Practice Questions

• Describe what sociologists mean by the term 'social stratification'

  (3 marks)

  The idea that people are forced into various groups which are placed on top of each other in different layers of society (strata) based on the 12 social characteristics
• Identify and describe one example of social stratification

  (3 marks)

  The caste system in India is one example, people are born into one of 3 set layers, and there is no possibility for social mobility (moving up or down the layers). It is a closed society.
• Identify one way of measuring social class and explain why this measure might be used

  (3 marks)

  Life expectancy, many factors that come with being working class can affect life expectancy, for example a poor living or working environment, lack of good healthcare and worse education institutions and average GCSE results. Living in an upper class environment can extend life expectancy due to access to private healthcare, etc.
• Identify and describe one problem that sociologists might encounter when investigating social mobility

  (3 marks)

  There usually isn't set strata, and it can be difficult to identify exactly when people move between different strata. For example, someone could earn a middle-class wage but live in a working-class area and have the mannerisms of someone in the working-class.
• Identify and explain one reason why the importance of class may have declined over the last 50 years

  (4 marks)

  Many people are moving between strata and moving towards middle-class lifestyles. Social mobility has become much easier than in the past and there is much less prejudice towards people who have moved up a level. The working-class now have much better life chances than before.
• Identify and explain one reason for the gender pay gap

  (4 marks)

  In the past, women did not have rights and were controlled by men. There is still a lot of prejudice towards women, and the idea that women should be the primary caregiver of children can prevent them from getting promotions, and they are more likely to take time of work to care for their children than men. This can cause them to opt for part-time jobs (A.K.A working 4 days a week) which can greatly decrease their wages.
• Identify and explain one advantage of using group interviews to study minority ethnic groups' experiences of unemployment.

  (4 marks)

  n/a
• Identify and explain one factor that might affect young people's life chances

  (4 marks)

  Life chances are the opportunities each individual has to improve their quality of life. If a young person is an ethnic minority, they are likely to have much fewer life chances than a white student. BAME people are more likely to be working class, and to have lower-paying jobs than white people. BAME students are more likely to be negatively labelled in school, and therefore less likely to succeed further in life.
• Identify and describe one way in which governments have tried to reduce racial discrimination in Britain over the last 15 years

  (3 marks)

  The equality act of 2010 aimed to improve the life chances of ethnic minorities and other protected groups. The percentage of MP's from ethnic minority backgrounds have risen from 4.2 → 6.3% in 2015, this is important as decisions in Parliament can be more suited to ethnic minorities.
• Identify and explain one disadvantage of using content analysis to investigate the way the media portray asylum seekers and refugees

  (4 marks)

  n/a
• Identify and explain one difference between wealth and income

  (4 marks)

  Income refers to the money received or earned on a continuous basis, as a return for work or investments. Wealth implies money or valuable possession accumulated by a person during the course of their life.
• Describe what sociologists mean by the term absolute poverty

  (3 marks)

  Not having enough of the basic necessities needed to survive. Having income so low that people can barely survive, (e.g. not being able to afford food or shelter)
• Describe what sociologists mean by the term relative deprivation.

  (3 marks)

  Not being able to afford the general standard of living of most other people in their society. Having much less income than the average for their society.
• Identify one way in which sociologists may measure poverty and explain one disadvantage of using this measure.

  (4 marks)

  Measuring disposable income, measuring how much money people have left over after paying for rent and water/ electricity bills, etc. How much money people have to live on every day (i.e. food, transport, clothes, etc.) A disadvantage of this is that it does not measure life chances.
• Identify and explain one reason why women are more likely than men to experience poverty in the UK.

  (4 marks)

  Women are more likely to experience poverty than men because they are more likely to be the single parent in lone-parent households, meaning they have to care for their children and are less likely to be able to find higher-paying jobs. They don't often have spare time to look for better jobs/ have multiple jobs to support themselves and children.
• Discuss how far sociologists agree that children who are born into poor families in Britain will go on to experience poverty over the course of their lives

  (12 marks)

  n/a
• Describe what sociologists mean by the 'poverty trap'

  (3 marks)

  The poverty trap is an economic system where it is difficult to escape poverty. When people living in poverty have children, they are unlikely to escape poverty, causing poverty to persist in society. It can be very difficult to escape poverty.
• Discuss how far sociologists agree that the behaviour and culture of individuals is one of the most important reasons for poverty in modern Britain.

  (12 marks)

  n/a
• Identify and explain one disadvantage of using social surveys to investigate people's experience of poverty

  (4 marks)

  n/a
• Discuss how far sociologists agree that there is an underclass in Modern Britain Society.

  (12 marks)

  n/a
• Identify and describe one example of achieved status

  (3 marks)

  Achieved status is when someone earns their status through hard work and talent. Lord Sugar is an example of achieved status. He used to sell stuff from the boot of his car but now is a successful entrepreneur.
• Discuss how far sociologists agree that gender is the most significant division in British Society today

  (12 marks)

  n/a
• Identify and explain one factor that affects life chances

  (4 marks)

  One factor that affects life chances is class. People born into working class families are unlikely to have a lot of life chances without working extra hard for them. Growing up working class can mean you experience material deprivation, making it harder to succeed in school, and then further in life.
• Explain what sociologists mean by ascribed status

  (3 marks)

  Ascribed status is status you are born with, for example, being born into the royal family. In a meritocracy, achieved status is placed above ascribed status.