Choose either Section A or Section B and answer all the questions in that section. Section A: Education with Research Methods You are advised to spend approximately 50 minutes on questions 0 1 0 6 to 0 4 . 9 . You are advised to spend approximately 30 minutes on question You are advised to spend approximately 40 minutes on questions 0 5 . to 0 Total for this section: 90 marks Education Read Item A below and answer questions 0 1 to 0 4 that follow. Item A According to some sociologists, cultural factors are the most important cause of social class differences in educational achievement. In their view, there are deep-rooted differences between working-class and middle-class subcultures. For example, they argue that working-class subculture encourages fatalism and collectivism, whereas middle-class...
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...2. Experiments |Type of Experiment |Information |Practical issues |Ethical Issues |Theoretical issues | | | | | | | |Laboratory experiments |• A laboratory experiment is controlled and is |1. Open systems – Can only |1. Informed consent |• Positivists – experiments are good because of| | |in an artificial environment. |work with science. Society is an open system |2. Harm to subjects - everything, including |their reliability. This is because | | |• There must be two groups , an experimental |where the factors cannot be controlled. |risks, must be explained but what if you are |they can control the variables, produces | | |and control group. |2. Individuals are complex – it |Milgram? |quantitative data and is detached. However, it | | ...
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...SOCIOLOGY – AQA – UNIT 4 - CRIME AND DEVIANCE The exam is split into 3 questions: • Q.1 is a pure methods section which contains two parts a) 12 marks and b) 21 marks. You should spend 45 minuets on this question. • Q.2 is a method in context question. Part a) is for 9 marks [could also be a 3 and 6 mark question] and part b) is for 15 marks. You should spend 30 minuets on this question. • Q.3 is a theories essay for 33 marks. THIS QUESTION IS SYNOPTIC! You should spend 45 minuets on this question. Below is a list of all the areas and studies you need to know for each section of the exam. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the studies, each college/school are likely to teach slightly different ones, just make sure you know about that amount for each section. Q.1 For the first two pure crime parts you need to know: Functionalist theories of crime and deviance Durkheim – Social control, social regulation including suicide Merton-Strain theory, blocked aspirations Cohen – Status frustration Cloward and Ohlin – Deviant subcultures New Right/Right Realism James Wilson – Strict law enforcement needed Wilson and Kelling – Broken windows, zero tolerance Murray – Cultural deprivation, single parents and ineffective, the underclass Erdos – Families without fathers Subcultural theories Cohen – Delinquent subcultures Cloward and Ohlin – Delinquency and opportunity, criminal, conflict and retreatist...
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...Examine the different factors that influence the sociologists choice of research methods. The main factors that influence a sociologist's choice of research method depend on two different theoretical approaches to the study of society; Positivism is an approach in sociology that believes society can be studied using similar scientific techniques to those used in the natural sciences, such as physics, biology and chemistry. Durkheim, a positivist, called the external social forces that make up a societies social structure that cause or mould people's ideas and actions social facts.Durkheim said the aim of sociology should be the study of social facts, which in most cases could be measured and observed quantitatively, in number or statistical form. Such as the number of people applying for visas to work in a particular country. Interpretivism is an approach emphasizing that people have consciousness involving personal beliefs, values and interpretations that influence the way they act and that they do not simply respond to forces outside them. These two theoretical approaches often use different research methods because they have different assumptions about the nature of society, this influences the type of data they are interested in collecting. Practicality, ethics, theory and subject of study also contribute to the methods used for research. Durkheim, a positivist, called the external social forces that make up a societies social structure that cause or mould people's...
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...Qualitative Research Defining and Designing 1 8 T he qualitative research methods introduced in this book are often employed to answer the whys and hows of human behavior, opinion, and experience— information that is difficult to obtain through more quantitatively-oriented methods of data collection. Researchers and practitioners in fields as diverse as anthropology, education, nursing, psychology, sociology, and marketing regularly use qualitative methods to address questions about people’s ways of organizing, relating to, and interacting with the world. Despite the interdisciplinary recognition of the value of “qualitative research” (or perhaps because of it), qualitative research is not a unified field of theory and practice. On the contrary, a plethora of viewpoints, sometimes diametrically opposed to one another, exist on the subject. Scholars regularly debate about what qualitative research is, how and why it should be conducted, how it should be analyzed, and in what form it should be presented. In fact, fundamental and often heated disagreements about philosophical assumptions and the nature of data exist among qualitative researchers. We don’t pretend to be able to solve any of these controversies. Nor do we suggest one approach or viewpoint is superior to another in the grand scheme of things. How one approaches qualitative research, and research in general, depends on a variety of personal, professional, political, and contextual factors. Ultimately, there...
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