National 5 Sociology SQA

This subject is broken down into 31 topics in 3 modules:

  1. Human Society 13 topics
  2. Culture and Identity 10 topics
  3. Social Issues 8 topics
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  • 31
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  • 10,334
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This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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Sociology

Human Society

Common-Sense and Sociological Approaches

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Common-Sense and Sociological Approaches

Understanding Common-Sense Approaches

  • Common-sense approaches refer to concepts and ideas that are generally accepted by most individuals in a society without questioning or applying theoretical logic.
  • These approaches often originate from personal experiences, tradition, or hearsay, and can vary from culture to culture.
  • The common-sense approach is usually formed due to the belief in cause-effect relationships, which may not necessarily apply universally.
  • They are forms of social knowledge that are learned, easily accepted and used in everyday life to interpret the social world.
  • Limitations of this approach include a tendency towards stereotyping and the failure to explain social phenomena systematically.

Understanding Sociological Approaches

  • Sociological approaches take a scientific and systematic way to understand social phenomena.
  • Sociologists look for patterns in society to understand and explain social behaviours and actions.
  • They use empirical evidence and research methodologies such as surveys, interviews, and observation to make claims about society.
  • These approaches require the systematic and objective analysis of social facts, separating fact from opinion.
  • Sociologists also develop and test theories to understand social structures, cultures, and behaviours.

Contrasting Common-Sense and Sociological Approaches

  • Unlike the common-sense approach, the sociological approach does not rely on accepted ideas, but on empirical evidence and logical connections.
  • Sociologists often challenge common-sense ideas and replace them with scientifically tested theories.
  • Sociological research methods require more time, effort, and resources than common-sense reasoning, but their conclusions are often more reliable and widely applicable.
  • Both approaches provide valuable ways to view the world, but sociologists advocate for a more critical and scientific perspective.
  • In sociology, common sense can serve as starting points for inquiry but they are not reliable as valid explanations for social phenomena.

Course material for Sociology, module Human Society, topic Common-Sense and Sociological Approaches

Sociology

Culture and Identity

Secondary Socialisation

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Secondary Socialisation

Secondary Socialisation

  • Secondary socialisation is the ongoing process of learning that occurs after primary socialisation, taking place outside of the immediate family.
  • It involves the general social skills and behaviours needed to participate fully in society and is typically associated with teenagers and adults.
  • Secondary socialisation continues to shape an individual's persona, their roles and expectations, further moulding their personality through experiences outside the family circle.

Agents of Secondary Socialisation

  • Schools play a significant role in secondary socialisation. They not only transmit knowledge but also social norms, values, and expectations that align with wider society.
  • Peer groups are crucial secondary socialisation agents. Teenagers and adults tend to identify more closely with their peer group and often develop a sense of belonging and acceptance through their peers.
  • Mass media significantly influences secondary socialisation by shaping perceptions of social norms, ideals, values, and expectations.
  • Workplaces provide an environment for secondary socialisation by enforcing organisational norms, expectations, and work-related roles.
  • Religious and cultural institutions also participate in secondary socialisation by instilling specific beliefs, values, and behaviours.

Impact of Secondary Socialisation

  • It expands individual’s perspectives beyond the family unit, allowing them to understand the broader social order and their roles within it.
  • Experiences in secondary socialisation could challenge or reinforce the behaviours, values, and beliefs instilled during primary socialisation.
  • The process of secondary socialisation could foster a greater sense of independence, as individuals move into varying social roles and responsibilities beyond those dictated by family.
  • It has a considerable effect on the formation of personal identity, as individuals often shape their identities and behaviours on the basis of interaction with various secondary groups like peers, co-workers, or religious groups.
  • Secondary socialisation shapes and continually adjusts an individual's worldview, beliefs, values, and behaviors to align with those prevalent in wider society.

Course material for Sociology, module Culture and Identity, topic Secondary Socialisation

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