What are Social Structures, Processes and Issues? (AQA GCSE Sociology)
Revision Note
Written by: Raj Bonsor
Reviewed by: Cara Head
What is sociology?
Sociology is the study of society and sociologists investigate and explain the social world and our behaviour in it
Sociologists try to understand not only the ways society influences us in our daily lives but also how people shape society
They do this by carrying out research studies and developing theories about the relationship between the individual and society
The findings from research studies feeds into government policies (such as education) with the aim of making a difference to our lives
Sociologists are interested in how factors like gender, ethnicity, and social class affect our decisions about things such as marriage, criminal activity, and careers
Social structures, processes and issues
Social structures
Sociologists examine society's social structures, which are the different parts that make up society
Some examples of social structures include:
families
the education system
the criminal justice system
the social stratification system
Sociologists are interested in understanding the relationships between the different structures or parts of society, such as the relationship between young people's family background and their involvement in crime
Social processes
Social processes like socialisation, social control and labelling are also of interest to sociologists
Socialisation is the process through which we learn the way of life of the society in which we are born
Sociologists investigate how this process works by concentrating on:
how we learn the culture
who is involved in this learning
what role social structures like families and schools play in the process
In order to understand how social control works, sociologists attempt to answer the following questions:
Who exercises control?
How is control exercised?
Who benefits from social control?
How do individuals or groups resist social control?
By studying these social processes, we can understand more about the workings of society
Social issues
Social issues are those that affect communities, groups and people's lives, such as:
the quality of parenting
care of the elderly
violent crime and poverty
labelling in schools
Social issues are often social problems that are damaging to society and need to be tackled through social policies. Some examples include:
racism
sexism
ageism
poverty
Key concepts: culture, values, norms and socialisation
Some key concepts or ideas that sociologists draw upon include culture, values, norms and socialisation
Culture
Culture refers to the whole way of life of a particular society and includes the values, norms, customs, beliefs, knowledge, skills and language of the society
Culture varies around the world according to the place and time period
One way in which culture varies is in terms of clothing
E.g. brides in India and China wear red, while in the US and the UK brides wear white
Values
Values are ideas and beliefs about what is desirable and worthwhile pursuing
They give us general rules to follow,e.g.
having respect for human life
getting top examination grades
honesty and loyalty
having compassion and empathy
Due to cross-cultural differences, not all societies share the same values.
Wealth and material belongings are regarded as valuable and worthwhile goals in Western societies
E.g. instead of inheriting their deceased relatives' property, the Apache people of North America gave it away
Norms
Norms provide guidelines in appropriate and expected behaviour in specific social settings such as classrooms, libraries, shops, and cinemas
E.g. people are usually expected to be quiet in a library or in a cinema whilst watching a film
Since there are typically sanctions (rewards and punishments) in place, norms give society order and enable it to run smoothly
People are rewarded for conforming to the norms (positive sanctions)
Those who deviate from norms are punished (negative sanctions)
Norms and sanctions change with time and place, just like culture and values do
Socialisation
Socialisation is the process by which people learn the culture, values and norms of society
There are two types of socialisation:
Type of socialisation | Definition | Agencies of socialisation |
|---|---|---|
Primary | Early childhood learning occurs when infants and babies interact with others to acquire the language, behaviour, and skills they will need later in life. | In most cases, families and parents. |
Secondary | Later childhood learning, which lasts into adulthood, teaches people the norms and values of society. | Numerous institutions or groups, including peer groups, the mass media, the workplace, the education system, and religion. |
The agencies of secondary socialisation contribute to later childhood and adult learning of culture, norms and values in the following ways:
Agencies of secondary socialisation | How culture, norms and values are acquired |
|---|---|
Peer groups: people who share a similar social status and position in society | Peer groups may pressure members to conform to group norms and values in settings like schools or workplaces. Those who don't conform risk being rejected. |
Schools: students learn how to interact in groups larger than the family | Students are expected to conform to rules and regulations regarding punctuality and dress. |
Workplaces: newly appointed employees learn the culture of the workplace | Employees learn the rules regarding punctuality, dress and meetings. They may also pick up tips from colleagues. |
Religions provide guidelines for behaviour | Followers are expected to put the guidelines into practice, such as the Ten Commandments. It is argued that religion has less of a role in socialisation today due to secularisation. |
Mass media: television, social media and newspapers provide information and knowledge about the world | The media provides messages about gender roles in advertising, for example, contributing to gender role socialisation. |
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