Topic Sociologist/ Key findings
theory
Influence Social problem Worsley – social behaviour that causes public friction and/or private misery. There are calls to solve this (crime, poverty etc.)
of WHAT
sociology Sociological Any patterns of relationships that calls for an explanation i.e. patterns of behaviour we want to make sense of e.g. WHY
problem people commit crime or WHY some people fail in education. Some behaviours may be regarded as normal but sociologists
may still want to study them e.g. (1) why people stay married for along time, (2) why people are law abiding, (3) why children
do well at school = will want to discover what norms and values are influencing this behaviour.
Electoral If a policy is unpopular with the electorate it will be dropped i.e. May ending ban on new Grammar schools – dropped by
popularity Johnson.
Interest groups Pressure groups may shape social policy – whether trade unions or not. Profit organisations see it as influencing their
interests – they will attempt to influence policies in their favour.
Globalisation IMF, WHO or the EU may attempt to influence policies within different countries e.g. on smoking or drinking.
Critical Marxists and feminists maybe considered too extreme to influence policy BUT radical feminists have introduced some
sociology policies e.g. on domestic violence.
Cost Although the government may be sympathetic to a policy, they may not have the money to implement it e.g. providing
cheaper social housing.
Funding Think tanks have political sympathies to either Labour or Tory and this will influence their policy proposals e.g. centre for
sources policy studies – influenced by conservative party.
Theories Functionalism Sociology can help formulate social policy by providing the state with objective, scientific, rational information e.g. the NHS,
health and safety laws, Equality Act 2010, free education (meritocracy). Social policy can be used as a tool of social
engineering – to fix and mend social problems and change society.
Social Political belief system based on a compromise between capitalism and socialisation. Favours a mixed economy of
democracy nationalised industries with private companies, redistribution of wealth via the welfare state. Impact – poverty research and
the discovery of relative deprivation – influenced policies on higher benefits, better education and health services. BUT The
Black Report examined class inequalities in health and was ignored the Thatcher’s government in 1980. Marxists reject SD’s
claims that policies can eradicate deep rooted social problems.
Marxist Those with power will be the ones who will define social problems because those that control our means of survival have the
power to define what is and what isn’t a social problem. Policies may create the illusion that reforms to help everybody are
possible. In reality, most reforms are designed to maintain unequal power relationships in society. They provide an
ideological legitimation for the capitalist system and preventing revolution when class conflict intensifies e.g. NHS post WW2.
Any gains from social policy are often reversed as capitalism had a tendency to go into periodic crises of profitability. BUT
unrealistic, SD argue that poverty researchers have had a positive impact on policy.
Feminism Encourage gender scripts: Tax breaks for married couples, Lack of adequate childcare facility, Maternity leave for women,
Judges 90% more likely to give custody to the woman.
theory
Influence Social problem Worsley – social behaviour that causes public friction and/or private misery. There are calls to solve this (crime, poverty etc.)
of WHAT
sociology Sociological Any patterns of relationships that calls for an explanation i.e. patterns of behaviour we want to make sense of e.g. WHY
problem people commit crime or WHY some people fail in education. Some behaviours may be regarded as normal but sociologists
may still want to study them e.g. (1) why people stay married for along time, (2) why people are law abiding, (3) why children
do well at school = will want to discover what norms and values are influencing this behaviour.
Electoral If a policy is unpopular with the electorate it will be dropped i.e. May ending ban on new Grammar schools – dropped by
popularity Johnson.
Interest groups Pressure groups may shape social policy – whether trade unions or not. Profit organisations see it as influencing their
interests – they will attempt to influence policies in their favour.
Globalisation IMF, WHO or the EU may attempt to influence policies within different countries e.g. on smoking or drinking.
Critical Marxists and feminists maybe considered too extreme to influence policy BUT radical feminists have introduced some
sociology policies e.g. on domestic violence.
Cost Although the government may be sympathetic to a policy, they may not have the money to implement it e.g. providing
cheaper social housing.
Funding Think tanks have political sympathies to either Labour or Tory and this will influence their policy proposals e.g. centre for
sources policy studies – influenced by conservative party.
Theories Functionalism Sociology can help formulate social policy by providing the state with objective, scientific, rational information e.g. the NHS,
health and safety laws, Equality Act 2010, free education (meritocracy). Social policy can be used as a tool of social
engineering – to fix and mend social problems and change society.
Social Political belief system based on a compromise between capitalism and socialisation. Favours a mixed economy of
democracy nationalised industries with private companies, redistribution of wealth via the welfare state. Impact – poverty research and
the discovery of relative deprivation – influenced policies on higher benefits, better education and health services. BUT The
Black Report examined class inequalities in health and was ignored the Thatcher’s government in 1980. Marxists reject SD’s
claims that policies can eradicate deep rooted social problems.
Marxist Those with power will be the ones who will define social problems because those that control our means of survival have the
power to define what is and what isn’t a social problem. Policies may create the illusion that reforms to help everybody are
possible. In reality, most reforms are designed to maintain unequal power relationships in society. They provide an
ideological legitimation for the capitalist system and preventing revolution when class conflict intensifies e.g. NHS post WW2.
Any gains from social policy are often reversed as capitalism had a tendency to go into periodic crises of profitability. BUT
unrealistic, SD argue that poverty researchers have had a positive impact on policy.
Feminism Encourage gender scripts: Tax breaks for married couples, Lack of adequate childcare facility, Maternity leave for women,
Judges 90% more likely to give custody to the woman.
