The Student Room Group

AS Sociology Unit 1: Families & Households 17th May 2012

Scroll to see replies

I'm annoyed slightly, I completely forgot to refer the last Q to the item :| Because of I spent at least 30 minutes doing my 1st essay, and had a quick read through the item, however I didn't have time to mention points from there, would this effect my overall grade ALOT???? Thanksss
Reply 201
For the first 24 mark question on Changes in childhood over the past 50 years I only mentioned Postman and Aries (to compare childhood in industrial Britain to now) for sociological views :s-smilie: Which other sociologists talk about children?
Reply 202
1) I talked about how some familes are more likely headed by women
(50% of lone parent afro-caribbean families)

2. Mentioned impact of feminism, opting for different family types (not sure if it was right)
Then mentioned expense of marriage in society today (average wedding costs £15,000 + )

3. 1) Increased expenses invested in public services (transport - buses) etc might be a trend
2) Increased retirement age, people living longer.. proffessional jobs)
3) Support from family may be needed financial/economic linked to a trend of a rise in extended families
(not sure if this is right :/)

4. For the childhood essay, talked about how childhood is a relatively new concept, used aries to show how responsibilities in the past burdened children resulting in their experiences not to be as fulfilling.
criticised the extent of this using polluck.

then talked about how legal, economic, social, Lower IMR etc has led to the position of children becomming more values/ protected -> linked to Pilcher and (children as a seperate stage of life) their experiences are more valued etc.

Then mentioned how children's experiences varies depending on culture. (1/3 of children absolute poverty)

then talked about toxic childhood and palmer (underage pregnancies) linked to experiences being the same as adulthood. then linked this to postman and how it could be said to be dissappearing


5) Didn't have much time to do this :/

-Mentioned Raporports increased diversity through things such as multicultuarlism/legal/economic/social attititudes... only 25 % nuclear.

Then talked about chester, using infortmation from item. Mentioned how this is seen as 'test stage for marriage' supported with coast (75% eventually marry) etc.

However criticised with impact of feminism.

Then mentioned murray and lone-parents, critcised. not adequate for socialisation, increased welfare state

criticised again with feminism.


then concluded with post-modernism


Can anyone tell me if i did alright? :/
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 203
I restricted myself from talking about aries because it said in the last 50 years :'( feeling worried now ahhh
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 204
Original post by TooMuchG
I restricted myself from talking about aries because it said in the last 50 years :'( feeling worried now ahhh


I was aswell lol, but i i said 'when discussing the experiences of childhood, pre-industrial society must be discussed' then brought him in that way :smile:

aslong as you gave 2 different views on childhood, you'll be fine :smile:
Original post by titch_04
Had no idea what the first question was so I know I lost two marks... really worried that I didn't evaluate enough but was really happy with the childhood question. The other one, not so much :s-smilie:


My teacher said the first question is not something that is listed on the specification or in any one the text books. Naughty AQA!
Reply 206
Original post by TooMuchG
I restricted myself from talking about aries because it said in the last 50 years :'( feeling worried now ahhh


I didn't mention aries neither, I faintly mentioned march of progress, laws on child abuse etc and then tv and print culture, toxic childhood, age patriarchy etc
Reply 207
Original post by Alex3r3
I was aswell lol, but i i said 'when discussing the experiences of childhood, pre-industrial society must be discussed' then brought him in that way :smile:

aslong as you gave 2 different views on childhood, you'll be fine :smile:



Thanks bro, yeah i first talked about the march of progress and the view, how the position of children improving etc, more valued, protection etc and child centredness, then i spoke of "but could childhood be disappearing" from postman talked about growth of tv, children exposed to adult life etc, then brought in brooks criticisms about evidence showing adults have more control over children, obsessed with child safety literally what they eat who they speak to how they act then spoke of sue palmer and toxic childhood rapid technology and so on.. conflict views from feminist and marxist, then finished off with a conclusion talking about gender and ethnic differences saying not all children will share the same type of childhood asian parents likely to be more strict etc males likely to be given more freedom!

don't feel too comfortable but ahh well
Reply 208
for the childhood question will any marks be awarded for aries? I miss read and did a large paragraph on him, however I did write about postman and nick lee ect :smile:
Reply 209
YAY I predicted right :smile:
Reply 210
Original post by MattMaas
for the childhood question will any marks be awarded for aries? I miss read and did a large paragraph on him, however I did write about postman and nick lee ect :smile:


If you could relate to the exam, i dont see why not.
Original post by MattMaas
for the childhood question will any marks be awarded for aries? I miss read and did a large paragraph on him, however I did write about postman and nick lee ect :smile:


I not sure that would get much marks as it did say in the past 50 years and he discusses well before that, sorry but you might get a few marks for that paragraph but as long as your others are okay and included names and good detail you should be okay. Hope that helped :smile:
Reply 212
cheers! :smile: hope so!

we wasn't taught the first question, so had a guess at 'a marriage oriented family', so that's 2 marks down, one of my aging population answers was a bit iffy, and i also made the Aries mistake. Needless to say, I came out thinking crap!! Hope iv got enough marks for the A >.<.
Reply 213
okay, for question 5, I just wrote about different kinds of family diversity such as same-sex couples, cohabitation, singe parent... and how the had caused the decline in nuclear families but everyone else I spoke to wrote about the different sociological perspectives and what they though about the decline in nuclear family. Does this mean I have answered the question completely wrong?:confused:
Do not feel good about this exam at all..:frown::frown:
Reply 215
I literally, almost sat there, and said out-loud to the exam room. What The F*** is Matrifocal?

I was like Great. Well done AQA. :-/

I hope they give marks for intellectual guesses, LOL
Reply 216
i hope the grade boundaries are similar to jan 12, it was 38 for an A
Reply 217
Q1 Explain the term Matrifocal

Didn't know this at all so I took a (wrong) guess and said it was a marriage focused family basically like a cohabtiing couple that had every intention of eventually marrying but are delaying for several reasons such as expense (LOL.. facepalm)

Q2 Give two reasons for the decline in first marriages

I wrote about secularisation
ANd also more educational opps for women = gaining qualifications first and marriage is simply delayed (NOT the same as perusing career imo)

Q3 Effects of an ageing population

Government has to pay out more pensions

The imbalance of young people working and older people not = not enough people paying into NI (I think these points were kinda the same :/)

Positive effect is that they can carry on working longer these days

Q4 childhood experiences

I wrote about Aries and childhood as a social construct that they are now more protected and education for them instead of working in mines etc etc
Sue palmer toxic childhood, Neil postman death of childhood and Melanie Phillips. I also wrote about other cultures how they experience different childhoods to british culture and I can't remember what else but I wrote 2 and a bit pages

Q5 New right about family decline

I wrote about New right and the golden age and patricia morgan, charles murray, beck and beck gernsheim etc etc

I felt the essay questions were good but really kinda rritated about AQA and it's matrifocal
Reply 218
Original post by akemikat
Q1 Explain the term Matrifocal

Didn't know this at all so I took a (wrong) guess and said it was a marriage focused family basically like a cohabtiing couple that had every intention of eventually marrying but are delaying for several reasons such as expense (LOL.. facepalm)

Q2 Give two reasons for the decline in first marriages

I wrote about secularisation
ANd also more educational opps for women = gaining qualifications first and marriage is simply delayed (NOT the same as perusing career imo)

Q3 Effects of an ageing population

Government has to pay out more pensions

The imbalance of young people working and older people not = not enough people paying into NI (I think these points were kinda the same :/)

Positive effect is that they can carry on working longer these days

Q4 childhood experiences

I wrote about Aries and childhood as a social construct that they are now more protected and education for them instead of working in mines etc etc
Sue palmer toxic childhood, Neil postman death of childhood and Melanie Phillips. I also wrote about other cultures how they experience different childhoods to british culture and I can't remember what else but I wrote 2 and a bit pages

Q5 New right about family decline

I wrote about New right and the golden age and patricia morgan, charles murray, beck and beck gernsheim etc etc

I felt the essay questions were good but really kinda rritated about AQA and it's matrifocal

Same q1 answer too me, slightly worried about Aries though as it said in the last 50 years >.<
Depends on the grade boundaries, in january it was 38/60 for an A but that paper was particularly hard although tbh this paper wasn't at all nice so I would predict around 40-42/60 for an A

Quick Reply

Latest