AQA A-Level Sociology: Beliefs in Society Practice Flashcards

Flashcards covering key sociological theories of religion, social change, secularization, globalization, and science based on the AQA A-level sociology transcript.

What is the 'substantive' definition of religion advocated by Max Weber?

A focus on the content or substance of religious belief, specifically requiring a belief in God or a superior supernatural power that is above nature and cannot be explained scientifically.

According to functionalist Émile Durkheim, what is the difference between the 'sacred' and the 'profane'?

The sacred refers to things set apart and forbidden that inspire awe, fear, and wonder, while the profane refers to things that are ordinary, mundane, and have no specific significance.

What was the conclusion of Durkheim's study of 'totemism' among the Arunta Aboriginal clan?

That when clans worship their totem (emblem), they are really worshiping society itself; the totem represents the group's power on which individuals depend.

In Malinowski's view, what 'psychological functions' does religion perform for individuals?

It helps individuals cope with emotional stress in situations where outcomes are important but uncontrollable (like ocean fishing) and during life crises like death.

What are the two essential functions of religion in modern society identified by Talcott Parsons?

1. It creates and legitimates society's central values by sacralizing them. 2. It acts as the primary source of meaning, answering ultimate questions about the human condition.

How does Robert Bellah define 'civil religion'?

An overarching belief system that attaches sacred qualities to society itself, such as the 'American way of life,' which unifies complex multifaith societies.

What did Karl Marx mean when he described religion as the 'opium of the people'?

Religion acts as an opiate to dull the pain of exploitation by providing an illusionary happiness and a promise of an afterlife, which distracts from the true source of suffering: capitalism.

According to Lenin, how does the ruling class use religion as 'spiritual gin'?

As an intoxicant doled out to the masses to confuse them and create a 'mystical fog' that keeps them from overthrowing the dominant class.

What is the difference between radical and liberal feminist views on religion?

Radical feminists see religion as a core tool of patriarchal control and female subordination, while liberal feminists highlight how women are gaining equality within existing religious structures.

According to Woodhead, how can the 'hijab' or veil be seen as a symbol of liberation?

For some young British Muslim women, it allows them to enter the public sphere of education and employment while maintaining parental approval and modesty.

In Max Weber's study, what was the 'Spirit of Capitalism'?

A systematic, efficient, rational pursuit of profit for its own sake rather than for luxury consumption.

What four main beliefs of Calvinism did Weber argue helped stimulate the rise of modern capitalism?

Predestination, Divine transcendence (inner-worldly loneliness), Asceticism, and the idea of 'this-worldly' vocation or calling.

According to Steve Bruce, why was the Black civil rights movement an example of religion as a force for social change?

The black clergy provided moral legitimacy and a 'moral high ground,' shaming white authorities by appealing to shared Christian values of equality.

What is the goal of the 'New Christian Right' movement according to the transcript?

To take America 'back to God' by making abortion, homosexuality, and divorce illegal, returning to a time before the liberalization of American culture.

According to Engels, how does religion have a 'dual character' regarding social change?

While it can inhibit change by disguising inequality, it can also challenge the status quo and preach liberation from slavery and misery.

What is 'Liberation Theology'?

A movement that emerged in the Catholic Church in Latin America in the 1960s with a commitment to the poor and an opposition to military dictatorships.

How does Worsley describe 'Cargo Cults' found in Melanesia?

Millenarian movements where islanders believed cargo meant for them had been diverted by colonists, leading to unrest that threatened colonial rule.

According to Gramsci, what are 'organic intellectuals' in a religious context?

Clergy who act as educators, organizers, and leaders, helping workers see through ruling-class hegemony and supporting their struggle for change.

What was the 'Crockett estimate' regarding church attendance in Britain in 1851?

That 40% or more of the adult population attended church on Sundays.

How does Max Weber define 'disenchantment' in the context of secularization?

The process by which the magical and supernatural worldview of the Middle Ages was replaced by a rational and scientific outlook, where God no longer intervenes in daily life.

According to Steve Bruce, what is the 'technological worldview'?

A worldview that replaces religious explanations with mechanical or human ones (e.g., explaining a plane crash through mechanical failure rather than evil spirits).

What is 'Structural Differentiation' as proposed by Talcott Parsons?

The process where specialized institutions (like the state) take over functions that were once performed by religion, leading to religion's 'disengagement' from wider society.

How does Peter Berger describe the 'Sacred Canopy' and its decline?

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church held a monopoly of truth (a sacred canopy); the Protestant Reformation broke this, leading to a plurality of 'life worlds' that weakens religious authority.

What is Grace Davie's concept of 'believing without belonging'?

The trend where people still hold religious beliefs but are increasingly reluctant to belong to or attend formal religious organizations.

What is 'vicarious religion' as described by Grace Davie?

A situation where a small active minority of clergy and churchgoers practice religion on behalf of a much larger population who still identify with the church emotionally.

How does Hervieu-Léger define 'cultural amnesia' in modern society?

A loss of collective memory where religion is no longer passed down through families, leading people to become 'spiritual shoppers' with individualized belief systems.

In David Lyon's postmodern view, what is the 'globalization of ideas'?

The use of media and technology to move religious ideas across boundaries and lift them out of physical churches (deinstitutionalization).

According to Helland, what is the difference between 'religion online' and 'online religion'?

'Religion online' is top-down communication from an organization to its members; 'online religion' is a collaborative, non-hierarchical cyber-community for virtual worship.

What is 'Religious Market Theory' (Rational Choice Theory)?

The theory by Stark and Bainbridge that demand for religion is constant because people are naturally religious, and levels of participation depend on the 'supply' of religious products.

According to Norris and Inglehart, what is 'Existential Security'?

The feeling that survival is secure enough to be taken for granted; societies with high existential security (like Europe) tend to be more secular.

How does Anthony Giddens define 'fundamentalism'?

A product of and reaction to globalization that retreats into faith-based certainties and rigid, dogmatic beliefs in response to the risks and uncertainties of the modern world.

What is Samuel Huntington’s 'Clash of Civilizations' thesis?

The claim that religious differences between the world's major civilizations (e.g., Western vs. Islamic) are the primary source of global conflict in a globalized world.

What are the three categories of New Religious Movements (NRMs) according to Roy Wallace?

1. World-rejecting (critical of the outside world). 2. World-accommodating (focus on spiritual purity). 3. World-affirming (promise success within mainstream goals).

How does Karl Popper characterize science as an 'open' belief system?

Science is governed by the principle of 'falsificationism,' where theories are open to scrutiny, criticism, and testing, and can be discarded if proven false.

What are Robert Merton's 'CUDOS' norms that serve the goal of increasing scientific knowledge?

Communism (sharing knowledge), Universalism (objective testing), Disinterestedness (no fraud), and Organized Skepticism (everything is open to questioning).