How has globalisation affected inequalities between societies? — Paper 2 — IGCSE Sociology 0495 topical questions

Question 1

Today’s media are increasingly difficult to control. Media representations of ethnic minorities are often stereotypical and propaganda is s…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘propaganda’? 2 Use of the media to influence people to accept a particular point of view. One mark for partial definition. e.g. bias in the media. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. a one sided version of events e.g. Nazi Germany. 4(b) Describe two stereotypes of ethnic minorities seen in the media. 4 Candidates will describe two stereotypes of ethnic minorities seen in the media. Candidates may refer to ethnic minority representations holistically or give examples of stereotypes specific to particular ethnic minority groups. Possible answers: • Under-representation/invisibility – ethnic minorities are rarely seen in lead roles and parts in the media and are very under-represented; • Negatively stereotyped as different/dangerous etc.; • Black people represented as being criminal or deviant or involved with gangs; • Black people as sports players rather than academics; • Links with religious extremism and terrorism; • Asians with large extended families, owning corner shops etc.; • Tokenism – when an ethnic minority appears in the media, this may be an attempt by the media organisation to create the impression of equality; • Binary oppositions between ethnic majority and ethnic minority groups; • As illegal immigrants; • Those from developing countries as living in poverty and in need of charity; • The dangerous savage, e.g. the Indians in cowboy films; • Black people shown as entertainers – music, dance, comedy; • Non-white women represented as sexually exotic – dangerous and alluring and outspoken; • The rich, evil tyrant – e.g. Idi Amin in ‘The Last King of Scotland’; • Other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how globalisation is changing media content. 6 Candidates need to demonstrate an understanding of the way globalisation is changing media content. Candidates may talk generally about globalisation or more specifically about particular examples from the media. Possible answers: • Globalisation leads to instant media content being available, unfolding international news content can be seen as it happens; • Citizen journalism means that the global audience can create media content; • The new media allows for a sense of a common culture and belonging, not to a national identity, but to a global village e.g. the growth of a global culture shown in media content; • New norms and values can be seen and shared through the global media leading to changing social attitudes and social change; • Advertising can be communicated on a global level and products are increasingly made to appeal to a global audience; • Local cultures may be lost by Western culture dominating the media; • A wider range of global products are available to, and can be consumed, by the audience i.e. Nollywood, Bollywood, Bhangra music etc.; • Other reasonable response. Band 0 (0) No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of how globalisation is changing media content. Responses may be short and un-/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks) candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language, e.g. ‘showing things from other countries.’ Band 2 (4–6) A clear and accurate explanation showing good sociological knowledge and understanding of how globalisation is changing media content. For example, discussing the diversity of media content today, changing norms and values and alternative ideologies. Sociological language and concepts should be expected. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one factor in a well- developed way or cover several factors in less detail. 4(d) Explain why Governments try to control the content of the media. 8 Candidates should show an awareness of why Governments try to control the content of the media. This may be a generic discussion or may focus on specific Governments and their controls over media content. Possible answers: • To create a sense of national unity; • State-owned media can be used for propaganda so the audience will accept the world view being presented and not allowing access to alternative views; • In order to present the Government and its policies in a positive light and maintain power; • To control broadcast content, e.g. to have the power not to show stories or issues that would portray the Government in a negative light - censorship; • Alternative views or values tend to be marginalised and/or ridiculed in the media through the images seen and the language used which prevents resistance to the Government; • The Government can use the media to demonise and scapegoat certain social groups in order to justify oppressive policies or actions; • To protect the audience from unsuitable content, e.g. pornography, drug taking etc.; • To protect state secrets and publics security, e.g. through legislation such as The Official Secrets Act; • The media and therefore the Government can control the audience’s feelings and thoughts through selective representations and censorship; • Other reasonable response. Band 0 (0) No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–3) Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of why Governments try to control the content of the media. Candidates may not really understand what is meant by Government and control. Responses may be short and undeveloped, e.g. ‘to influence how the media think’, without justification/explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 (4–6) Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding of why Governments try to control the content of the media. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. Candidates may explain some of the reasons, e.g. dominant ideology being maintained, to protect the public from undesirable content etc. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed. 4(d) Band 3 (7–8) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of why Governments try to control the content of the media and will be well developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately, overall. Answers will be well focused on the question and there will be a range of reasons presented, e.g. censorship, diverting attention away from the serious issues in society, propaganda etc. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent do the media shape the audience’s attitudes and 15 behaviour? Candidates will need to look at the ways in which the media can shape the attitudes and behaviour of the audience. A wide range of different media may be considered. The argument that the media does not influence the audience’s attitudes and behaviour could also be discussed in evaluation. Examples may be used to strengthen the points made. Possible answers: For • Advertising is all around us and is used to try and persuade people to spend their money and consume material goods leading to the creation of a consumer culture and an acceptance of capitalism; • Prevalence of new and social media means, for postmodernists, that the media is all around us, and with things ‘going viral’, this will affect attitudes and behaviour; • Imitation – the audience may copy what they see in the media, e.g. Grand Theft Auto video game copy catting incident in Japan, school shootings in America etc.; • The media can be used to set the agenda and thus tell the public what is important in society, influencing attitudes and behaviour; • News values in the media determine media content and this can determine how the audience think and behave • Biased media reporting, propaganda and censorship controls content of the media and thus affects the thoughts and actions of the audience; • Marxists believe that the media conveys the dominant ideology to the masses and ensures that ruling class power is maintained; • Feminists believe that the media conveys a patriarchal ideology to the audience and thus supports gendered inequalities in society; • Seeing and hearing the same messages and images on a regular basis in the media makes the audience more likely to be affected by and accept them - cultural effects model; • The use of role models in the media are a big influence on the audience and so can shape attitudes and behaviour, e.g. attitudes to drugs, fashion sense, language used etc.; • Media can often be used to shape gender identity, perhaps also used as part of primary socialisation; • The hypodermic syringe theory and other passive audience models argue that the audience are directly affected by what they see and the media; • Moral panics and the creation of folk devils in the media can shape the audience’s attitudes and behaviour towards crime and deviance; • Other reasonable response. 4(e) Against • The audience do not have to accept and believe the media version of events – negotiated and oppositional readings frequently occur (Hall); • Active audience models, such as the uses and gratifications theory, argue that it is the public who decide the effects the media have upon them: it is about choice; • The two-step flow model indicates that it is opinion leaders, rather than the media, that influences the audience’s attitudes and opinions; • In the postmodern world media outlets are everywhere and there is a diverse range of material and viewpoints for the audience to choose from, therefore the range of beliefs available to the audience are vast and diverse; • The new media allow the audience to be actively involved in media content through interactivity, therefore the role of the media in shaping attitudes and behaviour can be questioned – user-generated content etc.; • Agencies of socialisation, such as the family and the peer group, may be more influential in shaping attitudes and behaviour than the media; • If the media were solely responsible for creating attitudes and determining how people behave then there would be high levels of consensus across the globe – this is not the case, with a wide range of alternative ideologies being in existence; • Other reasonable response. Band 0 (0) No creditworthy response. Band 1 (1–4) Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of whether the media shape the audience’s attitudes and behaviour. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided, e.g. the audience buy what they see in adverts. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points or provide a weak definition of key terms, i.e. attitudes are how we think and behaviour is how we act, in the question. Band 2 (5–8) In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of whether the media shape the audience’s attitudes and behaviour. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Candidates may give examples of TV shows, newspapers and films and how these may affect the audience, e.g. children copying the violence they see in computer games. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided responses are unlikely. Lower in the band, the response will be rather narrow in the points covered and there will be little development. Higher in the band, more points will be covered and there will be limited development of some points. Alternatively, a list-like answer with little development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. 4(e) A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 (9–12) Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of whether the media shape the audience’s attitudes and behaviour. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. Candidates may discuss media effects theories, such as the hypodermic needle and the uses and gratifications model. They may also give specific examples, such as voting patterns, body image and advertising. Concepts such as imitation and role modelling may be referred to. There will be a two-sided response, but this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of well-developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 (13–15) Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of whether the media shape the audience’s attitudes and behaviour. There will be a strong grasp of the argument, as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Candidates may refer to the idea that the audience are all individuals and thus be aware that it is impossible to generalise the effects of the media on attitudes and behaviour. Responses will be two-sided and balanced. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent«?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion. Candidates should show consideration of points for and against the idea of whether the media shape the audience’s attitudes and behaviour, citing some of the examples given.

Question 2

How the audience use the media has changed a great deal over time and many sociologists believe that there is now a digital divide. Other s…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘digital divide’? 2 One mark for partial definition, e.g. not being able to use the internet. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. inequalities between different social groups in their access to/use of media and ICT. 4(b) Describe two ways that disabled people are represented in the media. 4 Examples may be used by candidates to exemplify their points. This may be from their own cultural experiences of the media. Possible answers: • invisibility – disabled people are rarely seen in the media; • stereotyping – disabled people are represented in a generalised way which ignores individual differences; • binary opposites – disabled people are shown to be completely different to ‘normal’ people; • a burden on society and people; • incapable of fully participating in everyday life, helpless; • object of ridicule – audience encouraged to laugh at the character; • the object of pity – children in hospitals, people in nursing homes – infantilisation; • the monstrous freak or villain i.e. in the film industry; • the ‘super-cripple’ representation – heroically overcoming their disability e.g. in the news, Paralympics; • other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how advertising affects the audience. 6 Possible answers: • advertising promotes consumerism and encourages the audience to spend their money and buy goods; • advertising is often based on stereotypes so representing and reinforcing dominant ideologies e.g. female housewife, male provider, etc.; • advertising encourages and persuades the audience to buy or do something; • advertising may lead to ‘pester power’, whereby children pester their parents to buy them advertised material goods; • advertising informs audiences of new products and services and gives out information; • advertising can be seen as a kind of propaganda – it is all around us, on many different platforms, persuasive and impossible to ignore; • advertising encourages people to always be dissatisfied and to want more than they have, encouraging materialism; • advertising often portrays a successful Western lifestyle and culture thus posing a threat to traditional local cultures; • Marxists believe advertising is used by the ruling class to create false needs in the working class and thus to maintain capitalism; • feminists believe advertising is used by men to control women i.e. to put pressure on women to conform to unachievable ideals; • candidates may refer to media effects theories such as the hypodermic syringe model and talk about a direct and immediate effect of advertising on the audience; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of how advertising affects the audience and may talk about e.g. makes people want to buy stuff. Responses may be short and un/under developed. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] A clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding of how advertising affects the audience. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected e.g. Marxists believe that advertising is another tool of the ruling class that encourages consumerism and so maintains and supports capitalism. This would be followed by explanation of factors leading to this. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one factor in a well-developed way or cover several factors in less detail. 4(d) Explain why use of social media has made the news less biased. 8 BIAS – favouring one point of view over another; SOCIAL MEDIA – website and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. Candidates can refer to the news generally or to specific news platforms such as newspapers, TV, websites, etc. Similarly, social media maybe discussed generally or be referred to in specific cases i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc. Possible answers: • pluralists say that the news contains several different opinions, the audience choose the news they want. This means there is content to suit everybody without having to be biased in favour of the dominant ideology/group; • social media allows the news to be independent, the diversity of views available negates the previous dominance of a single institution or individual • citizen journalism – social media means that the audience are making the news themselves – finding the stories and choosing the style/angle it will take; • interactivity – social media allows the audience to play an active role in the news making process. They no longer have to passively accept what they are told but instead can comment on/discuss issues online; • social media removes the need for news institutions to base their stories on preconceived news values, instead more informative stories can be covered; • social media ensures that the news the audience receives is global – this reduces issues of national bias; • there is no longer a news gatekeeper therefore agenda setting is lessened; • the internet and social media is far more difficult for the government to censor and control than traditional news so reducing state bias; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of why social media has made the news less biased. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped, e.g. You get lots of different opinions stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. 4(d) Band 2 [4–6 marks] 8 Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding of why social media has made the news less biased. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range, e.g. Decisions about media content are no longer only made by the people who work in the media industry and so the views and opinions of various audience groups will come through instead resulting in more choice and less bias, etc. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of why social media has made the news less biased and will be well developed and explained, e.g. One reason that the news may be less biased is because social media is interactive and so allows the audience to be both consumers and producers. A wide variety of ideologies can therefore be presented and commented on without the need to necessarily follow the “status quo”. This, postmodernists believe, allows for greater diversity and less bias as a wider range of opinions are in the public sphere. They can then expand on the explanation of this and other factors as necessary. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well focused on the question and there will be a range of reasons presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent is the uses and gratifications model correct in 15 explaining how the media affects its audience? USES AND GRATIFICATIONS MODEL – how the audience use the media rather than how the media affects the audience. Candidates should discuss the ways that the UAG model is said to influence the audience. They may then criticise particular ideas within the model. They may also consider the idea that other models of media effects may better explain the media’s influence on individuals. Possible answers: FOR: • the media is said to entertain the audience, used as a form of escapism; • the media is said to inform personal relationships by allowing audience members to identify with characters and actively discuss issues raised by the media product; • the media may effect personal identity – the audience compare themselves to the characters and issues in the media which then reinforces or challenges audience values and beliefs; • the media is often used as a source of information – we can find out about things that we do not directly experience first-hand – this may influence how we think about these things; • UAG approach believes the audience have the power to control how they use the media – if we don’t like something we simply don’t buy it or change the channel; • the media is a key agency of socialisation that teaches and reinforces norms and values of society but also allows the audience to reject these and consume alternative viewpoints instead; • media today is very diverse meaning there is a lot of choice available to the audience, particularly with digital platforms; • new media means there is increased variety of media output available for the audience alongside the ability for the audience to also be media producers – through interactivity and uploads, for example; • other reasonable response. 4(e) AGAINST: 15 • the UAG model only considers the audience’s use of the media, not the media messages that are sent out; • it fails to consider the idea that audiences may have been ‘trained’ by the media to have particular needs that the media then satisfies (learning to enjoy what is available) – Marxism; • UAG model fails to look at the context of the audience i.e. age, ethnicity, gender, etc. Different social groups may have more or less ability to use the media rather than be influenced by it; • hypodermic syringe model suggests that the media have direct and immediate influence on the audience – they have the power and control; • cultural effects explanations argue that the media do influence the audience over the long term and that this depends on social context and circumstances; • studies by the GUMG indicate that the media does influence public opinion i.e. in the strikes; • studies into voting patterns indicate that the media’s representation and coverage does influence how the audience vote; • many studies into violence and the media show that this can affect violence in society and attitudes to violence in society; • Marxists argue that people are manipulated by the media i.e. they divert attention away from important issues that would challenge ruling class power; • the media is thought to create and reinforce stereotypes which then affects how people are treated and thought about in society; • moral panics indicate that the media does have the power to influence the audience; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of whether the UAG approach is correct in how it believes the media influences the audience. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided, e.g. UAG says we all use the media in different ways. Lower in the band (1–2 marks) expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points or provide a weak definition of key terms, e.g. the UAG approach says the audience control the media, in the question. 4(e) Band 2 [5–8 marks] 15 In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of whether the UAG approach is correct in how it believes the media influences the audience. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided responses are unlikely e.g. The UAG approach recognises that there are many ways the audience can use the media, such as for entertainment or for information, etc. Lower in the band, the response will be rather narrow in the points covered and there will be little development. Higher in the band, more points will be covered and there will be limited development of some points. Alternatively, a list-like answer with little development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of whether the UAG approach is correct in how it believes the media influences the audience. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. Candidates may say that e.g. Despite the UAG approach clearly recognising the ability of the audience to choose what media they consume, it cannot be denied that the media can still influence people’s viewpoints and beliefs – through stereotyping of particular social groups and voting decisions for example. There will be a two-sided response but this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of well-developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of whether the UAG approach is correct in how it believes the media influences the audience. There will be a strong grasp of the argument as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and balanced. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent«?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion. Candidates should show consideration of points for and against the idea of the UAG approach’s beliefs about how the media influence the audience, citing some of the examples given.

Question 3

Changes in the media are a good example of globalisation, allowing the audience choice over content and patterns of consumption. Many socio…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘globalisation’? 2 One mark for partial definition, e.g. using the internet to find out about other countries. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. the linking of societies across the world through communication, production and culture. 4(b) Describe two ways that the media can be biased. 4 Possible answers: • through propaganda i.e. state owned media only presenting the government in a favourable light; • through censorship – this determines what the audience can and cannot consume; • through stereotypical representations of various social groups; • media gatekeepers can control what the audience are able to access and consume; • news values determine which stories make it into the news and so which are seen by the audience; • Marxists believe that the media invisibilises or dismisses ‘extreme’ viewpoints and thus maintains the status quo; • Marxists believe that the media favours the ruling class – for example it can be accused of criminalising the working class; • GUMG – managers are given more screen-time than the trade unions and are reported upon in a more favourable light; • street crime often associated with the lower classes is given more time in the media than crimes of the middle classes such as white- collar crime; • moral panics exist in the media – certain social groups are represented in an exaggerated and sensationalised way that leads to the public becoming scared of them; • certain social groups are scapegoated by the media for negative things in society whereas other groups actions are ignored; • through the opinions and beliefs of the editors and journalists; • through ownership patterns – owners may use the media to protect their own interests or to circulate their own points of view; • other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how voting choices are influenced by the media. 6 Candidates need to show how the media can affect how people vote. They may discuss this generally, use specific examples and/or refer to relevant media effects models. Possible answers: • media i.e. newspapers are often biased and support a political party, shown through choice of language, stories and expressing opinions; • in election campaigns political parties make extensive use of the media to try and attract more voters i.e. TV political broadcasts and billboards; • election campaigns are often focused on the image of the party leader and this is constructed through the media, often highly influenced by the use of spin doctors – this affects voting choices; • The Sun newspaper in the UK claimed that it was responsible for the election of the Conservative party in 1992; • the media report on the opinion polls and these are central to determining how an individual may vote i.e. tactical voting; • propaganda and censorship – some countries use these in order to manipulate the voting patterns of the nation e.g. North Korea; • new/social media are increasingly being used by political parties to target and influence voters; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of how the media can affect how people vote and may talk about e.g. Some politicians are made to seem smarter than others in the media. Responses may be short and un/under developed. At the bottom of the band (1 mark) expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks) candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] A clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding of how the media affects how people vote. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected e.g. Spin doctors use the media to manipulate how politicians are presented. The GUMG, for example, found that some political parties and politicians were given far more favourable coverage than others and that this then influenced how the people decided to vote. They had effectively been manipulated by the media. This would be followed by explanation of factors leading to this. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one factor in a well-developed way or cover several factors in less detail. 4(d) Explain why the media offer the audience more choice and control than 8 ever before. Candidates are likely to be discussing aspects of Pluralism and/or Postmodernism in their responses. New media are likely to be the main focus of candidate’s answers. Choice and control do not need to be dealt with as separate factors. Possible answers: • pluralists argue that there are many small and independent media production companies that ensure that the audience have a good range of choice and control over the media that they consume; • the media is now global, meaning that the audience can access information and entertainment from all over the globe – the choices available have never been greater; • new media allow the audience to be interactive and thus control what they consume and how they consume it; • new media gives the audience the power to interact with and influence media content through such means as blogs, comments and forums; • citizen journalism is a commonly seen feature in news reporting today – allowing the audience the power to be able to control what news is reported upon and how it is portrayed; • many audience members are now also media producers – they upload content and have the power to be able to control the content of the media. This also increases audience choice; • satellite and cable TV means a greater range of choice for the audience with many specialist and niche programmes available; • the internet allows for a wider range of viewpoints to have a platform and an audience and thus opens up many more ideas and beliefs to the audience; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of how today’s media offers more choice and control to the audience. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped, e.g. There are loads of TV channels to choose from now stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark) expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks) candidates may offer more than one weak point. 4(d) Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding of how today’s media offers more choice and control to the audience. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range, e.g. There is a lot of choice for the audience today because of the development of new media meaning content from all over the world can be easily and quickly accessed anywhere, anytime, etc. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of how today’s media offer more choice and control to the audience and will be well-developed and explained, e.g. According to Pluralists, the audience today have a great deal of control over media content. This is largely because of the developments in new media that allow audience members to both consume and produce media content. They can therefore set their own agenda through uploads, citizen journalism and interactive blogs/forums on a global scale. This ultimately leads to more choice for the consumer. They can then expand on the explanation of this and other factors as necessary. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well focused on the question and there will be a range of reasons presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent do the media set the agenda for how people think and 15 behave in society? SET THE AGENDA/AGENDA SETTING – the process of deciding what topics are included in the media and how they are presented to the audience. Candidates should consider the various ways that the media are able to set the agenda in society. They should then consider alternative viewpoints that challenge this idea of media power and control. New media is likely to be used for the evaluation but this is not essential. Possible answers: FOR: • the content of the media is a social construction based upon the decisions and choices of media professionals such as journalists – it therefore does not reflect reality which may affect how people think and behave; • some content makes it into the media, some does not – this idea of selection allows the media to set the agenda and so influence how people think and behave; • news values typically determine what stories and issues make the news – not everything that happens is reported upon therefore the media sets the agenda and so influences how people think and behave; • how the content of the media is presented to the audience also helps to set the agenda i.e. the angle or spin that a story or issue takes which then influences how people think and behave; • media gatekeepers decide what is important for the audience to know about and thus determine topics of conversation – setting the agenda and influencing how people think and behave; • Marxists believe that the media serve the needs of capitalism and set a capitalist agenda through the way media content supports the ruling class status quo which influences the audience; • GUMG research indicates that the way the news is presented influences how the audience think about particular issues e.g. management and workers on strike, so setting the agenda; • the scapegoating of certain social groups within the media also serves to set the agenda and diverts attention away from any ruling class wrongdoings e.g. corporate crime, so influencing the audience; • the hypodermic syringe and cultural effects models both say that the media does influence the way the audience think and behave; • other reasonable response. 4(e) AGAINST: • pluralists believe that the audience have the power to choose what they wish to consume and therefore are not subject to media agenda setting; • the uses and gratifications approach believes that the media serves audience needs rather than setting an agenda; • postmodernists believe that the media is so diverse today that there isn’t one agenda being set anymore; • new media is very difficult to control and therefore alternative and radical viewpoints can easily be disseminated; • new media allows the audience greater possibilities to control and alter the content of the media themselves – through such things as interactivity and uploading via the internet; • citizen journalism is a good example to argue that the media do not set the agenda in society – maybe the audience do instead; • it’s not the media that sets the agenda for how people think and behave but other informal agencies such as family, education, peers; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of whether the media set the agenda for how people think and behave in society. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided, e.g. The media can present things in a certain way so that the audience believe what they see and read. Lower in the band (1–2 marks) expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points or provide a weak definition of key terms, e.g. Agenda setting means telling people what to think, in the question. Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of whether the media set the agenda for how people think and behave in society. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided responses are unlikely e.g. The media is controlled by powerful people who support the ruling class so this viewpoint comes through in the media and the audience are influenced by it to think and act in a particular way, etc. Lower in the band, the response will be rather narrow in the points covered and there will be little development. Higher in the band, more points will be covered and there will be limited development of some points. Alternatively, a list-like answer with little development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. 4(e) Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of whether the media set the agenda for how people think and behave in society. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well- developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. Candidates may say that e.g. Despite Marxists claiming that the media do determine what is covered in the media through, for example, prevalent news values, Pluralists believe that the audience have the power to select for themselves what they consume and so the ability to avoid any agenda setting. With the advent of new media this has increasingly become the case as the audience are now active media producers as well as consumers meaning that they could be said to set the agenda as much as the media do. There will be a two-sided response but this may be unbalanced. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of well-developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of whether the media set the agenda for how people think and behave in society. There will be a strong grasp of the argument as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well-developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and balanced. At the bottom of the band (13 marks) the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent«?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion. Candidates should show consideration of points for and against the idea of media agenda setting influencing audience thoughts and actions, citing some of the examples given.

Question 4

Some members of the public and regulatory bodies argue that media content needs to be controlled due to media violence and its negative eff…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘invisibility’? One mark for partial definition, e.g. not seen. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. when a social group is not present in or featured in the media. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(b) Describe two ways violence in the media may influence violence in society. Possible answers: • copycat violence (imitation) – individuals may copy what they see in the media, e.g. violence leading to more violence in society; • hypodermic needle model – the media has a direct and immediate effect on the audience so this is likely to increase levels of violence in society if violence is seen in the media (Bandura); • desensitisation – people get so used to images of violence in the media that they are no longer shocked by the meaning so they may be more likely to be violent themselves in society; • catharsis – being able to release strong emotions safely through playing violent video games may mean that there is less risk of violence in society; • sensitisation – the shocking effect of seeing violence in the media can lead to campaigns in society to reduce violence; • media role models – many ‘hero’ figures in the media, particularly males, often use violence as a way to save the day – this may lead to the glamourisation of violence in the media and thus more media in society; • rap lyrics – these are often about themes of violence and violent acts thus may be a reason for violence in society, e.g. gang wars, protests; • moral panics – the folk devils involved in the moral panic may commit more acts of violence because of the sensationalist media reporting – this can lead to deviancy amplification; • any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4 Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(c) Explain how the working class are represented in the media. Possible answers: • they are shown negatively, as criminals, welfare scroungers and as immoral; • they are shown as the ‘folk devils’ in a moral panic, according to Cohen; • they are often shown to be deserving of their low status position in society, so justifying structural inequalities according to Marxists; • they are often blamed for society’s problems – showing them as scapegoats diverts attention away from the wrongdoings of the higher classes; • the working class are typically under-represented in the media; • the GUMG found from their research that the working class are shown as lacking power in society; • the working class can sometimes be shown more positively, for example with a strong community spirit; • the working class are often shown in manual and/or unskilled work, typically with low wages; • the working class can often be shown in the media as being poor/living in poverty, suffering from material deprivation, struggling to make ends meet; • working class representations often link to particular family types, e.g. extended families, families with traditional segregated conjugal roles; • any other reasonable response. 6 Candidates need to show an understanding of the different ways that the media represent the working class. Examples from an international, national or local context may be included, these should be credited accordingly. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(c) Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(d) Explain why the digital divide exists. Possible answers: • money/class – poorer people cannot afford digital technology to the same extent as richer people; • country – a digital divide has emerged between developed and developing countries because of technological access, the functionality of the internet and financial implications; • location – depending on location some governments have chosen to create a digital divide in order to control the population through censorship, creating a divide between the elite and the lower classes; • age – younger people are more confident and accomplished in their understanding of the internet than are the older generations (maybe referred to as ‘digital dinosaurs’), so causing a digital divide to form; • age – younger people are more able to participate in social media than older groups, allowing them to make global networks and connections – older people do not do this, hence the digital divide; • access – access to the internet through interactivity has allowed previously muted groups a voice – these are typically younger and from developed countries however so is not entirely fair, hence a divide; • age – younger people are brought up using digital technology, they are described as digital natives and thus have much greater skills in using it than do older people; • gender – males and females use new media differently, e.g. men are the primary users of employment apps such as LinkedIn, females are heavier users of image based social media such as Instagram – this can be linked to power divides and inequalities in society; • technology – the advent of new media has led to the digital divide as distinctions are made between use of and functions of traditional and new media; • any other reasonable response. 8 Candidates may consider the digital divide in terms of social class and/or age and/or the global divide. These may be linked with relevant theories and perspectives, but this is not a necessity. It is likely that candidates will refer to international or national or local examples to help support their points. Digital divide – inequalities between social groups in their access to and use of media and digital technology. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(d) Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well- focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(e) To what extent is the Marxist view of the media correct? Arguments for: • the media convey the dominant capitalist ideology and so keep the population in a state of false consciousness; • the media are owned and controlled by the capitalist ruling class who want to keep their power and so use the media to prevent resistance and social change in society; • the media has been said to be an agency of the state – indoctrinating audiences into a conservative ideology; • Marxists believe people can be manipulated by the media, e.g. in times of war, propaganda, elections; • media supports capitalism and help to maintain it through the creation of false needs in the population – this is further supported through the huge advertising and consumer industry; • the media divert attention away from the important issues in society by the diet of trivia that the audience are given; • few alternative views are seen in the media which makes it difficult for marginalised groups to get their views across; • distortion and bias in the media leads to a dominant ideology which serves the interests of the ruling class; • Marxists believe only a narrow set of views are seen and heard in the media because ownership is so traditional, e.g. white, male, middle aged and middle class; • Any other reasonable response. Arguments against: • the Marxist view has been criticised for making it seem like there is a conspiracy by a small group of rulers/owners to control everybody else; 15 Candidates should focus on the Marxist view of the media that emphasises how the media help the ruling class to retain their position and control over society. This can then be evaluated with criticisms specifically on the Marxist perspective as well as alternative views of the media such as pluralism and postmodernism. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(e) • postmodernists believe that in the new media world traditional ownership has declined so giving the audience far more control over media content, e.g. through user-generated content, citizen journalism; • postmodernists believe that the media today is interactive and often created by the audience which means that alternative and niche views do have a place and can be accessed easily; • pluralists believe that rather than being a platform for ruling class ideologies, the media can only reflect and respond to the audience; • pluralists see the media as being very diverse and so reflecting a wide variety of different views and opinions, allowing the audience to choose what they wish to consume; • pluralists believe that the media is based on competition which means that standards are always rising and content changing as the media needs to constantly attract and appeal to the audience; • pluralists believe that as the media industry is a business it is shareholders rather than media moguls and owners who have the ultimate power; • government controls exist that prevent the media from telling lies and so reduces the potential for the ruling class to create a dominant ideology, e.g. the law of libel; • the media do expose elite groups and individuals in society, e.g. tax evasion, fraud cases – this challenges the Marxist view; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. Question Answer Marks Guidance 4(e) Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response, but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well-developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

Question 5

Some sociologists argue that globalisation has improved equality in the media. Other sociologists believe there is now a digital divide and…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘moral panic’? 2 One mark for partial definition, e.g. a negative media story. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. an exaggerated social reaction to deviance, creating public fear. 4(b) Describe two ways globalisation has affected the media. 4 Candidates will be expected to describe two ways globalisation has affected the media. They could consider factors such as content, ownership, access, distribution etc. Possible answers: • access – media is now instantly available around the globe via the internet and digital technology; • ownership – large media companies typically own and distribute media across the globe e.g. Disney; • streaming – digital media can be streamed live from nearly all areas of the globe to anywhere in the world; • media products – products today are often made for a global rather than a national audience e.g. advertising and the lowest common denominator; • non-Western media – because the media is now global, non-Western products can be accessed globally e.g. Nollywood films; • the global village – McLuhan – new media has made the media world a smaller place making it easier for consumers to access material from anywhere in the world; • culture – globalisation may mean that local cultures are swamped with western culture spread by the media and so may dilute their own language, culture and traditions; • other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how different ethnic groups use the media. 6 Candidates should discuss how different ethnic groups use the media. Possible answers: • specialist media from the ethnic minority’s country of origin is now widely available in the native language through for e.g. satellite TV, allowing cultures to be maintained; • different ethnic groups have different cultural traditions that can be incorporated into the media e.g. Nollywood, Bollywood etc; • ethnic minorities are increasingly owning and producing media for their own ethnic community e.g. in the UK Pride magazine, The Voice etc. to demonstrate cultural pride and heritage; • ethnic minorities may not ‘read’ the media in the same way as the ethnic majority and may use the media as a form of cultural borrowing e.g. Gillespie study; • new media has made it increasingly easy for ethnic minorities to produce and access global media targeted specifically at their ethnic group; • ethnic minorities may use the media to reinforce traditional cultural traditions, norms and values; • some ethnic minorities may use media output to learn about the majority culture/language; • to reject a muted voice – interactive new media, user generated content, drill music etc can all give young ethnic minorities a platform to address social inequalities; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail. 4(d) Explain why some sociologists criticise stereotypical gender 8 representations in the media. Candidates should discuss the reasons why some sociologists criticise stereotypical gender representations in the media. Possible answers: • binary opposition – the media typically shows males and females as opposites e.g. strong males and weak females – this is overly simplistic and untrue; • under-representation – females are said to be under-represented in most areas of the media e.g. main characters are still males, implying that males are more important than females (feminism); • roles – both males and females are shown in a narrow range of roles which can limit their aspirations and opportunities in society; • physical appearance – there remains a focus upon how females look within the media reinforcing stereotypical expectations e.g. McRobbie’s ‘slimblondeness’; • digital manipulation – males and females seen in today’s media are so digitally altered that real people are unable to attain these looks. This leads to people feeling inadequate and unable to reach these levels of perfection and has been linked to rising eating disorders; • passive females – this representation leads to women being perceived as weak as incapable and thus reinforces their subordinate positions in society (feminism); • aggressive males – this representation leads to men being perceived as more dangerous, threatening and criminal than women and may explain the manifold moral panics concerning males and the police targeting of males; • sexualisation of females – feminists are critical of the sexualised representations in the media that have become normalised of women e.g. Mulvey’s male gaze theory; • mental health – gender representations have been criticised for being dangerous to those consuming them e.g. very thin models on the catwalk have been blamed for rises in eating disorders; • hegemonic masculinity (Connell) – the media’s dominant representation of males in this stereotyped way makes it hard for men to show their emotions, take responsibility for childcare and to enter the caring professions; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. 4(d) Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well-focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent is the hypodermic-syringe model an accurate 15 explanation of how the media affects audiences? Candidates should consider the ways in which the hypodermic-syringe model of media effects is an accurate explanation of how the media affects audiences. In evaluation, the reasons why it may not be accurate should be discussed. Possible answers: FOR • passive audience – if the audience are using the media as a form of entertainment/escapism then they may be more likely to accept the content without question; • 24/7 media – the media is so pervasive in society today that it is difficult to escape it and thus it may be more likely to affect the audience (media culture); • advertising – this industry is based upon the principles from the hypodermic model – that the audience are influenced and persuaded by the media they consume; • propaganda – the media has frequently been used as a source of propaganda throughout history e.g. Nazi Germany, therefore it must be able to influence the audience; • media violence – there have been several instances of the audience copying what they have seen in the media e.g. video games, video ‘nasties’, horror films etc. – this shows the power of the media to influence the audience; • voting – biased coverage of politics and elections in the media demonstrates how the media can influence the audience, e.g. The Sun newspaper in the UK’s influence over election results; • stereotyping – stereotypes are regularly criticised in the media (e.g. gender, ethnic, age etc) as being potentially harmful to people in society and contributing to social inequalities – gender stereotyping in advertising has now been banned, indicating the harmful influence that it must have had upon the audience; • censorship – if there wasn’t truth to the hypodermic model’s claims about the power of the media then there would be no need for censorship in the media; • other reasonable response. 4(e) AGAINST • it is unlikely that the media has direct and immediate effects upon the audience, any effects that it does have are more likely to be built up over time (cultural effects theory); • the hypodermic model’s methodology (Bandura’s experiment) is heavily flawed therefore what credible evidence exists to support this model of media effects?; • the hypodermic model has morphed into the two-step flow model today whereby the role of an ‘opinion leader’ in influencing the audience is thought to be crucial – no mention was made of this in the original hypodermic model; • it is now thought that the effects of the media cannot be generalised in the way that the hypodermic model did – factors such as age, intelligence, gender etc all influence how much we are affected by different forms and content of media; • audience selection – we do not have to believe everything that we consume in the media, different audiences encode the media differently (Hall’s reception theory); • active audience – the audience today are not passive consumers, we choose from a plethora of media options, personalise our consumption, stream, use on-demand services and even create our own media; • Glasgow University Media Group – their research showed that the audience can distinguish between fact and fiction and therefore are not simply soaking up what the media tells them; • uses and gratifications – audiences are in control of what they consume and how it effects them – we choose different forms and varieties of media to serve different need and purposes; • new media – blogs, vlogs, forums, uploads, social media platforms, citizen journalism etc. all mean that the audience is today creating and shaping the media – the very opposite of the claims made by the hypodermic model; • other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. 4(e) Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two- sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the questions and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well-developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

Question 6

Public funding is one of the ways the media is funded. The funding and regulation of the media affects media content and representations. S…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘public funding’? 2 One mark for partial definition, e.g. the BBC. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. media costs are covered by payments from the government or other public body, often through taxes. 4(b) Describe two stereotypical media representations of the elderly. 4 Possible answers: • invisibility/under-representation – the elderly are noticeably absent from some areas of the media and are thus effectively made invisible e.g. few powerful elderly people seen on TV; • binary oppositions – the elderly are often represented as being the opposite to the young e.g. frail ‘vs’ strong; • a burden – the elderly are often represented as being a burden to others, unable to look after themselves; • vulnerable – the elderly are frequently seen as being frail and vulnerable, as victims or patients, for example; • grumpy – the grumpy old man stereotype is a common representation of elderly males; • unsexual – the elderly are typically represented as not wanting or participating in sexual activity; • unattractive – anti-ageing products dominate the beauty products on sale, conveying the message that to be old is to be unattractive, particularly for women; • wise – in some societies the elderly are considered to be highly intelligent and wise; • respected – in some cultures the elderly are awarded high status and respect from others in society; • any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how globalisation has affected the media. 6 Possible answers: • communication – this is now instant across the globe meaning unfolding news events can be watched as they happen; • ownership – global media are dominated by a small number of huge conglomerates e.g. Disney; • Westernisation – global media is dominated by the West meaning companies are based in western societies and spread mainly Western culture and ideologies; • audience – increasingly media products are made for global rather than national audiences and thus contain elements that will appeal on a global level (cultural homogeneity); • audience – increasingly audiences all around the world can access the same media through the internet e.g. global streaming services; • local cultural decline – global media means that local cultures may be in decline as western culture becomes the norm – resulting in a loss of local languages, traditions and customs; • non-western media – due to new media this may be able to reach western audiences on a global scale e.g. the rise of Bollywood and Nollywood, K-pop/Korean culture and Japanese anime/culture; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail. 4(d) Explain why feminists criticise some media content. 8 Possible answers: • gender stereotyping – feminists are concerned about the amount of this in the media and the effects it may have upon children’s gender identities and future gender roles; • binary opposition – males and females are typically shown to be opposites in the media which narrows the audience’s perceptions of what is normal for a male and a female in society e.g. female housewives, male breadwinners; • hegemonic masculinity – this is shown in the media as the norm for males therefore putting pressure on them to adopt this identity – it can often be sexist and has links to aggression towards women; • power – males are typically shown in powerful roles whilst women are passive/submissive to men – this reinforces patriarchy in society; • range of roles – women are shown in a very narrow range of roles in the media which may limit their aspirations and goals (Meehan); • female under-representation – women are under-represented in most areas of the media e.g. few female main characters or villains – this can affect female identity; • focus on physical appearance of women – the media continues to focus on the physical appearance of women and image manipulation is used to create unachievable and unrealistic representations e.g. on social media – these can be damaging for women in real life and have been linked to eating disorders, mental health etc.; • male gaze (Mulvey) – women continue to be sexualised and objectified in the media and are represented to appeal to men; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well- focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent is media censorship effective? 15 Arguments for: • state control – if the state wants to control what is consumed by the audience then censorship is essential e.g. North Korea, China, Nazi Germany, propaganda etc. – this results in a one sided version of events that effectively controls output; • Marxism – if the ruling class are to maintain their powerful positions of privilege in society then censorship is both effective and necessary to prevent any challenges to the dominant ideology and status quo; • laws protecting the state – laws such as The UK Official Secrets Act are crucial to preserve state security and prevent the reporting of state secrets and to effectively protect the country’s security; • obscenity – the audience need to be protected from obscene material and thus censorship is effective at allowing some material and not others; • libel and slander laws – these are necessary to protect individuals from unfounded and unproven allegations by the media and are effective because they legally protect individuals from unfounded allegations; • prejudice and discrimination – laws are in place to prevent the unfair treatment of minority groups in the media showing that censorship is effective at reducing media sexism, racism, ageism etc.; • certification systems – found in the film and the gaming industries are effective in ensuring that only age-appropriate material is seen by specific age groups; • the TV watershed – this is effective in ensuring the suitability of material being viewed for the age of the audience, allowing parents to regulate what children can and can’t watch; • hypodermic syringe model – this shows that censorship is necessary as children will imitate what they see in the media e.g. violence and children/the Bobo doll – censorship is thus effective as it protects us; • any other reasonable response. Arguments against: • pluralism – there is so much choice available in the media today that people can just choose something else to consume if they don’t like the content available to them, showing that censorship is not very effective; • new media – as the media today is global and largely internet-based censorship is no longer effective as alternative media platforms and products exist to challenge and debate media content and output; • diversity – there is today such a diversity of opinions in society that media censorship is no longer effective as there is not an agreed view on what is right and wrong; • postmodernism – information is no longer ‘top down’ meaning the media cannot be used for propaganda or to convey a dominant ideology anymore, therefore media censorship is not effective; • public service – public service broadcasters are obliged to operate with due impartiality thus censorship is not really effective as it is not necessary; 4(e) • parental controls – many argue media censorship is not effective as it depends upon parents and adults upholding its values – not all will do so e.g. parents may let children watch TV shows after the watershed or play games that they are not officially old enough for; • audience selection – this active audience approach suggests that the audience will choose how the media affects and influences them, suggesting that media censorship cannot be effective; • uses and gratifications – this model says that the audience will choose what they use the media for therefore censorship is not effective as the audience, not the media, are in control of interpretations made; • postmodernists believe that media censorship is not effective as with the advent of digital technology the audience are now often also the producers of media content so the media can no longer be controlled; • on-demand and internet services limit the effectiveness of censorship in the media as audiences can consume what they want, when they want with little regulation; • the interactive nature of new media means that regardless of any media censorship, the audience can actively comment, post, blog or vlog about issues, content etc. and this censorship cannot be effective anymore; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one-sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two-sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. 4(e) Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the questions and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well-developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

Question 7

Contemporary media can be divided into traditional and new media. Sociologists debate whether the media affects values, behaviour and votin…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘socialisation’? 2 One mark for a partial definition, e.g. the media is an agent of socialisationi Two marks for a clear definition, e.g. the process of learning the norms and values of a culture. 4(b) Describe two ways the media is global. 4 Possible answers:  Western media – large media conglomerates operating on a worldwide scale are based in Western countries and spread a mainly Western culture e.g. sub-titled Hollywood films;  production – media products are now typically made for a global audience and will therefore contain generic elements to appeal to a mass, global audience;  non-Western media – this is now available to consume for global audiences e.g. Bollywood films;  digital technology – the internet allows the media to be global as products can be distributed and consumed across the world and downloaded/streamed as necessary;  global village – the idea that the world today is a smaller place due to the digital media’s ability to reach global audiences;  unfolding news – news events can be watched live as they unfold anywhere across the world, aided by citizen journalism;  social media – this allows for the sharing of information, communication, advertising etc. on a global scale;  global communication – multiple platforms and devices available across the world allow people to keep in touch and interact on a global scale;  any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how the media can affect audience voting patterns. 6 Possible answers:  privately owned media –often take strong political positions and this can then be seen in their choice of stories, language used and the opinions expressed. This may then influence how the audience vote (bias);  election campaigns – political parties make extensive use of the media to get their message across to voters by using billboards, manifestos, election broadcasts and interviews, all aimed at persuading the audience to vote for them;  political image – the media can be very influential in how a politician is perceived by the audience as in many countries, e.g. USA, more media attention may be given to the personalities of the political leaders rather than the parties policies e.g. Trump vs Clinton;  The Sun newspaper UK – claimed it can influence how people vote, e.g. in the UK 1992 general election the Labour Party was expected to win but The Sun backed the Conservatives who actually won;  opinion polls – the media report the opinion polls which the audience interpret as showing what the election result is likely to be which may influence how the audience then choose to vote;  new media – digital technology means that election campaigns can now go viral and their interactivity allows for audience members to ask questions of the politicians and to discuss policies and issues in forums which may influence voting – two step flow, opinion leaders;  spin doctors – these are often employed by politicians/political parties to control the image of politicians in an attempt to influence how the public votes;  any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail. 4(d) Explain why new media has more freedom than traditional media. 8 Possible answers:  globalisation – communication via new media is now instant, meaning unfolding global events can be watched as they happen – new media is free to stream this, traditional media doesn’t have that freedom as logistically it is unlikely to have journalists in the right place;  new media involves two-way communication, traditional media one-way – the distinction between consumer and producer in new media is no longer clear due to user-generated content and greater interactivity, giving all parties greater freedom;  audience freedom – traditional media is limited to one media form with little choice, new media can be consumed on different devices and platforms, on-demand, offers portability, specialist etc.;  print media – traditionally print media could only be word and image based, with new media it can include video links, audio, additional related content, social media links etc. = greater freedom;  TV – traditional TV was made to appeal to a mass audience but with the advent of new media, TV can also narrowcast meaning niche, specialist content can be made because of a huge increase in channels for audiences to select from;  citizen journalism – traditionally the news was made by media professionals, today with new media this is no longer the case as members of the public upload footage and commentaries for global events = more freedom;  regulation – traditional media is subject to much regulation e.g. film and gaming certification, the 9 o’clock watershed on TV – new media is far harder to regulate and this means that the industry is relatively free to produce and distribute what it wants to;  censorship – traditional media has often been accused of being heavily censored – sometimes for a war effort, sometimes for propaganda purposes, sometimes just as part of state control – this is far more difficult with new media as it is no longer a ‘top down’ industry, so giving it greater freedoms (postmodernism);  any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. 4(d) Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses may be underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates may be beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well-focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent is the media more influential than other agents of socialisation? Possible answers: Arguments for:  hypodermic syringe model – the media has an immediate and direct effect upon the audience and is thus a strong source of influence over behaviour and attitudes;  cultural effects approach – cumulatively, over time, the media influences opinions and beliefs as we see repeated images and messages as ‘normal’;  violence and the media – research shows that violence in the media can influence individuals to be violent in society e.g. copycat killings, violent video games, etc. – it has socialised them;  political socialisation – the media is thought to be very influential when it comes to influencing how someone votes e.g. political broadcasts;  advertising – if the media did not have the power to influence people then why would the advertising industry be so willing to spend so much money making adverts? e.g. pester power;  media role models – celebrities and stars in the media are thought to be a big source of influence for their fans e.g. in fashion, opinions, appearance, lifestyle, material possessions, brands etc.;  cyberbullying – huge increases in online bullying, trolling and hate crimes indicate how powerful the media is in its ability to influence and socialise others;  social media and influencers – research into young people has shown how influential social media now is in terms of audience reach, communication, social networking, dating, opinion forming etc.;  postmodernism – this theory comments on the widespread and easy access to the media today – we live in a media saturated 24/7 media culture therefore it is difficult to see how it is not influential in terms of socialisation;  Marxism – this theory sees the media as a tool of the ruling class used to disseminate the dominant ideology and reinforce and socialise people into capitalist norms and values; 4(e)  feminism – this theory sees the media as a very negative socialising 15 influence on women as it often sexualises them (Mulvey’s male gaze), represents them in a narrow range of roles (Meehan) and puts pressure on them to conform to unrealistic beauty ideals (Wolf);  any other reasonable response. Arguments against:  uses and gratifications approach – the audience decide how they want to use the media at any given time in order to meet their needs e.g. entertainment or information, the audience have the power, not the media, therefore the ability of the media to socialise us is limited;  active audience – with new media, interactivity and two-way communication with the audience are constantly personalising and shaping media experiences, meaning that the media’s ability to influence and socialise an audience is diminished;  new media – this is an interactive form of media that includes citizen journalism and user-generated content meaning that the audience are also producers – they are not influenced by the media as they are creating it;  Hall’s reception theory – he shows that audiences interpret the media very differently to one another and therefore this questions the belief that the media is a strong influence on the socialisation of the audience;  pluralism – they believe that the audience shape and influence the media, not the other way round, they reject the view that the media socialises audiences;  family – as the primary agent of socialisation, functionalists believe this is the main source of influence on individuals through processes such as imitation, canalisation, manipulation;  education – young people typically spend a lot of time in the education system and therefore it is a highly influential agent of socialisation e.g. through the hidden curriculum, gender expectations, deference to authority, ethnocentrism etc.;  peer group – the influence of the peer group as an agent of socialisation is considerable, particularly on younger people who are often subject to peer pressure to make them conform;  religion – if someone has been socialised into religious norms, values and beliefs then ideas that contradict or challenge this found in the media are unlikely to have much impact – religion is more influential;  any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. 4(e) Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two- sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response, but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well-developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

Question 8

Contemporary media is no longer national or local, it is a global institution often using citizen journalism for its content. Audience memb…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘citizen journalism’? 2 One mark for partial definition, e.g. news from mobile phones OR blogging. Two marks for clear definition, e.g. the ways in which the public can gather and distribute information either via the internet or via a news company. 4(b) Describe two ways the audience use the media, according to the uses 4 and gratifications model. Possible answers: • entertainment/escapism – relax, fill in time, gain enjoyment from certain media forms and products; • personal relationships – a sense of companionship and belonging, identifying with the characters and their issues from the media; • social relationships – the media text becomes a source of friendship, audiences talk about the media together – it may even generate new friendships e.g. through online forums and chat rooms; • personal identity – audiences compare themselves and their situation to the characters in media texts; they make decisions about their lives based on this and can reinforce or challenge values and beliefs; • information – audiences can find out things beyond their immediate experiences; • education – audiences can learn about new topics/debates/issues and be educated; • any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how the media is biased. 6 Possible answers: • privately funded companies may be biased towards investors/owners/advertisers and are likely to take a mainstream view in order to maintain this appeal; • owners – can bias media products through only employing staff with the same views as themselves and by directly giving orders to staff on approved content; • controllers – language used, pictures published, tone of phrase etc. can all create a biased piece of media; • propaganda – an untrue version of events that does not allow the audience access to alternative viewpoints e.g. Nazi Germany, North Korea etc.; • Marxism – the media operates from a dominant ideological viewpoint and so stories and issues are slanted to benefit the ruling class and maintain the capitalist ‘status quo’ as fair; • feminism – the media is patriarchal – ownership and control is male dominated and media representations often objectify or make women invisible; • GUMG – their research showed how the news was biased in favour of the management – viewers were manipulated to see the management side as ‘fair and right’ and the strikers as ‘unreasonable and wrong’ – agenda setting; • moral panics – sensationalism and exaggeration in the media leads to misrepresentation of some social groups and the creation of a distorted picture of folk devils and scapegoats; • news values – certain topics/themes feature regularly in the news as these are popular with the audience – this biases content and style; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1 – 3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4 – 6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well–developed way or cover several points in less detail. 4(d) Explain why contemporary media is global. 8 Possible answers: • ownership – media conglomerates headed by media moguls are now the norm so media companies are global businesses e.g. Disney; • global village – digital technology has made the world a smaller place and we are now inter–connected on a global level; • citizen journalism – this allows us to see instantly as it happens news and events from around the world; • internet – this has opened up countries to the audience who connect through media output as well as ‘apps’, networks, social media, etc.; • digital platforms – audiences can access media products from all over the world regardless of their own location; • interactivity – the two–way nature of contemporary media has meant that audiences can interact through chat rooms, messaging, forums etc. on a global level – national boundaries are broken down; • smart–phones – these have become normalised in many places in the world now meaning that users are continually inter–connected and able to access global media; • education – online digital learning platforms that use new media technologies have facilitated learning happening at a global level e.g. TEFL courses, University courses etc.; • content – available content for users is no longer determined by where the consumer lives – on–demand and digital technology has meant that we can consume media products from all over the world e.g. Nollywood, Asian network, CNN, BBC etc.; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1 – 3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 [4 – 6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses maybe underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates maybe beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7 – 8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well–developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well–focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent does the media influence the audience’s values and 15 attitudes? Possible answers: Arguments for: • hypodermic syringe model – the media have direct and immediate effects on the passive audience who soak up the output and therefore values and attitudes are influenced; • cultural effects model – the media has long–term and cumulative effects on the audience; repetition of representations and viewpoints will cause the audience to accept them as ‘correct’ and so influence attitudes and views; • GUMG (Glasgow University Media Group) – research showed that the media do shape audience viewpoints when they do not have access to other sources of information e.g. politics, environmental issues, world news etc.; • bias and distortion – if the media is biased and not neutral then the audience will be presented with a one–sided version of events which will affect how they think e.g. propaganda; • news values – the news is selective in the stories and events on which it reports, favouring those with the strongest news values – this will affect audience views and attitudes; • role modelling – celebrities and stars in the media are often looked up to by members of the audience e.g. sports stars, influencers – what they do, think and say is hugely influential and so can change behaviour and attitudes in the audience; • advertising – advertisers spend a lot of money advertising their products across multiple platforms therefore there must be evidence that it influences the audience otherwise why would they continue to spend this money?; • moral panics – these can influence audiences to think in a particular way about crime and deviance, viewing the folk devils as ‘bad’ and having a critical attitude to those scapegoated; • violence – many studies have demonstrated the power of the media to affect attitudes and views to violence e.g. catharsis, desensitisation, imitation etc; • opinion polls – research shows the power of the media to sway voting decisions and views and opinions on politicians and their policies; • any other reasonable response. Arguments against: • uses and gratifications theory – the audience can decide what they are using the media for and what pleasures they want to get out of it, the media doesn’t influence them; • active audiences – audiences are not passive, they decide which media to consume, they can turn off media they disagree with and thus are in control of their own attitudes and views; • citizen journalism – with smart–phone technology audiences are now filming and uploading ‘news’ as it happens meaning the power of the media to influence attitudes and views is lessened e.g. George Floyd murder case; 4(e) • user–generated content – so much new media is created through the audiences themselves that it is hard to see, particularly for the younger generations, how the media as an institution is affecting their views and attitudes; • generalisations – audience members are individuals and whether the media affects their views and attitudes will depend upon the topic, the context and that individual; • reading media texts – Hall/Morley – research shows how not all audience members ‘read’ media texts in the same way, showing that the media’s power to influence attitudes and views is limited e.g. preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings; • globalisation – today’s media is global therefore we are receiving information and output from all over the world which allows audiences to challenge views presented in their country’s media; • instant new media – the internet allows audiences to research themselves about issues and events, meaning they don’t have to rely on the media for that information – they can use social media, blogs, academic journals etc.; • other agencies of socialisation – may have more influence over views and opinions than the media e.g. those involving human contact and relationships such as family, education, peer group, religion and workplace; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1 – 4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one– sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. Band 2 [5 – 8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list–like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two– sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list–like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one–sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. 4(e) Band 3 [9 – 12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well–developed, focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two–sided response but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13 – 15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well–developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two–sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

Question 9

Contemporary media includes both new and traditional media and is an agent of socialisation. The media affects values, behaviour and politi…

Accepted Answer

4(a) What is meant by the term ‘traditional media’? 2 One mark for a partial definition, e.g. newspapers. Two marks for a clear definition, e.g. print and other older media such as radio and film, with little, if any, interactivity. 4(b) Describe two examples of media folk devils. 4 Possible answers: • youth sub-cultures e.g. the mods and the rockers – were represented by the media as causing trouble through acts of violence (Cohen); • knife crime – young males (often ethnic minority) are often portrayed by the media as living gang lifestyles and being a threat to society; • hoodies – the ‘hoody’ became a media symbol for ‘out of control youth’ resulting in the banning of youths wearing hoodies from some public places e.g. Bluewater shopping centre, UK (Fawbert); • bankers – in the credit crunch the ‘greedy’ bankers were portrayed in the media as the folk devils, responsible for international economic collapse and recession; • drug users – Young’s study of drug users showed how they were portrayed negatively as ‘delinquents’ and ‘losers’ and Critcher’s study showed rave culture being portrayed in a similar way; • ethnic minorities, particularly immigrants, may be blamed in the media for taking working class jobs, so creating conflict in society; • any other reasonable response. One mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of two). One mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of two). 4(c) Explain how males are represented in contemporary media. 6 Possible answers: • hegemonic males – physical strength, power, dominance, sexual attractiveness, successful; • breadwinner – provider and protector of the family, head of the household; • meterosexuals – males who embrace masculine qualities whilst also caring about their style, appearance and looks; • New Men – embrace the traditionally feminine roles and tasks e.g. housework, childcare, emotional work, joint conjugal roles, etc.; • sports stars – males are still associated with the sporting world and prowess/skills; • househusbands – these may look after the house and children whilst the female breadwinner is at work or be single parents; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. Responses may be short and un/underdeveloped. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point, but there may be a tendency towards simplistic answers, engaging with sociological ideas without using sociological language. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will have clear and accurate explanation, showing good sociological knowledge and understanding. Sociological terms and concepts should be expected and explained. At the bottom of the band, the range of points covered may be narrow or lack detail. Higher in the band, answers will cover more than one point in a well-developed way or cover several points in less detail. 4(d) Explain why political beliefs might be influenced by the media. 8 Possible answers: • ownership – state owned media typically presents stories in favour of the political party in power and negatively portrays the opposition; • propaganda – the media can be used to spread messages of propaganda, often linked to politics e.g. Hitler’s media manipulation during WW2; • Marxism – the media is said to support the ‘status quo’, representing mainstream politics favourably and more alternative/radical beliefs in a negative way (Glasgow University Media Group) – thus affecting political beliefs; • newspapers – these are typically heavily politically biased in their reporting of stories and representations of politics and so are likely to influence political beliefs of the audience; • opinion polls – media can influence political beliefs through their reporting of opinion polls; despite the small samples involved these are often represented as forecasting political results and so affect voting decisions; • new media – this is global and quickly disseminated, often with ‘from the scene’ uploads/citizen journalism and can therefore be a powerful influence on political beliefs e.g. war/civil unrest footage, BLM, inhumane treatment, etc.; • images – image manipulation and selective editing can portray a particular representation of a political leader and thus influence audience’s political beliefs e.g. the negative images seen of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson in several media outlets; • statistics – the media will typically back up points with statistics which adds weight to the argument and can therefore influence political beliefs; • hypodermic syringe model – this model of media effects sees the audience as passive, soaking up and believing what the media tells them – this could therefore influence political beliefs based on media political content; • cultural effects model – this ‘drip-drip’ theory suggests that if the media routinely and regularly contain a particular political view or narrative then this will become accepted as normal by the audience – thus influencing political beliefs; • any other reasonable response. 4(d) Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–3 marks] Answers in this band will show only a limited awareness of the question. A tendency to description is likely. Responses may be short and undeveloped and points stated without explanation. Sociological terms and concepts are unlikely to be used. At the bottom of the band (1 mark), expect one weak point. Higher in the band (2–3 marks), candidates may offer more than one weak point. Band 2 [4–6 marks] Answers in this band will show basic sociological knowledge and understanding. Responses maybe underdeveloped and lacking in range. At the bottom of the band, candidates are unlikely to use sociological terms and concepts accurately. Higher in the band, candidates maybe beginning to use sociological terms and concepts with greater accuracy. However, some aspects of the answer may only be partially developed/explained. Band 3 [7–8 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding and will be well-developed and explained. Sociological terms and concepts will be used accurately overall. Answers will be well-focused on the question and there will be a range of points presented. At the top of the band explanations will be clear throughout. 4(e) To what extent has new media created a digital divide? 15 Possible answers: Arguments for: • cost – cost of computers and the internet make them less affordable to the lower classes, meaning other classes make more use of new media; • global – poor people and those in developing countries have less access to new media than those in modern industrial societies; • range – those with more money and in certain locations have a greater range of new media products and services which maintains global inequalities; • social capital – those with access to new media are able to improve their social capital (Bourdieu) whereas those without it are not; • education – not all children have access to new media and therefore are disadvantaged when it comes to internet-based tasks/research/software; • usage – older people have not been brought up with new media and so find using it far more difficult than the younger generations of digital natives – this promotes inequalities; • employment – there are increasing inequalities in jobs requiring knowledge and understanding of new media and digital technology – younger people are more likely to acquire these jobs compared to the older ‘digital dinosaurs’; • social media – social media is a large part of new media and in today’s media culture it is central to everyday lives – not having apps or being able to take part in the ‘side hustles’ or know the latest online influencers decreases cultural capital and thus increases inequalities; • digital exclusion – this has intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic, both generationally and for disadvantaged social groups; • any other reasonable response. Arguments against: • training – many universities, colleges and charities provide courses in digital technology and new media for older people; • global initiatives – several of these exist to improve the economic and global digital divide e.g. the One Laptop per Child project aimed at children in developing countries; • government schemes – many governments and/or private companies have provided new media technology to disadvantaged social groups to try and bridge the digital divide; • falling costs – in modern industrial societies new media costs have fallen making new media content and technology increasingly accessible to all; • technology for all – research indicates that new media technology and devices have become the norm for everyone in modern industrial societies, regardless of economic status e.g. homeless youths were nearly all in possession of a smartphone and adept at using the technology on it; • digital fluency – just using new media doesn’t make someone adept at it so many countries are introducing ‘digital educators’ into schools to improve young people’s understanding of the technology – the digital divide may thus be a myth; • research indicates that older users are making good use of social media platforms and ‘Youtube’, suggesting there may not be a digital divide; 4(e) • there is a huge growth being seen in modern industrial societies of older people using digital technology regularly in their lives – the driving force here being communication; • any other reasonable response. Band 0 [0 marks] No creditworthy response. Band 1 [1–4 marks] Answers in this band may be vague and largely based on common sense showing limited knowledge of the debate. Use of sociological terms or concepts is very unlikely. Responses may be short, undeveloped and one- sided. Lower in the band (1–2 marks), expect one or two weak points. Higher in the band (3–4 marks) candidates may offer more than two points and provide a weak definition of key terms in the question. Band 2 [5–8 marks] In this band candidates will show some basic knowledge of the debate. Alternatively, they may offer an answer which is list-like in nature but there will be no real attempt to assess the issues raised by the question. There may be limited/some use of sociological terms or concepts. Responses may be underdeveloped and lack range. Answers may be simplistic and two- sided or only cover one side of the debate. Lower in the band, the response may be rather narrow in the points covered and there may be some development. Higher in the band, more points are likely to be covered with some development. Alternatively, a list-like answer with some development covering both sides of the argument may score up to 8 marks. A one-sided answer cannot score higher than 8 marks. Band 3 [9–12 marks] Answers in this band will show good sociological knowledge and understanding of the debate. Sociological terms and concepts will be used with greater accuracy and/or frequency. For the most part, answers will be well-developed, focused on the questions and there will be a range of points presented. There will be a two-sided response but it may lack range on one side. At the bottom of the band, candidates may provide a narrower range of developed points. At the top of the band, expect a wider range of developed points and clear focus on the question. Band 4 [13–15 marks] Answers in this band will show excellent knowledge and understanding of the debate. There will be a strong grasp of the arguments as well as accurate and frequent use of sociological terms and concepts. Answers will be well- developed, clearly focused on the question and discuss a wide range of points. Responses will be two-sided and have a range of points on each side. At the bottom of the band (13 marks), the answer may lack a specific conclusion. Higher in the band, there will be a clear attempt to offer an assessment of the ‘To what extent.?’ part of the question through a focused conclusion.

Question 10

(a) Define the term: (i) value consensus [2] (ii) co-educational school. [2] (b) Give two examples of what students learn from the hidden c…

Accepted Answer

2(a)(i) Define the term value consensus. 2 Award one mark for a partial definition, e.g. agreement. Award two marks for a clear definition, e.g. widespread, general agreement on the things that are important. 2(a)(ii) Define the term co-educational school. 2 Award one mark for a partial definition, e.g. schools for everyone. Award two marks for a clear definition, e.g. schools that accept both male and female learners. 2(b) Give two examples of what students learn from the hidden curriculum. 2 Award one mark for each correct example (up to a maximum of two). Possible responses: • roles (e.g. gender roles); • deference to authority; • hierarchies; • norms and values; • social expectations; • social conformity; • competition; • importance of punctuality; • sense of belonging; • passivity; • stereotypes; • preparation for the workplace; • any other reasonable response. 2(c) Describe three ways education can cause gender inequalities. 6 Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of three). Award one mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of three). Possible responses: • patriarchal culture of education – feminists believe assumptions about masculinity and femininity are built into the education system meaning that boys are prioritised, e.g. the higher status given to boys’ sport than girls’ which maintains gender inequalities; • gender hierarchy and role models – everything about schools reinforces male power. Often head teachers and senior staff are males (despite females dominating the profession) so they hold and are seen to hold more power. These gendered role models are seen by pupils and hence maintain expectations and gender inequalities; • access to education – globally girls are less likely to attend school than boys as males are more highly valued and seen as future breadwinners in many cultures. This maintains gender inequalities in society; • gendered curriculum – feminists say the school curriculum offers a male- centred view of the world e.g. through the male authors studied in literature to images in textbooks of boys doing more interesting and active things to the focus on male achievement and experiences in history – this all helps to maintain gender inequalities; • subject choice – some subjects are still only for girls (e.g. needlework) or only for boys (e.g. woodwork) and even in countries where this isn't the case, boys and girls still choose different subjects which affect life chances; • peer groups – peer groups can influence attitudes towards education and the peer group may apply pressure to conform to gender expectations e.g. arranged marriages in some cultures – this can help to maintain gender inequalities; • teacher expectations – these do vary culturally but teachers tend to have lower expectations of girls and are less likely to encourage them to study hard and aim for university as their future role may be seen as marriage and motherhood. Expectations for behaviour may also be different with boys being less sanctioned for shouting out and dominating classroom time – this all reflects wider societal expectations of gender and so maintains inequalities; • any other reasonable response. 2(d) Explain three reasons why education is not meritocratic for working 6 class children. Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of three). Award one mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of three). Possible responses: • type of school – private schools (unaffordable to the working class) get better educational results than state schools and also offer their students better opportunities in terms of social networking, access to elite universities etc.; • setting and streaming – research indicates that teachers do not set the same standards of behaviour or levels of homework for the lower sets that they do for the higher sets, this limits the chances of educational success for those students in the lower sets and streams (often working class) and so is not fair; • IQ testing/selection – selection by testing has a middle class advantage; questions are often inherently class or culture biased and the higher classes can afford to hire tutors to coach their children to pass the exams, the working class cannot; • teacher expectations – these are often based on stereotypes e.g. that the working class are less bothered about doing well etc. and thus can affect how teachers treat such working class students, which is not meritocratic; • labelling theory – Becker‘s ideal pupil – certain characteristics are perceived by teachers to indicate a good or a bad student (working class characteristics are associated with being naughty/uninterested in education/aspiring to manual jobs etc.) and this can affect how the working class children are treated within schools, perhaps resulting in the self-fulfilling prophecy or, for the middle class, the halo effect; • Marxism – myth of meritocracy – schools simply reproduce existing inequalities meaning that success depends more on being higher class than it does on your skills and talents; • life chances – regardless of educational achievement it seems that social factors e.g. Bourdieu and social capital, are still influential in determining the employment a person enters after school and therefore their salary and status. This means that schools will advantage middle class students more than working class; • material factors – having money can still be influential in determining educational success as parents can buy educational resources, revision resources, hire a private tutor, purchase ICT etc. that a poorer, working class family cannot afford; • cultural factors – Bourdieu – the higher classes are advantaged at school because schools are founded on middle class values and culture. Cultural capital and the elaborated code give higher classes an advantage and disadvantage the working class students; • hidden curriculum – Marxism – schools teach the working class to be docile and obedient, this ensures they continue the cycle of working for the bourgeoisie without complaint – this is clearly not fair; • any other reasonable response. 2(e) Discuss why educational achievement differs globally. 8 Use Table A to mark answers to this question. Possible responses: • availability of schools – schools are not readily available in all countries e.g. in Africa there are not enough schools for the child population meaning children in rural and remote communities will find it hard to travel to school and therefore may not attend or attend irregularly so impacting educational achievement; • teachers – some countries lack qualified teachers and therefore it is not possible for all children to be educated. With a global crisis in teacher recruitment and retention this is likely to only get worse and the disparity of experience will therefore increase; • poverty/wealth across the globe – many children will not go to school or will leave school early because their families are poor and the children are needed to work to help support them. Even when schooling is free, the hidden costs of education act as a barrier. Whereas wealthy families can buy the education they want for their children and so give them an advantage; • access to education for girls – in some developing countries, boys are more likely to go to school than girls because society sees males as the future breadwinner and females as housewives and mothers. For a family with a limited income, it is therefore not seen as important to educate girls so they will not achieve like boys will; • variations in class sizes – smaller class sizes typically lead to greater educational achievement as it is hard for teachers to personalise learning or deal with individual needs in large classes. In some African classrooms, for example, there may be up to 70 learners, compared to single figure class sizes in some private/international schools; • norms and values – going to school and the value of educational achievement is a recent norm and so has not been firmly established in all areas of the world. If parents or communities don’t value or have experience of education then it is unlikely that it will be highly valued by the student either; • access to the internet – schools globally vary in their access to digital resources and this can affect educational experiences and achievement, e.g. being unable to develop ICT skills, lack of access to digital tutors and revision; • any other reasonable response. 2(f) Evaluate the view that homeschooling is the best approach to 14 education. Use Table B to mark answers to this question. Possible responses for: • protection – from bullying and/or peer pressure – these can cause great distress to children if not dealt with effectively by schools. Some parents remove their children into the homeschooling system to protect them from this; • access to schools – children living in remote areas may find getting to a school very difficult and therefore being homeschooled gives them greater opportunities to receive an education; • parents who travel – constant changing from one school to another can be unsettling for a child and therefore parents who travel a lot (potentially for work) may choose to homeschool their children instead to offer greater stability; • illness or disability – such factors can make schools very difficult places for children to be and high rates of absence can disrupt their learning. Homeschooling is a viable alternative to protect against this for such children; • dissatisfaction with the school system – it may be that parents do not want their children to be exposed to certain views or topics that are covered in the school system and therefore to protect them from this they choose to homeschool instead; • school curriculum – many parents find the school curriculum impersonal and inflexible and do not believe it meets the needs of their child. Therefore they opt for homeschooling as an alternative that has more freedom and options; • online possibilities – homeschooling is now inextricably linked with online learning and this allows for greater potential than ever before for a specialist, qualified and diverse educational program at home e.g. The OU or MOOC‘s; • greater control – parents can have more control in homeschooling than they can in school based learning over their child’s curriculum, hours spent learning, subjects and topics of choice, learning pedagogies etc. They can choose to do the teaching themselves or to hire specialist private tutors for their children; • poor teaching in schools – in schools where teaching is not good and poor discipline is rife; parents may choose homeschooling as they believe the quality of the education provided will be better; • unschooling – a form of homeschooling where children can learn at their own pace and in their own time with a focus on how to learn effectively rather than learning specific prescribed knowledge like in schools. This more flexible approach better meets the needs of the child and reduces the pressure put upon them; • any other reasonable response. 2(f) Possible responses against: • functionalism – schools are necessary for the functions of socialisation and social control, homeschooling cannot meet this need as well as schools can; • social conformity – schools are necessary to ensure children learn the need to obey authority, preparing them for the workplace (Bowles and Gintis, correspondence theory – Marxism); • social skills – schools develop and nurture particular social skills such as communication and teamwork in children which are vital for success in the wider world – economic function; • tolerance and acceptance of difference – schools are typically a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, different social classes, different sexualities and disabilities – going to school therefore makes children more accepting and tolerant of difference which is essential for multi-cultural modern-day living – they wouldn’t get this through homeschooling; • specialist teaching – teachers are trained professionals, specialists in their field and experts in assessment – children who do not go to school miss out on this expertise and thus may not do as well academically; • facilities and resources – schools receive funding to ensure that children have access to facilities and resources, regardless of their socio- economic background e.g. ICT, software, sports, science labs etc. Homeschooled children miss out on these; • extra-curricular opportunities – school based learning does not just happen in the classroom. Schools have a diverse range of clubs and trips on offer that broaden the horizons of pupils e.g. foreign language trips, cultural visits, competitive sports, arts and crafts, performing arts etc.; • diversity of schools – schools are not ‘one size fits all’. There are many different types of schools available to parents to choose from to ensure their child’s needs are catered for. Homeschooling is therefore not necessary; • role allocation – schools sift and sort pupils through testing and setting to ensure that the best people enter the best jobs. Homeschooling cannot be part of this process and therefore does not work, according to functionalists; • vocational learning – this cannot be accessed at home as it involves the learning of practical skills linked to the employment market in colleges and in workplaces. Many believe this caters the best for non-academic learners; • progressive schooling – schooling doesn’t have to be traditional e.g. Summerhill. progressive schools reject the traditional features of going to school and replace them with flexibility, decision making, lack of hierarchy, critical thinking skills, learning through doing. This may well be better than homeschooling for children in terms of ensuring they are ready for the wider world, developing social skills and encouraging teamwork and cooperation; • any other reasonable response

Question 11

(a) Define the term: (i) police targeting [2] (ii) retribution. [2] (b) State two agencies of formal social control. [2] (c) Describe three…

Accepted Answer

3(a)(i) Define the term police targeting. 2 Award one mark for a partial definition, e.g. stop and search. Award two marks for a clear definition, e.g. when the police focus on a particular group of people, believing that they are more likely to be involved in criminal behaviour than others. 3(a)(ii) Define the term retribution. 2 Award one mark for a partial definition, e.g. taking revenge. Award two marks for a clear definition, e.g. punishments intended as a means of revenge for wrong doing. 3(b) Give two agencies of formal social control. 2 Award one mark for each correct agency (up to a maximum of two). Possible responses: • police; • courts/judiciary/judge/magistrate; • armed forces; • government; • penal system/prison; • any other reasonable response. 3(c) Describe three examples of global crime. 6 Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of three). Award one mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of three). Possible responses: • illegal trade by international criminal organisations – drugs and weapon dealing; • people trafficking – the moving and selling of people from low-income countries to wealthier countries for asylum or for work; • sex trafficking – the moving and selling of people, usually females, from low-income countries to wealthier ones for sex work; • selling body organs – the global transportation of human body parts from low-income countries to wealthier ones; • global financial crime – money earned illegally is laundered through legitimate businesses and banks, erasing all traces of the original criminality as the money is moved and ‘cleaned’; • organised global gangs – widespread criminal involvement in organised violent crime from groups such as the Mafia in Italy, the Triads of Hong Kong and the Yakuza of Japan; • animal trafficking – the global trade in protected species of animals and their body parts, e.g. elephant tusks; • green crime – for example deforestation and illegal logging by Western companies in the Amazon rainforest for financial gain and profit; • cybercrime – new technologies and the internet allow digital crime to be committed on a global scale, for example drug trafficking, the dark web, internet scams, hacking, cyberterrorism, cyberbullying etc.; • terrorism – acts of terror typically impact globally, e.g. Neo-Nazi global groups, ISIS global groups etc.; • any other reasonable response. 3(d) Explain three limitations of the Marxist view of crime. 6 Award one mark for each point correctly identified (up to a maximum of three). Award one mark for each point that is developed (up to a maximum of three). Possible responses: • laws – some laws are clearly in everyone’s interest, not just the ruling class, e.g. murder, theft etc., which contradicts the Marxists view that laws act in the interests of the ruling class; • capitalism – Marxists see this system as criminogenic but crime still exists in non-capitalist societies as well as some capitalist societies, such as Switzerland, having very low levels of crime; • social class – Marxists say that it is social class inequalities that cause crime, however this ignores equally important social factors such as age, gender and ethnicity as well as the intersection of these social factors as causes for crime; • reality of crime – the Marxist view portrays the working class as victims of their circumstances but this has been criticised for ignoring the reality of crimes committed by working class offenders and the harm caused by them to victims. Left Realists such as Young discuss the real problem of working class crime; • selective law enforcement – increasingly white-collar and corporate crimes are being prosecuted and lengthy sentences handed out, challenging the Marxist view; • feminism – too much emphasis on social class meaning that issues involving gender are ignored; • any other reasonable response. 3(e) Discuss the view that punishment reduces crime. 8 Use Table A to mark answers to this question. Possible responses: • deterrence – putting people off committing crime and stopping offenders from re-offending is a key aim of punishment; this is done through making them aware of the consequences of crime e.g. loss of freedom, through harsh sentencing etc.; • retribution – making the punishment fit the crime and so executing justice is a key aim for punishment; this makes the offender suffer for what they have done, e.g. ‘an eye for an eye’ and the fear of this kind of punishment will reduce offending and so reduce crime; • incapacitation – preventing the offender from committing more crimes is a key aim of punishment, e.g. imprisonment, banning them from an area, giving them a curfew etc. The death penalty is the most extreme form of incapacitation. All of these measures will reduce crime; • rehabilitation – aims to prevent the offender from committing further crimes by changing their attitudes and behaviour e.g. opportunities for education, training and counselling inside prisons that make employment more likely on release. This will result in long-term reductions in crime; • restorative justice – a form of rehabilitation that involves meetings between the offender and their victim so the offender can be made aware of the impact of their crime on the victim. This has proven successful in reducing reoffending rates as the offender realises the consequences of their actions and so does not reoffend (this reduces crime); • protection of citizens – making society safer and thus protecting citizens from harm is a key aim for any punishment. Increasing surveillance, e.g. CCTV or digital tracking, protects citizens and makes it harder to get away with the crime. This reduces the likelihood of crime occurring in these areas/to these individuals; • informal methods – all informal agencies of social control operate under the understanding that by using negative sanctions bad behaviour will decrease. So, for example, being shunned by the family or peer group due to one’s criminality is an unpleasant thought and is therefore likely to reduce crime from occurring; • any other reasonable response. 3(f) Evaluate the view that victim surveys are the best way to measure 14 crime. Use Table B to mark answers to this question. Possible responses for: • unreported crime – they show crimes that have not been reported to or recorded by the police, so revealing more of the dark figure of crime; • trends – they can reveal more accurate patterns and trends in crime and victimisation than the official crime statistics; • accurate picture – because victims are unlikely to have a vested interest in talking about crime, they are likely to show the most accurate picture of crime available to sociologists; • up to date and regular – victim surveys ask people about the crimes they have been a victim of in the past year thus the picture provided is up to date and regularly revisited, allowing for changes to be seen; • national – some victim surveys are large-scale and carried out at a national level, e.g. the CSEW, this allows for a full picture of crime to be created that is representative of a country and so can be generalised from; • local – some victim surveys are carried out at a local level e.g. Islington Survey, this allows an in-depth picture of crime in a local area to be discovered and local concerns can then be addressed through crime prevention strategies; • misconceptions – another strength of victim surveys is that they can reveal misconceptions about crime, often created through sensationalist media reporting, e.g. Lahore 2017 – this victim survey revealed that despite residents’ fears over crime in their city, they were actually less likely to be victims of crime than people living in other comparable global cities; • feminist – sexual crimes and domestic abuse can be the focus of victim surveys and can reveal the extent of crime against women and children, a notoriously under-reported and recorded area of crime; • any other reasonable response. Possible responses against: • lack of validity – some crimes, e.g. sexual crimes, may still be under- reported in victim surveys due to feelings of shame and embarrassment therefore the picture is still not accurate; • lie/exaggerate – there is no way of checking the validity of what respondents say in a victim survey as it is not based on official records therefore the picture created may be very invalid; • memory – victim surveys rely on what a respondent can remember about the last year and therefore are often inaccurate due to forgetting when a crime occurred/miscalculating/over-estimating etc.; • victimless crimes – victim surveys cannot uncover information about victimless crimes, e.g. drug use, therefore there are gaps in the data; • children – victim surveys often do not include those under the age of 16 in their findings therefore crimes against children (a vulnerable group) are frequently not included which leaves a big gap in the data; 3(f) • awareness of crime – not everyone is aware that they have been a victim of crime and therefore they will not report this crime in their responses, e.g. victims of fraud, hacking, identity theft etc. are often unaware that they have been a victim; • local/feminist surveys – these often use a small sample in a local area and therefore cannot claim to be as representative as the official crime statistics. This means they cannot be generalised from; • any other reasonable response.

Question	Answer	Marks	From
1	see sheet	35	0495/22 Oct/Nov 2017
2	see sheet	35	0495/21 May/June 2018
3	see sheet	35	0495/23 May/June 2018
4	see sheet	35	0495/22 Oct/Nov 2020
5	see sheet	35	0495/22 May/June 2021
6	see sheet	35	0495/21 Oct/Nov 2021
7	see sheet	35	0495/21 May/June 2022
8	see sheet	35	0495/22 May/June 2023
9	see sheet	35	0495/22 Oct/Nov 2023
10	see sheet	40	0495/22 May/June 2025
11	see sheet	40	0495/23 May/June 2025

How has globalisation affected inequalities between societies? — Paper 2 · IGCSE Sociology 0495

Questions4 pages

Mark scheme11 answers

Another paper, or another topic

Questions as text

Q1 · Today’s media are increasingly difficult to control 0495/22 Oct/Nov 2017

Q2 · How the audience use the media has changed a great deal over time and many sociologists… 0495/21 May/June 2018

Q3 · Changes in the media are a good example of globalisation, allowing the audience choice… 0495/23 May/June 2018

Q4 · Some members of the public and regulatory bodies argue that media content needs to be… 0495/22 Oct/Nov 2020

Q5 · Some sociologists argue that globalisation has improved equality in the media 0495/22 May/June 2021

Q6 · Public funding is one of the ways the media is funded 0495/21 Oct/Nov 2021

Q7 · Contemporary media can be divided into traditional and new media 0495/21 May/June 2022

Q8 · Contemporary media is no longer national or local, it is a global institution often using… 0495/22 May/June 2023

Q9 · Contemporary media includes both new and traditional media and is an agent of… 0495/22 Oct/Nov 2023

Q10 · Define the term: (i) value consensus [2] (ii) co-educational school 0495/22 May/June 2025

Q11 · Define the term: (i) police targeting [2] (ii) retribution 0495/23 May/June 2025