Sociology - Paper 1 Section A: Families and Households - Exam Questions

Sep 5, 2026

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Sociology revision questions covering sociological foundations, theory, and research methods. Topics include culture, norms, values, socialisation and its forms, achieved versus ascribed status, role conflict, and how major institutions (peer groups, schools, religion, workplaces, mass media, families) socialise individuals. The guide also addresses key Marxist ideas (bourgeoisie, proletariat, capitalism, communism, means of production), functionalism and criticisms, consensus versus conflict perspectives, patriarchy and gender role socialisation. Research methods cover pilot studies, data types, sampling, interviews and questionnaires, response rates, ethics, and how sociology impacts society, with Paper 1 Section A focusing on families and households.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Sociology the basics

Sociological theory

Research methods

Paper 1 Section A: Families and Households

What is sociology topic (These questions could feature in either paper and in any section) Sociology the basics: Identify and describe one possible use of sociological research (3) Identify and describe one example of a social structure (3) Identify and describe one example of a social issue (3) Describe what is meant by culture (3) Describe what is meant by norms (3) Describe what is meant by values (3) Describe what sociologists mean by socialisation (3) Describe what sociologists mean by primary socialisation (3) Describe what sociologists mean by secularisation (3) Identify and describe one way the peer group could socialise an individual into norms and values (3) Identify and describe one way schools could socialise an individual into norms and values (3) Identify and describe one way religion could socialise an individual into norms and values (3) Identify and describe one way the workplace could socialise an individual into norms and values (3) Identify and describe one way the mass media could socialise an individual into norms and values (3) Identify and describe one way the family could socialise an individual into norms and values (3) Identify and describe one example of achieved status (3) Identify and describe one example of ascribed status (3) Identify and describe one example of role conflict (3) Sociological theory: Describe what is meant by bourgeoisie (3) Describe what is meant by proletariat (3) Describe what is meant by communism (3) Describe what is meant by capitalism (3) Describe what is meant by means of production (3) Describe what is meant by social relations of production (3) Describe what is meant by social cohesion (3) Describe what is meant by organic analogy (3) Identify and describe one criticism of the functionalism (3) Describe what is meant by function (3) Identify and describe one difference between consensus and conflict approaches (3) Describe what is meant by patriarchy (3) Describe what is meant by gender role socialisation (3) Identify and explain one difference between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat (4) Identify and explain one criticism of functionalism (4) Identify and explain one similarity between Weber and Marx’s approach to social class (4) Identify and explain one difference between consensus and conflict approaches (4) Research methods: (These questions could feature in either paper and in any section) Describe what is meant by a pilot study (3) Describe what sociologists mean by primary data (3) Describe what is meant by the term ‘participant observation’ (3) Describe what is meant by the term ‘participant observation’ (3) Describe (with reference to the census) what is meant by a ‘large-scale longitudinal survey’ (3) Describe what is meant by the term ‘response rate’ (3) Describe one difference between official and non-official statistics (3) Describe what is meant by the term ‘social policy’ (3) Identify and describe one difference between structure and unstructured interviews (3) Identify and describe one way of carrying out a social survey (3) Identify and describe one difference between open-ended and closed questions (3) Identify and describe one difference between structured and unstructured interviews (3) Identify and describe one sampling technique (3) Identify and describe one difference between a positivist and an interpretivist approach in sociological research (3) Identify and describe one topic for which a researcher might use a longitudinal study (3) Identify and explain one reason why it is important to have clear research questions, aims, hypotheses (4) Identify and explain one reason why it is important to have clear research questions, aims and hypotheses (4) Identify and explain one advantage of using a mixed method approach in sociological research (4) Identify and explain one advantage of using a pilot study (4) Identify and describe one reason sociologi

FAQs

What topics are included in the sociology basics section?

The basics cover culture, norms, values, socialisation (including primary socialisation), secularisation, and examples of achieved and ascribed status, role conflict, and how different agents (peer group, schools, religion, workplace, mass media, family) socialise individuals.

Which sociological theory ideas and comparisons are tested?

Questions address functionalism (including the meaning of function and criticisms), Marxist concepts such as bourgeoisie and proletariat, capitalism and communism, as well as consensus versus conflict approaches and comparisons between Weber and Marx’s views on social class.

What research methods concepts and techniques are covered?

The paper covers pilot studies, primary data, participant observation, longitudinal surveys, response rate, official versus non-official statistics, social policy, sampling techniques, differences between structured/unstructured and open/closed questions, and contrasts between positivist and interpretivist approaches, plus ethics and assessing research quality.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Jake