The Sociological Approach | AQA GCSE Sociology (8192)
The Sociological Approach
- 62 questions
- 4 subtopics
- Paper 1
- Paper 1 and Paper 2
The Sociological Approach is examined in Both papers, as social theory and methodology.
It covers key sociological concepts, sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict, Durkheim, Marx and Weber and how sociological knowledge develops.
Sample questions from The Sociological Approach
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Key sociological concepts
What are norms?
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Norms are the unwritten rules of expected behaviour in a particular situation. Queuing and saying thank you are examples of norms in the UK. -
Key sociological concepts
What is power?
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Power is the ability to get others to do what you want, even against their will. Power can rest on force, wealth or position. -
Sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict
What is Marxism?
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Marxism is a conflict perspective based on the ideas of Karl Marx. Society is seen as divided between a ruling class that owns the means of production and a working class that is exploited. -
Sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict
What is a criticism of interactionism?
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Interactionism can ignore the wider structures, such as class, that shape interaction. The perspective finds it hard to explain large-scale patterns. -
Durkheim, Marx and Weber
Who was Karl Marx?
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Karl Marx was a German thinker who wrote in the nineteenth century during the industrial revolution. Marx's ideas founded the Marxist conflict perspective. -
Durkheim, Marx and Weber
Who was Max Weber?
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Max Weber was a German sociologist writing in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Weber is linked with social action theory. -
How sociological knowledge develops
How is sociology different from common sense?
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Common sense relies on personal experience and assumptions. Sociology uses systematic research and evidence to test claims. -
How sociological knowledge develops
What is meant by mixed methods?
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Mixed methods means using both quantitative and qualitative methods in the same study. A sociologist might combine a questionnaire with interviews.
The 4 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Key sociological concepts | Society, socialisation and its agencies, norms, values and roles, labelling, discrimination, power and authority, and social control. | 16 |
| Sociological perspectives: consensus and conflict | Functionalism, Marxism, feminism and interactionism, consensus and conflict, structural and action approaches, and how each perspective views families, education and the classroom. | 17 |
| Durkheim, Marx and Weber | The three classical sociologists in their time and place, Durkheim's social facts and anomie, Marx's bourgeoisie and proletariat, and Weber's verstehen. | 15 |
| How sociological knowledge develops | How feminism and social change reshaped sociology, how sociology differs from common sense, and how families, education, crime and stratification connect. | 14 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA GCSE Sociology Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 578 questions with their answers.