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A-Level Sociology (OCR)

Families, education, methods, crime, theory. OCR board.

Pass mark 24/40 60 minutes OCR How many can I get wrong?
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Q1. Which sociologist argued that the family has become 'privatised', with couples spending more leisure time at home and family life becoming home-centred?
  • A.  Michael Young and Peter Willmott
  • B.  Talcott Parsons
  • C.  Ann Oakley
  • D.  Diana Gittins
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✓ Answer: A. Michael Young and Peter Willmott
Young and Willmott's study of Bethnal Green and Woodford identified the 'privatised nuclear family' as a stage-three symmetrical family, home-centred and consumption-focused. Parsons wrote about functional fit theory, not privatisation. Oakley studied housework and the myth of the symmetrical family; Gittins critiqued the diversity of family forms.
Q2. Bowles and Gintis's 'correspondence principle' argues that school relationships mirror workplace relationships. Which example best illustrates this concept?
  • A.  Pupils accepting hierarchy and external control at school as preparation for accepting authority at work
  • B.  Pupils being taught to value qualifications for their own sake
  • C.  Teachers using praise to build pupils' self-esteem
  • D.  Schools grouping pupils by ability into sets
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A. Pupils accepting hierarchy and external control at school as preparation for accepting authority at work
Correspondence principle specifically means the power relations and structure of school (hierarchy, lack of control over one's work, alienation) correspond to those of capitalist workplaces, preparing pupils to be docile workers. The other options describe general schooling features but not the direct school-to-work power correspondence.
Q3. Interpretivist critics such as Jack Douglas argue that official suicide statistics lack validity because they:
  • A.  Only cover deaths of people under the age of eighteen
  • B.  Are calculated using a random sampling method
  • C.  Are collected too infrequently to be useful
  • D.  Reflect the decisions and interpretations of coroners rather than an objective count of 'true' suicides
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D. Reflect the decisions and interpretations of coroners rather than an objective count of 'true' suicides
Douglas argued that a death is only recorded as suicide following a coroner's interpretive judgement, influenced by evidence, social class, and available cues, meaning official suicide statistics are social constructions rather than objective facts. This is a criticism of validity, not frequency of collection or sampling.
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Families & households · 14
Education · 38
Research methods · 35
Crime & deviance · 41
Theory & methods · 36
Beliefs in society · 38
A-Level Sociology (OCR) — common questions
Frequently asked
How many questions are in the A-Level Sociology (OCR)?
The exam has 40 questions. Every Revision Robin mock uses the same 40-question format so your practice matches the real thing.
What is the pass mark for the A-Level Sociology (OCR)?
You need 24 out of 40 correct to pass, which is about 60%. Our mocks mark you against this exact threshold.
How long do you get?
The test is timed at 60 minutes. Our full mock runs on the same clock so you can practise your pacing.
Are these the real exam questions?
No. Our questions are original and written to match the current syllabus, so they give realistic practice without copying the official paper. Every answer comes with a plain-English explanation. Always confirm current rules and content with OCR.