C:\wright\home\GCSE Sociology\revision.docx Core unit 1 - Culture Culture – The way of life of a group of people. Informal sanction – punishment that is unofficial, e.g. Cultural diversity describes differences between human rudeness, jokes at your expense and nasty comments. These are sanctions in everyday life for breaking norms cultures around the world and values, e.g. borrowing and not returning a pencil Cultural relativity – the idea that what is normal in one case breaks the norm to return things you have culture would be strange in another. borrowed and the value of respecting others property. Agencies of social control – are agencies of socialisation that teach, enforce and encourage people to follow social rules, e.g. family, mass media, religion, work and peer group. Anthropology – the study of different human cultures, e.g. tribes in Africa. Some ideas of these cultures seem strange to us, e.g. eating other humans. Check your learning: 1.What do the following mean: Culture Cultural diversity Cultural relativity Cultural universals Cultural universals – social behaviours that can be found in all cultures, e.g. all cultures have some form of family 2. What are: life. Norms Society – a group of people who share a culture, e.g.in Mores Britain we share a way of life and a set of rules. Values Unwritten rules for social groups 3. Why are Goths and punks thought to be deviant? Norms – normal or expected behaviour Gender in different cultures – some people think that Mores – ideas about what behaviour is right and wrong gender differences are natural and to do with biology. 4. What is social control? Margaret Mead found that some tribes in New Guinea Values – these are stronger than mores as most people had different ideas about gender roles, e.g. the Arapesh 5. Is a prison sentence a formal or informal sanction? in society share the same values so breaking a value – both men and women appear feminine to Europeans. would be seen as very bad, e.g. not caring for others. The Mundugumor all appeared very aggressive and 6. Are nasty comments a formal or informal sanction? Deviant – a person who breaks norms and values, e.g. masculine. Among the Tchambuli traditional male and Goths and punks female roles were reversed and men make themselves 7. What are agencies of social control? attractive for women. These are examples of cultural Social control is formal or informal sanctions for diversity. breaking a written or unwritten rule in society. 8. What are the gender roles of the Arapesh, Mundugumor Subcultures – this is where some people have slightly and Tchambuli tribes? Formal sanction – punishment that is official, e.g. school different ideas and norms from mainstream (most detention, fine or prison 9. What is a subculture? people in) society, e.g. Emos, Goth and punks. C:\wright\home\GCSE Sociology\revision.docx Core unit 1 - Socialisation The nature / nurture debate is a discussion about Socialisation – the process of learning the norms and supporters. This gives you a sense of pride in yourself whether people behave in a certain way because they values of a culture. This is learning throughout our lives, known as social identity. are born that way or because they have learned to act as e.g. young children learn table manners such as the Status – the respect others give you, e.g. if you are highly they do. correct way to eat with a knife and fork and older people respected you will have high social status. learn how to succeed at work. Nature theory some biologist and psychologists argue Labelling theory – people are given a label by others and that we act as we do because of genetic or natural Primary socialisation – are treated as if it is true, e.g. a pupil labelled as a rebel differences, e.g. men are naturally more aggressive than probably the most may always be treated harshly by teachers and see no women because they are born that way. important form of point in being good. They may then take pride in being socialisation and involves naughty and mix with others who behave the same way. our families teaching us Being a rebel becomes part of their identity and the norms, values, therefore a self-fulfilling prophecy meaning that they attitudes, behaviours and behave that way because of the label. beliefs that we will have throughout our lives. Secondary socialisation - Check your learning: involves being taught how to behave by people in the wider world also known as agencies of socialisation, e.g. 1.What is the nature / nurture debate? school, work, mass media, peer group. 2. People behave as they do because of genetic or Nurture theory – is the preferred explanation of human natural differences. Is the nature or nurture theory? behaviour by sociologists. They say that people are far Informal socialisation – happens by chance. We see more affected by how they are brought up than by how things happen and learn the rules from them, e.g. what 3. Give three reasons why sociologists prefer nurture theories. they are born. They would say that if men are more good customer service is at work. 4. What is socialisation? aggressive it is because boys are brought up to play with Formal socialisation guns and aggressive video games and so have learned to – this is when 5. Where does primary socialisation take place? be aggressive. people or 6. What happens during primary socialisation? Why do sociologists prefer nurture theories? organisations set 7. What is secondary socialisation? out to change us They say more evidence supports nurture theory and 8. What is the difference between formal and deliberately, e.g. argue that the following would not happen if we were informal socialisation? schools, the army or born to behave in a certain way: 9. What is social identity? religions set out to a. People’s behaviour changes over time. do this and we are 10. What word describes the respect that others give b. Anthropological evidence shows that behaviour punished by them if we misbehave. you? varies from culture to culture. 11. Read the section entitled ‘Labelling theory’ and Social identity – involves belonging to a group of similar c. People who have not been brought up explain how a label can affect social identity. people, e.g. Manchester United football team ‘correctly’ behave very differently. C:\wright\home\GCSE Sociology\revision.docx Core unit 1 - Socialisation Role – expected behaviour in a particular situation, e.g. a Toys and games – are an important part of socialisation. Television coverage focus on men in terms of prime teacher may have to be bossy at work but will behave Children are given gendered objects (toys intended for a time coverage and amount broadcast differently in their role as a family member. particular sex) to play with, e.g. guns for boys. Girls may Female TV coverage often focuses on how attractive be allowed to play with male things, but boys are not the women are, e.g. Jessica Ennis won a gold medal usually allowed to play with female objects. for the heptathlon in the 2012 Olympics but much press coverage focused on her weight and body shape. This teaches women to seek what are considered more feminine activities. What happens during socialisation? How children are taught gender roles. Manipulation – children are encouraged or discouraged In the home to behave in certain ways through praise and punishment Children are: Canalisation - Parents direct children’s interests into dressed in clothes and colours thought Check your learning: things that they think are good for them, e.g. they may appropriate for their sex. Male clothes tend to read to them or tsk them to sports activities. They learn be more practical. Female clothes can restrict 1.What does the word ‘role’ mean? the norm for their family. movement and are in lighter colours that show 2. Praise and punishment are used to get children to Language – Adults speak to boys and girls in different the dirt. behave in a certain way. What is this process called? ways to teach them their roles, e.g.’ boys don’t cry’ Toys are often gendered teaches boys to be tough and ‘little princess’ teaches Children see the gender roles of their parents as 3. What is canalisation? normal. girls that they are special. 4. How is language used to teach boys and girls how to At school Social activities – children learn to play with other behave? children at home, play group and at nursery by sharing Reading books often show boys in more active 5. How is the behaviour of boys and girls influenced by and taking turns. Girls may be encouraged to do roles. Stories about girls are often concerned social activities? domestic tasks in the kitchen whilst boys are sent out to about emotions. 6. How does adult behaviour influence children? play. Boys are encouraged to be more competitive as Some subjects are seen as more feminine than they are directed to sports such as football which others, e.g. sciences are often seen as make 7. What are gendered objects? emphasise competition. Girls tend to dance which subjects and art is seen as more feminine. This 8. Name three ways in which gender roles are taught in the teaches grace and beauty. also helps to lead boys and girls into different home? Modelling – Children imitate their parents and act as types of jobs. 9. How are gender roles taught in school? they do. Adults become role models for children who Sport and leisure activities copy them. 10. How do sport and leisure activities teach gender roles? Female sports people are paid less.