Transcript Key Concepts

G671
Learning Objectives
Identify and explain the following key
concepts:
 Values
 Norms
 Status
 Roles
 Identity
The
power
of fear!
Justice!
Protecting
those who
can’t protect
themselves
Values
Individually (mini-whiteboards):
Write down at least three values that
you live your life by.
What is a Value?
Many sociologists believe that everyone in
society shares the same key values:
These enable societies to function.
 Values develop over time and, although
generally stable, they are able to change.
 Values provide themes which underlie
social norms.

Discuss: What are three values held by
UK society as a whole?
How do Values work?
1.
a)
b)
You go to the post office to collect a
parcel. There are 15 other people
approaching the counter at the same
time. Do you:
Form an orderly queue
Begin a huge fight; the last person
standing gets to go to the counter
How do Values work?
2. You are with your friends when they
start to shout abuse at a lady for being
overweight. Do you:
a) Join in: She looks a state
b) Stand back quietly; even though you
don’t agree, you don’t want to correct
your friends
c) Reprimand your friends for their
disgraceful behaviour
How do Values work?
3. You are driving your car and are in a hurry
to get to the shops before it closes, as you
need some milk. You reach a pedestrian
crossing, with three old people crossing
very slowly. Do you:
a) Run them down
b) Stop, but beep your horn at them
impatiently and shout at them out the
window
c) Wait patiently for them to cross
How do Values work?
In these examples, our actions are
dictated by our values – both
individual values, and those of our
society e.g.
 Fairness
 Respect for life
 Respect for the elderly
 Dislike of cruelty
 Popularity etc.
Norms
A norm is a common form of behaviour
which most people in a society follow...
 ...Essentially, norms are what we agree
to be ‘normal’ behaviour.

What are some of the norms of this
classroom?
Norms
Norms are a social glue that bind
individuals into groups/societies.
 Any behaviour that goes against social
norms is considered deviant.
 Long held, traditional norms are called
customs.

What would be considered ‘deviant’
behaviour in this classroom?
What are examples of deviance in wider
society?
Learning Norms & Values
Where do norms and values come
from?
 How do we learn them?
 How are norms and values reinforced?

Reinforcing Norms
Norms can be reinforced formally (e.g.
through Laws) which in turn are upheld
by formal agents of social control.
 They are also reinforced informally,
through informal agents of social
control.
 Both types of reinforcement use
sanctions. These can be positive (e.g.
rewarding good behaviour) or negative
(e.g. punishing deviance).

Sanctions

a)
b)
What type of sanctions (positive
and/or negative) are used to reinforce
norms:
Formally?
Informally?
List at least five for each.
Northampton College
What are the norms and values of
Northampton College?
 How are the college norms reinforced?

Around the world…

Different cultures and different societies
have different norms and values.

How are the norms and values of US
society different from those in the UK?
Status
Held by an individual or by a group.
 Associated with prestige and social
standing; based on an evaluation of
social difference.
 Can be high or low...
 ...or both at the same time e.g. Nick
Griffin holds high status within
the BNP, but low status in
other areas of society.

Status
Can also be ascribed or achieved.
 Ascribed status is given, fixed and
difficult to change (e.g. inherited)
 Achieved status is earned; based on
merit, talent or action (e.g. through
employment or chance).

Ascribed or Achieved?
Individually:
What statuses do you hold that are:
Ascribed?
b) Achieved?
a)
Weber on Status
Max Weber (1864-1920) believed
that status was an important way in
which society was stratified.
 If you think someone has a higher status
than you, that person then has power
over you.
 Weber also developed the idea of
status groups.

Roles
Patterns of behaviour – routines or
responses – acted out in everyday life.
 We all take on different roles at different
times in our life e.g. friend, student,
sibling, employee, girlfriend/boyfriend,
son/daughter etc.
 Every role has certain expectations and
places expectations on others.

Copy and Complete the table for each of
the roles you play in life...
Role:
Expectations on
you:
Expectations of
others:
Student
Work hard; attend
class; be attentive
Teachers: deliver the
course
Roles
Roles can also be ascribed (born into)
or achieved (earned and either
accepted or rejected).
 Often, the different roles we play conflict
with one another e.g. Role of student
conflicts with role of employee.
 Role conflict is an inevitable part of
contemporary life.

Identity
Identity is a contested concept.
 Some define it as the way we feel about
ourselves, part-based on how others
regard us.
 Identity can be created through
sameness or difference.
 Identity can also be active (chosen) or
passive (given).

Discuss

Give three examples of an active
identity and three of a passive
identity.

Discuss how and why people make
their identities visible to others.
Written Activity

Choose two of the key concepts and
write a paragraph for each one as
follows:
Describe the concept of ________.
Illustrate your answer with examples. [8]
Basic Peer Mark Scheme




Has the person defined the concept
correctly? + 2 marks
Has the person expanded on their
definition? + 1 or 2 marks (depending on how
well)
Has the person provided appropriate
examples to illustrate their point? + 1 marks
for one example, +2 marks for multiple
examples.
Is the response well written and well
structured (spelling, grammar, length, style)
+1 or 2 marks (depending on how well)