Understanding culture | AQA A-Level Sociology

For Specification 7192

AQA A-Level Sociology | Free Revision Notes

Estimated study time: 45 minutes

exam questions by topic 👇

Understanding culture is an important starting point for the Culture and Identity option in AQA A-Level Sociology. This Understanding culture A-Level Sociology revision page introduces culture as one of the course's central themes, shows how it connects with socialisation and identity, and identifies the different conceptions of culture students are required to study. AQA treats culture as a broad thread running through social life, rather than as an isolated idea, so understanding these connections will support later lessons across the topic.

Learning Objectives 🎯

By the end of this revision page, you should be able to:

• Explain how culture is treated as a core sociological theme within AQA A-Level Sociology.

• Explain how culture is connected with socialisation and identity.

• Recognise the different conceptions of culture specified by AQA.

• Explain why culture should be applied across different areas of social life.

• Identify links between culture, social differentiation, power and stratification.

Revision Notes 📚

What is culture in Sociology?

For this AQA course, culture forms part of the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity. AQA states that this theme should be interpreted broadly as a thread running through many different areas of social life, rather than being treated simply as a separate, self-contained topic.

This means that when sociologists study a particular part of society, culture can be one of the ideas they use to understand it. Students should therefore be able to connect cultural questions to other areas of Sociology rather than discussing culture in isolation. AQA also expects students to draw links between different areas of subject content.

Culture as a core theme

AQA identifies two core themes that should run throughout A-Level Sociology:

1. Socialisation, culture and identity

2. Social differentiation, power and stratification

These themes should be applied to substantive areas of Sociology rather than treated as discrete topics. Students are therefore expected to recognise that cultural questions may also involve identity, inequality, power and differences between social groups.

This is significant for revision because the Culture and Identity option does not simply require you to memorise several varieties of culture. You also need to understand the relationships between the concepts contained within the topic. The next stage is therefore to examine socialisation [The socialisation process] and how it contributes to culture and identity.

Different conceptions of culture

AQA specifically requires students to be familiar with sociological explanations of different conceptions of culture. These are:

• subculture

• mass culture

• folk culture

• high culture

• low culture

• popular culture

• global culture 

The important point at this introductory stage is that Sociology does not treat culture as though there is only one possible cultural form or conception.

The revision plan develops these required ideas across the next three pages:

• subculture [Subculture]

• mass, folk, high and low culture [Mass, folk, high and low culture]

• popular and global culture [Popular and global culture]

Culture and socialisation

Culture is directly connected to socialisation within the specification. After different conceptions of culture, AQA requires students to study:

• the socialisation process

• the role of agencies of socialisation.

This makes socialisation one of the major links students should recognise when thinking sociologically about culture.

You will explore the process itself in socialisation [The socialisation process], before examining agencies of socialisation [Agencies of socialisation]. These separate lessons allow the relationship between culture and socialisation to be developed in more detail without introducing content before it appears in the revision sequence.

Culture, the self and identity

AQA also places culture alongside identity. Within Culture and Identity, students must examine:

• the self, identity and difference as both socially caused and socially constructed

• identity in relation to age

• disability

• ethnicity

• gender

• nationality

• sexuality

• social class

• identity in relation to production, consumption and globalisation.

This shows why culture should not be revised as an isolated definition. It forms part of a wider sociological examination of how the self, identity and difference relate to society.

You will develop this connection directly in identity and difference [The self, identity and difference], followed by separate lessons on different aspects of identity.

Culture and social differentiation

The second AQA core theme is social differentiation, power and stratification. Culture therefore needs to be considered alongside differences and inequalities within society where relevant. AQA deliberately requires both core themes to be applied across substantive areas of Sociology.

This does not mean that every question about culture requires an identical discussion of inequality. It means that students should be alert to connections between cultural issues and the wider themes of social differentiation, power and stratification.

The lesson plan develops one such connection explicitly when mass, folk, high and low culture [Mass, folk, high and low culture] examines relationships between culture and social differentiation.

Culture and contemporary society

AQA states that the central focus of A-Level Sociology should be UK society today. Comparative dimensions should be considered where relevant, including the position of UK society within its globalised context.

Culture and Identity reflects this requirement in several ways. The specification includes:

• global culture as one of the required conceptions of culture

• contemporary identity in relation to a range of social characteristics

• identity in relation to globalisation.

The global dimension is developed further through popular and global culture [Popular and global culture] and later through production, consumption and globalisation [Production, consumption, globalisation and identity].

How to think about culture in an examination

AQA assesses three assessment objectives across A-Level Sociology:

• AO1 requires knowledge and understanding of sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods.

• AO2 requires students to apply sociological knowledge to issues.

• AO3 requires analysis and evaluation, including presenting arguments, making judgements and drawing conclusions.

For culture, this means that simply listing the words subculture, mass culture or global culture would only demonstrate limited knowledge. As your study of the topic develops, you need to be able to use these ideas to explain sociological issues and make connections with the wider themes of socialisation, identity and social differentiation.

AQA also states that extended responses should draw upon the core themes and make links between those themes and subject content.

Key Words 🔑

Key word	Student-friendly definition	How it may be used in an exam
Culture	A broad core theme in the AQA specification, studied in connection with socialisation and identity and applied across areas of social life. The supplied specification does not provide a fuller formal definition.	Use the concept when explaining links between culture, identity and other sociological issues.
Conception of culture	A particular way in which culture may be understood. AQA requires several different conceptions to be studied.	Identify or compare the different cultural conceptions required by the specification.
Subculture	A conception of culture specifically identified by AQA. Detailed study follows in the separate Subculture lesson.	Identify it as one of the required conceptions of culture.
Mass culture	One of the conceptions of culture named in the specification. The supplied specification does not provide a detailed definition.	Distinguish it from other conceptions once the relevant material has been studied.
Folk culture	One of the conceptions of culture named in the specification. The supplied specification does not provide a detailed definition.	Use it as part of comparisons between different conceptions of culture.
High and low culture	Two conceptions of culture that AQA requires students to study. The specification does not itself define them.	Compare different understandings of culture.
Popular culture	A conception of culture specifically included within AQA Culture and Identity. The specification does not itself define it.	Apply it when studying culture and later links with globalisation.
Global culture	A conception of culture specified by AQA and linked within the course to its wider globalised context.	Use it when considering cultural issues within a global context.
Socialisation	A process that AQA requires students to study in relation to culture and identity.	Explain relationships between socialisation, culture and identity.
Identity	A required area of Culture and Identity, studied through the self and difference, social characteristics, production, consumption and globalisation.	Analyse relationships between culture and different aspects of identity.

The terminology included here remains within the areas explicitly identified by the AQA specification.

Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake: Treating culture as a completely separate topic

Why this is incorrect: AQA describes socialisation, culture and identity as a core theme that should run through different areas of social life rather than being regarded as a discrete topic.

How to improve: When revising culture, practise making connections with socialisation, identity and other relevant areas of Sociology.

Mistake: Assuming there is only one conception of culture

Why this is incorrect: The Culture and Identity specification explicitly requires different conceptions of culture, including subculture, mass, folk, high, low, popular and global culture.

How to improve: Learn the full specification list and make sure you can distinguish the conceptions once you have completed the relevant lessons.

Mistake: Forgetting the relationship between culture and identity

Why this is incorrect: Culture appears within the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity, and the Culture and Identity topic moves directly from conceptions of culture to socialisation, the self, identity and difference.

How to improve: Think of culture, socialisation and identity as connected concepts rather than three unrelated definitions.

Mistake: Ignoring social differentiation, power and stratification

Why this is incorrect: This is the second core theme running throughout the AQA specification. Students should apply both core themes to substantive areas of Sociology.

How to improve: When appropriate, ask how cultural issues may connect with differences between social groups, power or stratification.

Mistake: Ignoring contemporary and global contexts

Why this is incorrect: AQA makes contemporary UK society the central focus while requiring comparative and global dimensions where relevant. Global culture and globalisation also appear explicitly within Culture and Identity.

How to improve: Keep the contemporary social world in mind when applying cultural concepts and recognise where globalisation becomes relevant.

Exam-Style Questions ✍️

The following are original practice questions based only on content included on this page and within the specified Culture and Identity requirements.

Question 1

Identify the AQA core theme that contains the concept of culture. [1 mark]

Question 2

State two conceptions of culture identified in the AQA specification. [2 marks]

Question 3

Outline two reasons why culture should not be treated simply as a discrete topic in AQA Sociology. [4 marks]

Question 4

Item A

A sociologist is studying identity in contemporary UK society. The research considers how culture is connected with socialisation and also examines how increasing global connections may relate to identity.

Using Item A, explain two links between culture and other areas of the Culture and Identity topic. [6 marks]

Question 5

Explain two ways in which the AQA specification requires students to place the study of culture within a wider sociological framework. [6 marks]

Question 6

Analyse the connections between culture and identity contained within the AQA Culture and Identity specification. [8 marks]

Question 7

Evaluate the view that culture can be understood independently of socialisation and identity. [10 marks]

Indicative answers and mark scheme

Question 1

Answer: Socialisation, culture and identity.

1 mark for the correct core theme.

Question 2

Award 1 mark for each correct conception, up to 2 marks.

Accept any two of:

• subculture

• mass culture

• folk culture

• high culture

• low culture

• popular culture

• global culture.

Question 3

Award up to 2 marks for each clearly outlined reason.

Indicative content:

• AQA describes its core themes as broad threads running through many areas of social life rather than discrete topics.

• Students are expected to apply core themes to substantive areas of Sociology.

• AQA requires links to be drawn between different topic areas.

• Culture forms part of the combined core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

Question 4

Award marks for two developed links that use Item A.

Possible content includes:

• Culture and socialisation: the Culture and Identity specification requires students to study both different conceptions of culture and the socialisation process.

• Culture and identity: culture forms part of the combined core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

• Identity and globalisation: AQA requires students to examine the relationship of identity to globalisation.

• Global culture: global culture is one of the conceptions of culture explicitly required by AQA.

A stronger response should use the details of Item A rather than simply listing specification terms.

Question 5

Possible content includes:

• Culture should be related to the two core themes.

• Students should examine sociological explanations and evidence.

• The integral elements of sociological theories, perspectives and methods should run through topic areas.

• Links should be drawn between topic areas.

• The central focus should be contemporary UK society, with comparative and global dimensions where relevant.

Award higher marks for two clearly developed explanations rather than a simple list.

Question 6

Indicative content could include:

• Culture appears within the core theme of socialisation, culture and identity.

• Different conceptions of culture are the first specified area of Culture and Identity.

• The topic then requires knowledge of socialisation and agencies of socialisation.

• Students subsequently study the self, identity and difference as socially caused and socially constructed.

• Identity is examined in relation to age, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexuality and social class.

• Identity is also related to production, consumption and globalisation.

A developed answer should explain the connections between these points rather than reproduce them as a list.

Question 7

A strong response should construct a judgement using only the relationships established by the specification.

Arguments against the view could include:

• AQA explicitly combines socialisation, culture and identity as one core theme.

• Culture and Identity includes the socialisation process immediately alongside different conceptions of culture.

• The specification requires the self, identity and difference to be studied within the same topic.

• Core themes are intended to operate as broad threads running through social life rather than isolated topics.

A balanced judgement might recognise that different conceptions of culture require focused study in their own right, but conclude that the AQA specification nevertheless expects them to be understood within wider relationships involving socialisation, identity and other sociological themes.