2023 Cambridge IAS-Level Sociology (9699) Practice Paper with Answers

Participant observation is a qualitative method favored by interpretivists. Its first key strength is ecological validity, as it allows researchers to study social behavior as it actually occurs in real life, rather than in an artificial research environment. This often leads to deeper insights that quantitative methods might miss. Its second key strength is the development of Verstehen (empathetic deep understanding). By immersing themselves in the lives of the group being studied, the researcher can see the world through the eyes of the actors, which helps in understanding complex social realities.

1 mark for identifying a strength (up to 2 marks available). 1 mark for describing/developing each strength (up to 2 marks available). Strengths can include: high validity, gaining 'Verstehen' (empathetic understanding), observing natural behaviour, flexibility in the research process, generating new hypotheses. Example 1: High validity (1 mark). Because the researcher joins the group, they can observe natural behavior firsthand rather than relying on self-reporting, which reflects the real social reality of the participants (1 mark). Example 2: Empathetic understanding or 'Verstehen' (1 mark). By immersing themselves in the participants' social world, the researcher can understand the meanings and motives that guide their actions from their own viewpoint (1 mark).

Family socialisation is a key agent of primary socialisation that reproduces class structures. Firstly, parents transmit cultural capital, including speech patterns, aesthetic tastes, and social manners, which align with their class background. According to sociologists like Bourdieu, this shapes the child's habitus and prepares them for specific social class destinations. Secondly, different social classes socialise children into different values; for instance, working-class parents may emphasise obedience and conformity to prepare children for working-class jobs, while middle-class parents may encourage autonomy and critical thinking.

1 mark for identifying a way (up to 2 marks available). 1 mark for describing/developing each way (up to 2 marks available). Ways can include: transmission of cultural capital, differential linguistic codes (Bernstein), parental expectations and career role-modelling, consumption patterns and lifestyle choices, provision of economic/social networks. Example 1: Transmission of cultural capital (1 mark). Middle-class families expose children to cultural activities and vocabulary that are highly valued in school, helping them maintain their class privilege (1 mark). Example 2: Language codes (1 mark). Working-class parents may primary socialise children using a restricted language code, while middle-class parents use an elaborated code, which reinforces their distinct social class identities from an early age (1 mark).

Non-participant observation involves a researcher watching and recording social activities from a distance without direct involvement. Strength 1: Objectivity. By keeping a professional distance, the sociologist can record behaviors systematically without their personal biases or emotional involvement distorting the data. This reduces researcher bias and ensures more objective recordings compared to participant observation where 'going native' is a risk. Strength 2: High ecological validity with minimal disruption. Because the researcher does not participate, they do not steer conversations, introduce external ideas, or influence the group's routine. This ensures that the observed behavior is authentic and representative of daily social life, especially if the observation is covert or if the participants become habituated to the researcher's presence.

First strength (up to 3 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid strength (e.g., maintaining objectivity or avoiding 'going native'). 2 marks for explaining how this benefits the research (e.g., detachment allows for unbiased, systematic recording of social behaviors without emotional entanglement altering findings). Second strength (up to 4 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid strength (e.g., minimizing researcher influence or high ecological validity). 2-3 marks for explaining how this works in practice (e.g., by remaining passive, the observer does not disrupt natural social patterns or introduce interviewer bias; this allows the group to act naturally, preserving the authenticity and ecological validity of the qualitative data).

Peer groups are an important agency of secondary socialisation operating outside the family. Way 1: Informal social control. Peer groups maintain boundaries by rewarding conformity and punishing deviance with informal sanctions such as exclusion, teasing, or praise. This teaches individuals the importance of peer group norms and shapes their behavior to align with collective expectations. Way 2: Independence and identity negotiation. Unlike the family, which is hierarchical, peer groups consist of social equals. This flat structure allows individuals to experiment with roles, language, and subcultural fashions away from parental supervision, assisting the transition from the private sphere of the family to the public sphere of adult society.

First way (up to 3 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid way (e.g., informal social control/peer pressure). 2 marks for explaining how this socialises the individual (e.g., peers use positive and negative informal sanctions to align behavior with group norms). Second way (up to 4 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid way (e.g., developing independence/identity negotiation). 2-3 marks for explaining how this facilitates secondary socialisation (e.g., peer groups offer a space free from parental authority where individuals transition from particularistic to universalistic values, learning to cooperate with equals and establish independent social identities).

Symmetrical conjugal roles refer to a division of labor where husbands and wives perform different but equal tasks, often characterized by shared leisure and joint domestic decisions. Reason 1: The rise of women in paid work. Women entering employment reduces their financial dependency on male breadwinners. This dual-earner model alters traditional power relations, leading to renegotiation where men are increasingly expected to contribute to housework and childcare. Reason 2: Geographical mobility. Modern industrial economies demand a geographically mobile labor force, isolating nuclear families from extended networks. Without nearby relatives to assist with domestic tasks and childcare, couples must rely on one another, fostering shared, joint conjugal roles instead of segregated ones.

First reason (up to 3 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid reason (e.g., increased female employment). 2 marks for explaining how this leads to symmetry (e.g., financial contribution increases women's domestic bargaining power, leading to a fairer distribution of domestic tasks). Second reason (up to 4 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid reason (e.g., geographical mobility of nuclear families). 2-3 marks for explaining how this encourages joint roles (e.g., isolation from extended family support networks means spouses must share childcare and domestic duties, breaking down traditional segregated roles).

Marxist sociologists view the nuclear family as an institution that supports the capitalist economic system. Way 1: Unit of consumption. Capitalism relies on selling consumer goods. The nuclear family is a primary target for corporate marketing. Through media advertising and 'pester power' (children demanding products), the family is pressured to keep spending, thereby keeping capitalist profits high. Way 2: Ideological socialisation. The family reproduces class inequality ideologically. By teaching children to respect parental authority and accept hierarchy, it pre-programs them to tolerate the authority of employers and the state. This helps produce a compliant, disciplined workforce that is less likely to challenge capitalist exploitation.

First way (up to 3 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid way (e.g., serving as a unit of consumption). 2 marks for explaining how this benefits capitalism (e.g., consumer spending on family-oriented goods sustains corporate profit margins and prevents economic crises). Second way (up to 4 marks): 1 mark for identifying a valid way (e.g., ideological socialisation / reproduction of class inequality). 2-3 marks for explaining how this maintains capitalism (e.g., teaching respect for hierarchy and parental authority prepares the next generation of workers to accept exploitation in the workplace, maintaining the stability of the capitalist system).

### Introduction
- Define 'identity' (how individuals see themselves and how they are defined by others).
- Introduce the debate: Traditional structural sociologists (especially Marxists) argue that social class is the foundational pillar of identity, whereas postmodernists and feminists argue that other factors like gender, ethnicity, and consumer choice have become more prominent.

### Arguments for the view (Social Class as most significant)
- **Marxist and Neo-Marxist views**: Class determines economic capital, which directly shapes life chances, educational success, and work identity.
- **Pierre Bourdieu**: Concept of 'habitus' and 'cultural capital'. Middle-class identity is reinforced through cultural reproduction, while working-class identity is shaped by a sense of exclusion and 'people like us' limitations.
- **Subcultural studies**: Classic studies (e.g., Paul Willis) show how working-class identity is constructed and maintained through resistance to school culture, reinforcing class positions across generations.
- **Persistent material inequalities**: Even in contemporary society, objective class indicators (income, health, housing) remain the most reliable predictors of lifestyle and self-concept.

### Arguments against the view (Other factors are more significant)
- **Postmodernism**: Pakulski and Waters argue there is a 'death of class'. In late-capitalist societies, identity is fluid and constructed through consumption (what we buy) rather than production (what we do for work). Identity is a personal project or lifestyle choice.
- **Feminism**: Argues that gender is the primary axis of identity. Gender socialization (Oakley) during primary socialisation establishes deep-seated self-concepts that transcend class divisions.
- **Ethnicity and Hybridity**: In multicultural societies, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, and hybrid identities (e.g., 'Brasians') are often far more central to an individual's self-concept than social class.
- **Intersectionality**: Realist perspective arguing that identity is shaped by an overlapping matrix of class, gender, race, and age, making it impossible to single out class as the sole 'most significant' factor.

### Conclusion
- Conclude by summarizing that while postmodernity has introduced greater consumption-based choice, these choices are fundamentally constrained by economic class resources. Therefore, social class remains a highly significant structural undercurrent of identity, even if it is experienced and expressed in more diverse ways today.

**AO1: Knowledge and Understanding (1-4 Marks)**
- **1-2 marks**: Basic understanding of identity or social class with limited sociological terminology.
- **3-4 marks**: Clear and accurate understanding of different types of identity and sociological concepts/theories of class (e.g., Bourdieu, Marx, Habitus).

**AO2: Interpretation and Application (1-4 Marks)**
- **1-2 marks**: Limited application, using general examples rather than specific sociological evidence.
- **3-4 marks**: Effective application of relevant sociological perspectives (Marxism, Feminism, Postmodernism) and contemporary examples to address the prompt directly.

**AO3: Analysis and Evaluation (1-8 Marks)**
- **1-3 marks**: Basic evaluation, perhaps listing other factors (like gender) without comparing their relative significance to class.
- **4-6 marks**: Good analytical evaluation, contrasting structural theories of class with post-modern or intersectional arguments. Explicitly debating 'significance'.
- **7-8 marks**: Clear, balanced, and sophisticated evaluation leading to a well-reasoned, sociological conclusion.

### Introduction
- Define 'conjugal roles' (the roles of partners in a domestic relationship, segregated vs. joint).
- Define the 'symmetrical family' (a term coined by Young and Willmott to describe a family form where roles are structurally different but of equal significance, characterized by shared domestic labor, decision-making, and leisure time).

### Arguments for the view (Symmetrical Family / March of Progress)
- **Young and Willmott**: Symmetrical family research showed that modern industrial life, geographical mobility, and the rise of women in paid employment led to partners spending more leisure time together and sharing domestic tasks.
- **Gershuny (Lagged Adaptation)**: Men are gradually taking on more domestic responsibilities as women's employment increases, suggesting a long-term trend toward symmetry.
- **The 'New Father'**: Modern masculinity increasingly values emotional involvement in childcare and domestic management, supported by changes in parental leave policies.
- **Decision Making**: Pahl and Vogler's research suggests financial management is moving from allowance systems toward more egalitarian pool systems.

### Arguments against the view (Feminist & Critical Perspectives)
- **Ann Oakley's Critique**: Criticized Young and Willmott's methodology; showing that a husband 'helping' with minor chores occasionally (e.g., washing up once a week) was falsely counted as symmetry.
- **The Dual Burden**: Even when women are in full-time employment, they still do the vast majority of domestic housework and childcare (supported by Time Use Survey data).
- **The Triple Shift (Duncombe and Marsden)**: Women are responsible not only for paid work and housework but also for emotional labor (managing the family's feelings and relationships).
- **Control of Decisions**: Feminists argue that even in 'pooling' systems, men often retain veto power over major financial decisions, meaning true symmetry in power relations is rare.

### Conclusion
- Summarize the debate. Acknowledge that while there is a visible shift toward joint attitudes and shared childcare expectations, the division of labor in the household remains highly gendered in practice. Thus, true symmetry remains an ideal rather than a reality for most families.

**AO1: Knowledge and Understanding (1-4 Marks)**
- **1-2 marks**: Basic grasp of conjugal roles or symmetry with minimal sociological vocabulary.
- **3-4 marks**: Accurate and thorough understanding of terms like 'symmetrical family', 'dual burden', and 'segregated roles' with relevant theoretical links.

**AO2: Interpretation and Application (1-4 Marks)**
- **1-2 marks**: Generic application of family roles without citing specific sociological studies or trends.
- **3-4 marks**: Excellent application of relevant studies (e.g., Young & Willmott, Oakley, Gershuny, Duncombe & Marsden) to the debate.

**AO3: Analysis and Evaluation (1-8 Marks)**
- **1-3 marks**: One-sided argument or simple juxtaposition of points without critical analysis.
- **4-6 marks**: Active evaluation of the march of progress view versus feminist structural critiques, debating whether 'symmetry' is an empirical reality or an ideological myth.
- **7-8 marks**: Highly analytical, nuanced evaluation that synthesizes arguments regarding time-use, decision-making, and emotional labor to reach a balanced conclusion.

### Essay Plan Outline:

**Introduction**
* Define 'social identity' (how individuals see themselves and are seen by others based on social group memberships).
* Introduce the debate: Traditional sociological perspectives (e.g., Marxism, Weberianism) argue that social class is the fundamental structural anchor of identity. In contrast, postmodernist and late modernist theorists (e.g., Beck, Giddens, Pakulski and Waters) argue that class has fragmented and that identity is now chosen through consumption, lifestyle, and individual reflexivity.

**Arguments supporting the view (that social class is no longer significant)**
* **Postmodernism and Consumer Culture:** Postmodernists like Pakulski and Waters argue that contemporary societies are organised around consumption rather than production. Individuals construct 'pick-and-mix' identities using consumer goods, style, and media, leading to the 'death of class'.
* **Individualisation Thesis:** Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens argue that in 'late modernity', traditional structures (like class, community, and family) have lost their grip. Individuals must construct their own 'reflexive' biographies. Identity is an active project of the self rather than a passive reflection of class background.
* **Alternative Sources of Identity:** The rising importance of other social categories. Gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, and age have become much more prominent bases for collective and personal identity (e.g., the rise of new social movements and identity politics).
* **The Impact of Globalisation and Digital Media:** Online spaces allow individuals to experiment with identities free from their physical, class-based constraints.

**Arguments opposing the view (that social class remains highly significant)**
* **Bourdieu and Habitus:** Pierre Bourdieu argues that class identities are deeply internalised during primary socialisation. The 'habitus' (dispositions, tastes, and schemes of perception) is class-based and shapes a person's life chances, speech, and consumption patterns. Access to economic, cultural, and social capital remains highly unequal.
* **Marxist and Neo-Marxist Perspectives:** Marxists argue that under capitalism, an individual's relationship to the means of production remains the most fundamental determinant of their material reality and consciousness. Class determines access to health, education, and employment, which directly constrains identity formation.
* **Empirical Evidence of Class Identity:** Studies show that subjective class identity persists. For example, Beverley Skeggs' work on working-class women demonstrated how class remains a deeply felt, lived reality tied to ideas of respectability and shame. Working-class solidarity may have changed, but class boundaries and symbolic boundaries are still actively maintained.
* **Intersectionality:** Rather than class being replaced by gender or ethnicity, intersectional theorists argue that these systems of inequality interact. Class remains a core variable in how gendered and racialised identities are experienced.

**Conclusion**
* Synthesise the arguments: While postmodernists correctly highlight the increased role of choice, consumption, and media in identity construction, they overstate the extent to which individuals are free to choose.
* Conclude that class acts as a powerful structural constraint; the 'choices' available in identity construction are themselves stratified by the economic and cultural capital associated with one's social class.

### Marking Scheme (26 Marks)

**Level 5: 22–26 marks**
* The candidate demonstrates excellent, detailed knowledge and understanding of the debate between structural and postmodern/late-modern views on identity.
* Sociological concepts (e.g., habitus, cultural capital, individualisation, consumption, reflexivity) are used accurately and sophisticatedly.
* Highly relevant sociological theories and studies are cited (e.g., Bourdieu, Skeggs, Beck, Giddens, Pakulski and Waters).
* Evaluation is explicit, sustained throughout the essay, and well-balanced, leading to a reasoned, analytical conclusion.

**Level 4: 17–21 marks**
* Good knowledge and understanding of how social class and other factors shape identity.
* The essay presents clear arguments on both sides of the debate (e.g., comparing class-based identities with consumer-based or gender/ethnic identities).
* Evaluation is present but may be less developed or rely on juxtaposing different theories rather than direct critical analysis.

**Level 3: 11–16 marks**
* Solid knowledge and understanding of socialisation and identity, with some focus on social class.
* The argument may be somewhat one-sided (e.g., focusing heavily on how class shapes identity, with only a brief mention of alternative views, or vice versa).
* Evaluative comments are present but limited in depth or scope.

**Level 2: 6–10 marks**
* Basic knowledge of social class or identity. The response may be largely descriptive of social class differences or general agents of socialisation.
* Little to no explicit evaluation of the view presented in the question.

**Level 1: 1–5 marks**
* Minimal understanding of the question. Answer may consist of a few common-sense assertions about identity or class with no sociological support.