AQA GCSE Sociology key terms

Movement between social positions, such as movement from a working-class to a middle-class occupation.

An approach which explains disability through barriers in society, such as inaccessible buildings, unsuitable communication and discriminatory attitudes, rather than treating impairment alone as the cause of disadvantage.

Relationships and connections between people that can provide information, support and access to opportunities.

A condition in which society remains stable and operates without constant disruption.

A process through which social relationships and behaviour develop or change, such as socialisation or labelling.

The continuation of class inequalities from one generation to the next.

State provision of financial protection against circumstances such as unemployment, illness, disability or old age.

The sense of belonging and commitment that binds people together as members of a society.

Shame or disgrace attached to a characteristic, situation or behaviour.

The organisation of society into unequal layers with different access to resources, prestige and power.

The organised patterns of relationships and institutions, such as education and the class system, that shape people's lives.

A group of people sharing a culture or way of life.

A grouping of people who share a similar economic position, connected to factors such as ownership, occupation and employment relationships.

The systematic study of society, social behaviour and social relationships using concepts, theories and evidence.

A school concentrating on a particular subject area, such as languages, technology or science, with the aim of raising standards in that area.

A school providing education and support for pupils with special educational needs, which may involve learning, communication, physical or social and emotional needs.

The emotional support provided by family relationships that, according to Parsons, helps adults manage stress and maintain emotional stability.

The institutions through which society is governed, including those that make and enforce laws.

A poverty threshold based on entitlement to state benefits and the benefit levels set by government.

A poverty standard set by the government. In Townsend’s study, it was based on entitlement to claim certain benefits.

Government provision intended to support people’s wellbeing, including benefits paid to people who need financial assistance.

The level of prestige or esteem attached to a person or social group.

Frustration arising when people cannot gain the social standing and recognition they seek through accepted routes.

A partner who takes on a parental relationship with their partner’s child from a previous relationship.

A fixed, overgeneralised and often distorted view of a group’s characteristics.

Pressure arising from a gap between socially valued goals and a person’s opportunities to achieve them through legitimate means.

Merton’s explanation that pressure towards deviance arises when culturally encouraged goals are not matched by access to socially approved ways of achieving them.

Willmott and Young’s principle that changes in family norms and behaviour begin among higher social classes and spread to other classes.