Introduction to AS

Sociology

Mrs Fairgrieve

To Start: The Lifeboat Game

A passenger liner is wrecked at sea and

15 people find themselves together in a

lifeboat.

The lifeboat, however, can only support

9 people.

If six are not eliminated everyone will

die. If you were in command of the

lifeboat, whom would you choose to

survive?

Discuss in pairs and be prepared to

justify your answers.

3 Minutes

AS Sociology Taster 2016

So why did I ask you to do that?

Because groups of people are the

foundations of society, and sociology is all

about the study of society…..

But what is a

society??

If you were going to create the perfect society…. What would it look like? Consider

the questions…

What is Society made up of?

Social

institutions

Societ

y

The

family

The

educatio

n

system

The

econom

y

The

political

system

Religiou

s

instructio

n

(agencies)

Society can be seen as the

sum of its social

institutions which all

interlink and work

together.

Families & Households

Unit 1 – 40% Unit 2 – 60%

Education

Research Methods

In AS Sociology or A2 (Year 1) we study two of these

institutions….

AQA Specification

Today…. We’re going to take a brief look at one aspect

of the family topic….

Divorce

Lesson Objectives

Divorce

UNDERSTAND

To describe patterns and trends in divorce

rates.

APPLY

To suggest reasons for patterns and trends

in divorce rates.

ANALYSE

To compare and contrast reasons for

patterns and trends in divorce rates across

time.

EVALUATE

To assess the relative strengths and

weaknesses for reasons behind trends and

patterns in divorce.

In Groups…

Divorce

Brainstorm as many different

reasons you can think of for why

couples get Divorced….

Understand: Trend?

Divorce in England and Wales.

1857: Approx 200 - 300

1921: 3,000

1941: 7,500

1947: 47,000

1951: 29,000

1970: 58,000

1989: 151,000

1997: 164,000

What’s the pattern and

trend?

Apply: But why has divorce increased?

Divorce in England and Wales.

1857: Approx 200 - 300

1921: 3,000

1941: 7,500

1947: 47,000

1951: 29,000

1970: 58,000

1989: 151,000

1997: 164,000

Can you use any of your

reasons to explain any of

these divorce rates?

Try to suggest some more

reasons now…

Analyse: So what’s changed?

Divorce in England and Wales.

1857: Approx 200 - 300

1921: 3,000

1941: 7,500

1947: 47,000

1951: 29,000

1970: 58,000

1989: 151,000

1997: 164,000

What changes have

occurred in society at each

of these points to cause

the rise in divorce?

Sociological Reasons

Sociologists argue that the main

reasons for the rise in divorce are

as follows:

1) Changes in the Law

2) Changes in the role of Women

3) Rising expectations of Marriage

4) Secularisation – break down of

religion

5) Changing attitudes

6) Reduced functions of the family

7) Increased life expectancy

Apply:

How many of these did you get?

How might the ones you didn’t

get explain the rise in divorce?

Analyse:

Which do you think is the most

influential reason for the rise in

divorce rate? Why?

Evaluate:

Can you suggest any strengths

and weaknesses of these

explanations for the rise in

divorce rate? How true are

they?

Your Summer assignment

• Research an area of Sociology (popular areas include

Crime and Deviance, Education, Families and

Households, politics, religion)

• Produce an essay based on your subject of choice.

• It should contain at least two pieces of sociological

evidence.

• It should be an evaluative piece.

• It should be approximately two sides of an A4 page.