June 2017: AS Paper 2

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

The most common successful responses made references to problems such as the artificial environment not reflecting real life. Reference to the Hawthorne effect was also quite common. The most common reason not to get full marks was stating a problem without any explanation (for example ‘lacks validity’) or making references to general problems with research methods that are not specific to laboratory experiments, such as time and money.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for each of two problems clearly outlined, 1 if partial
• mark scheme misprint says 'advantage' for the partial mark
• common answers: artificial setting not like real life, Hawthorne effect
• stating 'lacks validity' without explanation or giving general problems such as time and money not specific to lab experiments loses marks

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

This question attracted a wide range of responses. Better answers explored issues of validity, reliability, representativeness and generalisability. However, a significant number appeared uncertain about what some of these key concepts meant. There were also some students who had little understanding of what theoretical factors were, and cited practical and ethical issues in their place. Some students gave long accounts of examples of research and their methods without really getting to grips with the question. The best answers were able to explain the link between positivist and interpretivist approaches and choice of method. Key theoretical terms were explained and analysed. The very best answers were able to come to a conclusion about the relative importance of theoretical factors when choosing sociological research methods.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• focus is theoretical factors (validity, reliability, representativeness, positivism vs interpretivism)
• many confused theoretical with practical and ethical factors
• long descriptions of studies without addressing the question
• best answers linked positivist and interpretivist approaches to method choice and concluded on the relative importance of theoretical factors

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

The majority of answers were able to explain ‘global’ with reference to people in different countries. More often the cultural aspect was more difficult to define. Successful students were able to discuss the idea of shared norms and values.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks: people in different countries sharing the same norms and values
• 1 mark for an example such as world music
• the 'culture' part was harder to define than 'global'

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

The most common successful answers were able to relate age or gender or social class and leisure choices, and then explain how they shaped identity. Weaker answers described a leisure activity and then often struggled to make some connection with identity.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for a clearly explained example, 1 if partial
• best answers linked leisure choices to age, gender or class and then to identity
• weaker answers described a leisure activity with no clear link to identity

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Additionally, some students are writing far too much on the 6 mark questions. This time could be better spent on the longer essay questions. Some answers gave numerous examples of age-related stereotyping and consequently were only credited once. More successful answers made reference to aspects of society, such as age-related legislation, work opportunities and involvement in education, as well as status and independence.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• must be apart from leisure choices
• 2 marks for each of three ways clearly outlined
• several examples of age stereotyping were credited only once
• good answers used age-related laws, work opportunities, education, status and independence

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

The 10 mark outline and explain question requires students to link two aspects of the specification. The best answers took note of both aspects of the question, clearly identified two separate points and developed them in relation to the second part of the question. Weaker answers either ignored one aspect of the question or attempted to cover a number of ideas rather than focusing on two. This question was answered well with some good knowledge and understanding shown. Some students scored well by developing Oakley’s ideas on gender socialisation. Others approached the question in terms of two different agencies of socialisation and their contribution to socialising children into gender roles. The best answers were able to clearly explain how agencies may socialise children in to gender roles (usually family and education). These answers were detailed in their account of the process and they were also able to discuss the way in which these processes applied to girls and boys. They also discussed the way these processes were changing.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• no marks for evaluation in this question type
• two ways each developed, e.g. parents' different expectations of sons and daughters, gendered subject choice at school
• drift into general accounts of gender = 1–3
• best answers explained the process for both girls and boys (often family and education, e.g. Oakley) and how it is changing

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

The best answers made reference to different ethnic minorities as well as the ethnic majority. Some of these answers made good use of material from the education topic to discuss the relevance of experiences of education on ethnicity and identity. Good answers retained the focus on identity and were able to discuss ideas of cultural navigation and cultural defence in relation to ethnicity and identity. These answers often referred to studies by Modood, Johal and Ballard. Weaker responses tended to drift into life chances rather than identity or simply described some experiences of different ethnic minorities, often in a fairly stereotyped way.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• must apply Item A (multicultural UK, multiple identities depending on situation)
• top band may weigh ethnicity against class, age or gender as sources of identity
• best answers covered majority as well as minority groups and used cultural navigation and cultural defence (Modood, Johal, Ballard)
• weaker answers drifted into life chances or stereotyped descriptions

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Successful answers referred to the idea of stages and gave examples of significant life events. Answers who just gave examples of key life stages were awarded one mark. Some students seemed unfamiliar with the term but were able to work it out and suggest a suitable definition. The term ‘life course’ is mentioned specifically in the specification and should be more familiar to students than it appeared to be.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks: the significant events individuals pass through over their lives
• examples of life events only = 1 mark
• term is named in the spec but many students seemed unfamiliar with it

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

The most common answer was ’the warm bath’, closely followed by ’satisfaction of sexual drive’, while a few referred to the economic benefits. Stabilisation of the adult personality was often developed well as was ‘meeting emotional needs’. The most frequent error made was to confuse functions with roles, or to talk about the functions the family fulfils for society (eg reproduction, primary socialisation).

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for a clearly explained example, 1 if partial
• common answers: warm bath, sex drive, stabilisation of adult personality, economic needs
• common error: confusing functions with roles or giving functions for society (reproduction, primary socialisation) rather than for adults

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Additionally, some students are writing far too much on the 6 mark questions. This time could be better spent on the longer essay questions. This question generated a wide range of responses. Many students successfully identified three effects on society of an ageing population. Common responses were focused around increase in dependency ratio, strain on public/health services, the impact on housing or other issues, such as the increase in extended/beanpole families. Weaker responses suggested a vague idea of the issues but some students seemed to have problems articulating the precise nature of the problem as they saw it. Other weaker answers repeated dependency ratio, but in another form, or referred to public services/health twice. Some students were very confused about the effects and argued that the birth rate would increase because more old people were dying. Some answers were far too long given the amount of marks (and therefore time) available for the question.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for each of three effects clearly outlined
• common answers: dependency ratio, demand on health and care services, housing, beanpole families
• repeating the same effect in another form not credited twice
• some answers far too long for the marks

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

The 10 mark outline and explain question requires students to link two aspects of the specification. The best answers took note of both aspects of the question, clearly identified two separate points and developed them in relation to the second part of the question. Weaker answers either ignored one aspect of the question or attempted to cover a number of ideas rather than focusing on two. Top band answers were able to identify and develop two ways, such as changes in the position of women in society sometimes linked to other changes, such as divorce law with application to delaying childbirth and smaller family size. Changes to childhood, such as child-centred or economic liability, also successfully developed and applied to smaller family size were also rewarded well, as well as a number of responses that discussed the impact of industrialisation on family size. Occasionally more successful answers discussed how changes could increase or decrease family size, such as the re-emergence of the divorced extended family or one person households following divorce. Good answers analysed the underlying reasons for these changes, for example by referring to the growth of feminism. Weaker answers often lost focus on family size and instead discussed general changes to society or family. Alternatively they covered a number of possible changes in society that affected family size without developing any one of them sufficiently.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• no marks for evaluation in this question type
• two ways each developed, e.g. changing position of women, children as an economic liability, contraception
• descriptions of changing family size without causes = 1–3
• best answers analysed underlying causes such as feminism
• weaker answers lost focus on family size

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

The majority of students had clearly learned some relevant material and were able to write at length about different contributions to a sociological understanding of childhood. Most used the item to structure their responses into a debate between the ‘march of progress’ view and more critical views. There were many responses that listed material from the general topic area rather than applying the material to the question set. For example the requirement to focus on the last 50 years or so was often not recognised and Aries was the starting point for many. This meant that they often got bogged down in Aries and/or cross-cultural studies, and failed to address significant aspects of the question. The better answers were able to use Pilcher, Palmer and Postman among others to develop a critical discussion. These answers were broader and deeper with a focus on different arguments about contemporary changes to childhood. There was occasional brief evaluation, such as cross-cultural examples of childhood or class or gender differences. Top band answers had explicit evaluation of the debates and a more conceptual sense of the theories.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• must apply Item B
• focus is the last 50 years or so, so long accounts of Aries or cross-cultural studies miss the question
• top band: debate between march of progress and critical views (toxic childhood, Palmer, Postman, Pilcher)
• many listed general childhood material rather than applying it

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Most students had some idea about this. The successful ones were able to explain the idea of the rights and obligations involved, and the role of doctors as the gatekeepers of this process. Partial answers tended to express the idea in terms of ‘being allowed time off work’ or similar.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks: doctors exempt patients from normal obligations
• 1 mark: being defined as ill by a doctor
• best answers covered rights and obligations and doctors as gatekeepers
• 'time off work' only partial

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

This question proved to be quite difficult for many students. Partial answers tended to ignore the aspect of declining confidence in the question and just tended to assert that doctors did not operate in the best interests of their patients. More successful students cited the increased use of the internet undermining the traditional authority of the medical profession. Other good answers made direct reference to recent scandals involving the medical profession and related these to a decline in confidence in the medical profession.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for a clearly explained example, 1 if partial
• good answers: internet access to medical knowledge, alternative medicine, medical scandals
• many ignored the 'decline in confidence' and just asserted doctors act against patients' interests

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Additionally, some students are writing far too much on the 6 mark questions. This time could be better spent on the longer essay questions. The most common reasons suggested by students involved the effect of women‘s roles, an aspect of gender role socialisation, and more contact with medical staff. Most students were able to gain the full two marks for each of these points by explaining how they led to women being more likely than men to be treated for mental illness. A common mistake was to make points that were the reverse of each other. For example, saying that women are more likely to be socialised to discuss emotions and seek help with mental health problems, then as an separate point say that men are socialised not to open up about mental health. In these cases, this was credited as one reason rather than two separate reasons.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for each of three reasons clearly outlined
• common answers: women's roles and triple shift, gender role socialisation, more contact with doctors
• a point and its reverse (women open up, men do not) credited as one reason only

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

The 10 mark outline and explain question requires students to link two aspects of the specification. The best answers took note of both aspects of the question, clearly identified two separate points and developed them in relation to the second part of the question. Weaker answers either ignored one aspect of the question or attempted to cover a number of ideas rather than focusing on two. Cultural factors around older people’s expectations of health and attitudes to consulting the doctor were the most common reasons offered by successful students. Differential work opportunities and differences in immune systems were also popular responses. Successful answers were able to explain how these factors affected different age groups and explained explicitly how they led to differences between age groups regarding consultation rates. Less successful students tended to drift away from age into considerations of gender or ethnicity, or tended just to assert the reason without any appropriate discussion or analysis.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• no marks for evaluation in this question type
• two reasons each developed and explicitly linked to consultation rates, e.g. older people not at work, children's vulnerable immune systems, routine screening
• common answer: cultural attitudes of older people
• drift into gender or ethnicity limits marks

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

Some answers were unable to distinguish between cultural and material explanations for social class inequalities in health and just wrote very descriptively about smoking, diet or access to healthcare. A number of students were more comfortable with discussing cultural explanations as opposed to material explanations, and these answers were often unbalanced. The best answers referred to a number of material factors, such as poverty, stress, insecurity, unemployment, housing, the nature of work, social cohesion, and access to health care. These answers tended to weave cultural factors into the discussion rather than have two identifiable sections. For example by discussing to what extent poor diet was about material deprivation, poor health education or a cultural choice. These answers were often able to frame their answers with reference to sociological perspectives and arrive at a reasoned conclusion.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• must apply Item C
• top band: structural vs cultural/behavioural debate
• many could not separate material from cultural explanations or wrote unbalanced answers favouring cultural factors
• best answers covered poverty, stress, housing, work, unemployment, social cohesion and access to care and wove cultural factors into the discussion

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Most successful answers made reference to the interconnectedness of countries. Partial answers tended to provide an example of globalisation, such as a transnational corporation.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks: increasing interconnection of societies worldwide
• an example only (e.g. a TNC) = 1 mark

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Most answers were able to explain a problem of using an absolute definition of poverty, usually with reference to cultural differences in defining basic necessities. A minority of students wrote answers that were tangential, such as by discussing the merits of the benefit system.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for a clearly explained example, 1 if partial
• most common answer: cultural differences in what counts as a basic necessity
• tangents such as the merits of the benefit system not credited

Mark scheme

Examiner's comment

Additionally, some students are writing far too much on the 6 mark questions. This time could be better spent on the longer essay questions. In general, many students struggled with this question. They seemed to be unfamiliar with the idea that economically inactive did not include those who are unemployed (ie looking for work). Many answers therefore defaulted into an explanation for unemployment. Some students took this question as an opportunity to express the idea that those on benefit were lazy and undeserving of support. These answers often struggled to address the actual question. Successful answers made reference to groups such as full time carers, those who were disabled or long term sick and therefore unable to work, people who had taken early retirement and people who were in higher education.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• 2 marks for each of three reasons clearly outlined
• economically inactive excludes the unemployed (who are seeking work), so many wrongly explained unemployment
• credited: full-time education, carers, early retirement, long-term sick or disabled

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

The 10 mark outline and explain question requires students to link two aspects of the specification. The best answers took note of both aspects of the question, clearly identified two separate points and developed them in relation to the second part of the question. Weaker answers either ignored one aspect of the question or attempted to cover a number of ideas rather than focusing on two. Some students were hampered in their attempts to answer this question because they were unclear about what means tested benefits are. These answers often developed into general criticisms of the provision of welfare benefits and struggled to make relevant points. Successful answers made reference to problems such as the complexity of the system, the stigma attached to claiming and the relatively low amount of money received. Top band answers were able to explain these problems in terms of their effect or scope or underlying causes. For example, by discussing stigma in the context of media stereotypes, the effect this had on claimants and illustrating the issues with examples, such as the provision of free school meals.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• no marks for evaluation in this question type
• two reasons each developed, e.g. poverty trap, stigma deterring claims, complexity, low levels of benefit
• general dependency-culture accounts = 1–3
• many were unsure what means-tested benefits are and wrote general criticisms of welfare

Mark scheme, including the levels grid and indicative content

Examiner's comment

There were some very good responses to this question. Many answers gave a clear account of different aspects of alienation and were able to discuss different perspectives on the issue of whether alienation is inevitable in capitalist society. These answers often started with the Marxist view of alienation and then discussed the impact of technology on the labour process. Typical answers referred to automation, deskilling, re-skilling, Fordism, post-Fordism, job enrichment as well as issues of control and job satisfaction. Weaker answers either had a much narrower view of alienation (usually job satisfaction) and/or spent a long time discussing the impact of technology in the work place without tying it explicitly to the issue of alienation. Some weaker answers merely presented general material on the nature of changes to work in contemporary society.

Notes from the mark scheme and report

• must apply Item D (de-skilling, managerial control, optimistic view of technology)
• top band: debate between Marxist and other (e.g. functionalist, post-Fordist) views
• weaker answers reduced alienation to job satisfaction or discussed technology without tying it to alienation