WJEC Eduqas GCSE Sociology sample

11 Key sociological concepts (1) Examples In church, people are expected to be quiet and respectful, to stand to sing and sit or kneel to pray. In supermarkets, people are expected to queue and to pay for their shopping, and it would be very strange if people knelt to pray in a supermarket. These behaviours have to be learned, but become ingrained so that people do them without thinking about them. When you walk into a classroom, for example, you automatically take your coat off and sit on a chair facing the teacher. Variation in norms Comparison In other cultures, there might be different norms surrounding the situations above. For example, devout Muslims will pray at set times throughout the day, wherever they are. They will not always be able to go to the mosque each time and might have a prayer mat so that they can go somewhere convenient to pray. Knowledge Norms provide order in society and make life predictable because people have a good idea how others will behave. Imagine a classroom without any rules or a road where motorists and pedestrians can do as they wish and there are no rules, no signs, no speed limits and so on. There would soon be chaos. Even within a society, however, norms might vary. Example In some lessons, children might be noisy, whereas in others they will be expected to be quiet. Norms for appropriate clothing will vary between age groups and between different cultures and religions within the society. It might be thought appropriate for girls to wear short skirts and crop tops, but not for elderly ladies. Some religions require females to cover their faces and bodies whenever they leave the house. Knowledge Norms also change over time. It used to be the norm for people to use their mobile phones when driving. It became increasingly disapproved of and is now against the law. Similarly, it used to be common for people to smoke in pubs and even in workplaces and restaurants before laws were passed prohibiting smoking in public places. SUMMARY X Culture refers to the shared way of life of a society or a group within society. It includes norms, values, language, religion and arts and fashions. X Norms are the learned and shared guidelines of behaviour that is acceptable within a culture or a wider society. PLENARY Choose any situation, for example a sociology lesson, a supermarket, a doctor’s surgery, and write a list of six to eight norms of behaviour for that situation. Taking it further Research how different societies around the world might have very different norms about the food they eat and the way they eat. Try to come up with five or six different examples. In church, people sit quietly and respectfully.