CAIE A Level 9699

Sociology 2020 · May/June · Paper 22

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This CAIE A Level Sociology Paper 22 focuses on the family and household, especially child-centred families, gender roles within family life, feminist perspectives, family diversity, divorce, and Marxist explanations of the family. Students can expect short structured questions such as “describe” and “explain” items, followed by longer evaluative essay questions that ask them to assess sociological arguments and use evidence to support a conclusion.…

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Questions & Model Answers 7 Qs

Q1
Short Answer 4 marks
Describe two ways the family has become child-centred.
One way is that parents now spend more time, money and emotional attention on children than in the past, for example by organising family life around children’s needs and activities.
This describes a key feature of the child-centred family.
Another way is that children have greater rights and are more protected, with adults increasingly seeing children as individuals whose views and welfare should be taken seriously.
This reflects the increased status and protection of children in modern families.
Q2a
Short Answer 8 marks
Explain two ways men benefit more than women from family life.
Men may benefit from women doing a larger share of domestic labour and childcare, which frees men from these responsibilities and gives them more leisure time and less stress.
This is a common feminist argument about unequal domestic roles.
Men may benefit emotionally and physically from women’s caring and emotional support, including cooking, cleaning and looking after their health, which can improve men’s quality of life.
This shows how family life can provide men with unpaid support from women.
Q2b
Short Answer 6 marks
Explain two limitations of radical feminist views of the family.
One limitation is that radical feminists may overgeneralise women’s experiences and ignore differences of class, ethnicity, age and sexuality, so their view may not apply to all families.
A valid criticism is that radical feminism can be too broad and not account for diversity among women.
Another limitation is that radical feminist views can understate the extent of change in family relationships, such as greater equality in some households and the growth of dual-earner families.
This challenges the idea that patriarchy is equally strong in all modern families.
Q3a
Structured 10 marks
'The extent of family diversity has been exaggerated.' Explain this view.
This view argues that although there are more family forms than in the past, the nuclear family remains the dominant and most common family type in many societies. Many people still marry, have children and live in households based on a heterosexual couple with children.
The argument is that the traditional nuclear family remains central despite evidence of diversity.
It also suggests that many supposedly diverse family forms are temporary or still linked to the nuclear family norm. For example, lone-parent families may be formed after divorce, and reconstituted families often still aim to recreate a couple-based household.
This shows how diversity may still be connected to the nuclear family model.
In addition, social expectations and institutions such as law, education and welfare may continue to privilege the nuclear family, meaning that other family forms are less visible or less supported. As a result, diversity may be overstated because the nuclear family remains the reference point.
This explains why the extent of diversity may be exaggerated in sociological debate.
Q3b
Structured 6 marks
Using sociological material, give one argument against this view.
One argument against the view is that family diversity is real and significant because changes in divorce, cohabitation, lone parenthood, same-sex relationships and reconstituted families have produced a wide range of family structures. Sociologists such as Weeks argue that personal choice and changing social values have increased diversity.
This directly challenges the claim that diversity has been exaggerated.
Q4
Essay 26 marks
Evaluate the view that women's changing expectations of marriage is the main reason for the increase in divorce.
A strong answer would assess the role of women’s changing expectations, such as greater independence, higher expectations of emotional fulfilment, and less tolerance of unequal marriages, while also evaluating other explanations including secularisation, changes in law, reduced stigma, and wider social and economic changes.
This is the expected focus of a 26-mark evaluative essay.
Q5
Essay 26 marks
Evaluate the view that Marxist explanations offer the best understanding of the role of the family.
A strong answer would evaluate Marxist ideas that the family supports capitalism by reproducing labour power, passing on property and socialising children into obedience, while also considering alternative perspectives such as functionalism, feminism and postmodernism.
This captures the main content expected in a 26-mark evaluative essay.
Paper Details
Board CAIE
Level A Level
Subject Sociology
Code 9699
Year 2020
Session May/June
Paper No. Paper 22
Q&A 7 questions
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