AQA GCSE Sociology key terms

A preconceived judgement or attitude towards people based on their membership of a group rather than an assessment of them as individuals.

A group that seeks to influence government policy or public opinion on an issue.

The proportion of a population who experienced something, such as being a victim of crime, during a specified period.

Data collected first-hand by a researcher for their investigation.

The early learning of norms and values, mainly within the family.

The head of the UK government, who selects government ministers.

The theory that patterns of behaviour found at the top of the social stratification system will later spread downwards to other social classes.

The part of the criminal justice system that detains offenders in secure institutions.

Male domination based primarily in the household, involving direct control of women by fathers or husbands.

The transfer of government-owned assets into private ownership.

Social relationships centred on the home, combined with an attitude that work and cooperation with workmates are mainly means of improving personal wages, conditions and living standards.

A nuclear family separated from its extended relatives, whose life centres on its own home.

A sampling approach in which each member of the sampling frame has a known chance of selection.

The part of the criminal justice system responsible for supervising offenders returning to the community after prison.

The idea that some white-collar workers, such as clerical staff, move down into the working class as their work becomes less skilled and more routine.

In Marx’s theory, the working class that does not own the means of production and must sell its labour to earn a living.

Information used to promote a particular view or cause, often through false or biased messages.

An electoral system in which seats are allocated in proportion to the votes received.

An examination set by a central examination board, such as a GCSE examination.

Male domination operating through public institutions and employment: women can participate, but on unequal terms.

In Britain, a type of independent, fee-paying school, traditionally including long-established schools such as Eton and Harrow.

Selecting participants because they have a particular characteristic or experience relevant to the research aim.

Information expressed through words, images or other descriptive material rather than numbers.

A research approach that collects detailed accounts or descriptions to understand people’s meanings, experiences and behaviour.

Newspapers offering more serious coverage of topics such as world news, economics and business.

Information expressed in numerical form.

A research approach that collects numerical information to measure patterns and compare people or groups.