Sociology swc part 1 cards sociologists

Oakley – Gender Role Socialisation

Key Ideas:

• Gender roles are learned through primary socialisation, not biology.
• 4 Mechanisms: canalisation (gendered toys), manipulation (encouraging gendered behaviour), verbal appellations (gendered language), and different activities (gendered chores).
• Prepares children for traditional gender roles.

Evaluation:

• Too deterministic; ignores that children can resist gender socialisation.

Gillies – Social Class and Parenting

Key Ideas:

• Middle-class parents: Use wealth and cultural knowledge to secure educational advantages for children.
• Working-class parents: Focus on emotional support and resilience, viewing education as the school's responsibility.

Evaluation:

• Small sample size that risks stereotyping working-class parents.

Ghuman – Ethnicity, Family, and Identity

Key Ideas:

• Studied primary socialisation in British Asian families.
• Found strong emphasis on family duty, respect for elders, religion, and community obligation.

Evaluation:

• Outdated; ignores younger generations creating hybrid identities by combining Western and Asian cultures.

Becker – Labelling Theory and Education

Key Ideas:

• Teachers label pupils based on an 'ideal pupil' stereotype (middle-class, well-behaved).
• Negative labels can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy and become the student's master status.

Evaluation:

• Deterministic; pupils do not always accept negative labels.

Smith et al. – Technology and Youth Social Interaction

Key Ideas:

• Explored how phones and internet affect youth identity and peer connections.
• Identified new forms of harm, such as cyberbullying.

Evaluation:

• Rapid technology changes make specific findings quickly outdated.

Turkle – Digital Communication ('Alone Together')

Key Ideas:

• Argues digital technology makes people 'Alone Together'.
• Online connections replace authentic face-to-face interaction, weakening real intimacy.

Evaluation:

• Overly pessimistic; ignores how online spaces can strengthen real-life relationships.

Burchill – Class Identity and Cultural Critique

Key Ideas:

• Argued that middle-class feminists and elite media stereotype or ignore working-class identity.
• Real lived class experience is often ignored in favour of abstract theory.

Evaluation:

• Based on journalistic opinion rather than scientific sociological research.

Waddington – 'Canteen Culture' and Police Socialisation

Key Ideas:

• Defined 'canteen culture': informal police values like cynicism, machismo, suspicion, and group loyalty.
• Informal peer socialisation often outweighs official training.

Evaluation:

• Overly focuses on negative aspects, ignoring modern police reforms.

Smith et al. – Technology and Youth Social Interaction

Key Ideas:

• Explored how phones and internet affect youth identity and peer connections.
• Identified new forms of harm, such as cyberbullying.

Evaluation:

• Rapid technology changes make specific findings quickly outdated.

Turkle – Digital Communication ('Alone Together')

Key Ideas:

• Argues digital technology makes people 'Alone Together'.
• Online connections replace authentic face-to-face interaction, weakening real intimacy.

Evaluation:

• Overly pessimistic; ignores how online spaces can strengthen real-life relationships.

Burchill – Class Identity and Cultural Critique

Key Ideas:

• Argued that middle-class feminists and elite media stereotype or ignore working-class identity.
• Real lived class experience is often ignored in favour of abstract theory.

Evaluation:

• Based on journalistic opinion rather than scientific sociological research.

Waddington – 'Canteen Culture' and Police Socialisation

Key Ideas:

• Defined 'canteen culture': informal police values like cynicism, machismo, suspicion, and group loyalty.
• Informal peer socialisation often outweighs official training.

Evaluation:

• Overly focuses on negative aspects, ignoring modern police reforms.