AS SOCIOLOGY

AS SOCIOLOGY Paper 2 Research Methods and Topics in Sociology Tuesday 21 May 2024 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: • an AQA 12-page answer book. Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. • Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7191/2. • Answer all questions in Section A and all questions from one topic in Section B. • 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 60. • Questions carrying 10 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. Section A Research Methods Answer all questions in this section. Outline two characteristics of field experiments in sociological research. [4 marks] Evaluate the advantages of using positivist methods in sociological research. [16 marks] Section B Choose one topic from this section and answer all the questions on that topic. Topic B1 Culture and Identity Define the term ‘high culture’. [2 marks] Using one example, briefly explain how an individual may attempt to manage the impression others have of them. [2 marks] Outline three factors that may explain gender differences in leisure choices. [6 marks] Outline and explain two ways in which agencies of socialisation may socialise individuals into their age identity. [10 marks] 0 7 Read Item A below and answer the question that follows. Item A For some Marxists, culture in society reflects ruling class ideology. It expresses the distorted view of the world put forward by the dominant class. Therefore, the key role of culture is to maintain the system of social inequality that exists in capitalist society. Alternatively, functionalist sociologists argue that the culture of society reflects the shared values of that society. Society needs a shared culture to run effectively, and various agencies play their part in socialising members of society. Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist approach to the role of culture in society. [20 marks] Turn over for the next topic Turn over ► Topic B2 Families and Households Define the term ‘matrifocal family’. [2 marks] Using one example, briefly explain why there has been a fall in the infant mortality rate over the last 100 years. [2 marks] Outline three reasons why there has been an increase in cohabitation. [6 marks] Outline and explain two ways in which changes in the organisation of paid work may affect gender relationships within the family. [10 marks] 1 2 Read Item B below and answer the question that follows. Item B ‘March of progress’ sociologists suggest that the modern family has become more child-centred than in the past. Each individual child is seen as important. Parents spend a great deal of time and money making sure that their children enjoy a comfortable upbringing. Critics of this view would point to examples of child poverty and other negative experiences that children today may face. Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the modern family has become more child-centred. [20 marks] Topic B3 Health Define the term ‘impairment’. [2 marks] Using one example, briefly explain how patterns of mental illness may be caused by the structure of society. [2 marks] Outline three ways in which disability may be stigmatised by society. [6 marks] Outline and explain two ways in which attitudes of health professionals may affect how some individuals from ethnic minorities access health care. [10 marks] 1 7 Read Item C below and answer the question that follows. Item C According to cultural and behavioural explanations for inequalities in health and illness in society, different social groups behave differently. These behavioural differences are due to cultural variations between social groups, for example in attitudes to smoking or diet. Other explanations focus on the structure of society. Poverty and inequality are viewed as the key factors in explaining the inequalities in health and illness in society. Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate cultural and behavioural explanations for inequalities in health and illness in society. [20 marks] Turn over for the next topic Turn over ► Topic B4 Work, Poverty and Welfare Define the term ‘culture of poverty’. [2 marks] Using one example, briefly explain how informal welfare providers may provide day-to-day support to people in need. [2 marks] Outline three reasons why some ethnic groups may be more likely to experience poverty. [6 marks] Outline and explain two reasons why the experience of unemployment may be more significant for working-class individuals compared to middle-class individuals. [10 marks] 2 2 Read Item D below and answer the question that follows. Item D Sociologists have found it difficult to measure the level of poverty in society. One approach has been to identify how much money a family would need to live on and then define as poor anyone whose income is below that level. However, in practice, it has been difficult to define what the basic standard of living should be in a society. Furthermore, some argue that the measurement of poverty is not just about lack of income but should take into account wider aspects of deprivation, such as social exclusion. Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate different sociological approaches to measuring the level of poverty in society. 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