Structure and Agency
What does the structure–agency debate try to explain in sociology?
How much human behaviour is shaped by social structures versus individual free will.
What is the main difference between quantitative and qualitative research?
Quantitative uses numbers and statistics; qualitative explores meanings and experiences.
What is the hidden curriculum?
The informal lessons, values, and norms students learn in school outside the official syllabus.
According to Durkheim, what is one major function of religion in society?
It creates social cohesion and reinforces shared values (the collective conscience).
How might social media “tribes” demonstrate both structure and agency?
Platforms structure interactions, but individuals choose groups that express their identity.
Give one example of a social structure that can limit an individual’s choices.
Class system, gender roles, education system, family expectations, etc.
What is the Hawthorne Effect?
When participants change their behaviour because they know they are being observed.
What does Bowles and Gintis’ correspondence theory argue about education?
Schools reproduce the social hierarchy by mirroring workplace structures, preparing students for capitalist roles.
What is the secularisation thesis?
The idea that religion’s influence on social life and institutions is declining in modern societies.
Which research method would best study the culture of a new youth subculture — and why?
Ethnography, because it allows in-depth observation of meanings and practices.
Which sociologist developed structuration theory, arguing that structure and agency are mutually reinforcing?
Anthony Giddens
What ethical issue was violated in the Stanford Prison Experiment?
Participants were exposed to psychological harm and could not freely withdraw.
What did Paul Willis find in Learning to Labour?
Working-class “lads” formed anti-school subcultures that resisted school values but reproduced class inequality.
What did Karl Marx mean when he said “religion is the opium of the people”?
Religion dulls awareness of inequality by promising reward in the afterlife --> links to addictive qualities.
What do Durkheim’s and Bellah’s theories of religion have in common?
Both argue religion (or civil religion) strengthens social solidarity.
Explain how the concept of cultural reproduction supports the structural view of society.
It shows how inequalities are passed down through institutions like education, maintaining existing social structures.
Why might an ethnographic study be more valid than a survey?
It provides deep, contextual understanding of people’s real lives and meanings.
What does Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital refer to?
Non-financial assets like language, knowledge, and cultural familiarity that give advantages in education.
According to Maffesoli, what are neo-tribes?
Fluid, emotional groups that replace traditional religion by providing belonging in postmodern societies.
How does Maffesoli’s idea of “neo-tribes” challenge traditional secularisation theory?
It suggests spirituality and belonging haven’t disappeared — they’ve transformed into new social forms.
How does Bourdieu’s concept of habitus link structure and agency?
Habitus shows how social structures become internalised, guiding our choices and actions.
How can researcher bias impact the validity of sociological research?
Bias can distort data interpretation and influence findings to reflect the researcher’s views.
How can gender expectations influence educational outcomes?
Stereotypes, subject choices, and teacher bias can reinforce gender inequality in achievement.
How did Max Weber link religion to social change? What concepts did he link to?
He argued the Protestant ethic helped inspire capitalism through values like hard work and discipline.
Explain one way that religion still influences society today and use a relevant example.
Example: Catholic schools are still thriving across Australia- still promote religiosity and Catholic beliefs and values.