GCSE SOCIOLOGY
UNIT 1 REVISION BOOKLET
Studying Society
The Family
Education

CONTENTS
STUDYING SOCIETY..................................................................................... 2

KEY TERMS .................................................................................................................. 2

SAMPLING METHODS.................................................................................................. 3

ETHICS .......................................................................................................................... 3

RESEARCH METHODS ................................................................................................ 4

PRIMARY RESEARCH.................................................................................................. 4

SECONDARY RESEARCH ........................................................................................... 4


THE FAMILY................................................................................................... 7

KEY DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................ 7

SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE FAMILY...................................................... 7

DIFFERENT FAMILY STRUCTURES ........................................................................... 7

CHANGES IN THE FAMILY........................................................................................... 8

CHILDREN AND PARENTS ........................................................................................ 10


EDUCATION................................................................................................. 11

KEY TERMS ................................................................................................................ 11

CHANGES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM................................................................. 12

SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO EDUCATION.................................................... 13

SOCIAL CLASS AND EDUCATION ............................................................................ 14

GENDER AND EDUCATION ....................................................................................... 14

ETHNICITY AND EDUCATION ................................................................................... 14

PARENTAL ATTITUDES ............................................................................................. 15

HOW SCHOOLS ARE MONITORED .......................................................................... 15


EXAM TIPS................................................................................................... 16


1

STUDYING SOCIETY
Studying Society tests your knowledge of sociology in 2 main ways:
1. The terms and concepts sociologists use;
2. The research that sociologists do.
KEY TERMS
Below are the sociological terms you need to know – you could be asked for the definitions of any of these on the exam.
Term
Sociological approach Psychological approach Biological approach Power
Social Control
Social Structure
Culture
Subculture
Socialisation
Institution of socialisation Race
Ethnicity
Sex
Gender
Age
Stereotype
Deviance
Norms
Values
Beliefs

Definition
A way of understanding human society that focuses on social structures
A way of understanding human behaviour by looking at individual make-up (brain, thinking patterns, personality etc.)
A way of understanding humans by looking at their biological make-up (genes, chromosomes, hormones etc.)
Where a person or group is able to direct the behaviour of another person or group. This can be through direct exercise of power (force, dominance, authority) or indirectly
(coercion, persuasion, expertise).
Ways of ensuring people behave in socially acceptable ways, such as socialisation, laws, exercise of power etc.
Structures organised around people, such as the family,