Mini-Lesson

Sociology basics: key concepts & processes

This mini-lesson covers the foundation concepts of GCSE Sociology: culture, norms, values and roles; socialisation; identity; and the main perspectives — functionalism, Marxism, feminism and interactionism.

Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Some questions are multiple-choice, some are sort-and-match games, and a few use simple research-methods maths (percentages and sample figures). Press Start when you're ready.

Basics · culture

Culture, norms, values & roles

Sociologists study how society shapes us.

Culture — a society's whole way of life.
Norms — specific rules of behaviour (e.g. queuing).
Values — shared beliefs about what is important (e.g. honesty).
Roles — patterns of behaviour expected of a status (e.g. 'teacher').

Spec note (please read): Pearson/Edexcel does not currently offer a GCSE Sociology qualification, and the code 1SC0 is Edexcel Combined Science, not Sociology. This lesson therefore teaches mainstream GCSE Sociology content (valid across boards) rather than a fabricated Edexcel spec. Check your own board's specification for exact wording.

Quick check

Key term

?Shared beliefs about what is important and worthwhile in a society are called…

Basics · socialisation

Socialisation & identity

Primary socialisation — early learning in the family.
Secondary socialisation — education, peers, media, religion, workplace.
Identity — our sense of who we are (shaped by gender, class, ethnicity, age).
Nature vs nurture — sociologists stress nurture (learned behaviour).

Sort it

Sort the agent of socialisation

Tap an agent, then whether it is primary or secondary (or can be seen as both).

🔁 Can be either

👶 Primary

🏫 Secondary

Quick check

Socialisation

?Learning norms and values from teachers, friends and the media is an example of…

Basics · perspectives

The main perspectives

Functionalism (consensus) — society works together via a value consensus (Durkheim, Parsons).
Marxism (conflict) — class conflict between owners and workers (Marx).
Feminism (conflict) — society is patriarchal; strands: liberal, Marxist, radical.
Interactionism — bottom-up focus on meanings and labelling.

Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 200 students, 64 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.

%

Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (64 ÷ 200) × 100.

Calculate

Your turn — percentage change

✎An attitudes index rose from 50 to 70 over ten years. Calculate the percentage increase. Give a whole number.

%

Hint: % change = (change ÷ start) × 100 = ((70 − 50) ÷ 50) × 100.

Match it

Match the perspective to its idea

Tap a perspective, then its core idea.

Statement

Answer

Calculate

Your turn — response rate

✎A researcher posts 500 questionnaires and 315 are completed and returned. Calculate the response rate as a percentage. Give a whole number.

%

Hint: response rate = (returned ÷ sent) × 100 = (315 ÷ 500) × 100.

Basics · structure vs action

Structure vs action

Structural (top-down) theories — functionalism, Marxism, feminism — argue society shapes us. Action (bottom-up) theories — interactionism — argue we shape society through interaction and meanings.

Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 250 respondents who agreed, 175 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.

%

Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (175 ÷ 250) × 100.

Quick check

Perspective

?Which perspective is a 'bottom-up' approach focusing on meanings and labelling?

Calculate

Your turn — sample size

✎A sampling frame lists 600 people. The researcher takes a one-in-four (1/4) sample. How many people are in the sample?

people

Hint: sample = 600 × 0.25.

Quick check

Nature vs nurture

?'Feral child' cases are used by sociologists to argue that human behaviour is mainly…

Recap

Sociology basics — the big ideas

Concepts: culture, norms, values, roles

Socialisation: primary (family) + secondary (school, peers, media)

Perspectives: functionalism · Marxism · feminism · interactionism

Debate: structure (top-down) vs action (bottom-up); nurture over nature

You've covered the key concepts and processes of sociology. Press Finish.

🏆

Mini-lesson complete!

⭐⭐⭐

You've worked through Sociology Basics for GCSE Sociology (Edexcel-style). 🎉

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