Past Exam Questions: November 'Families and Households'

Unit 4

Paper 3 Oct/Nov 2002

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) Describe the functions of the family. (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that the family in modern industrial societies has lost some of its functions. (16)

2. (a) Describe, with examples, how the structure of the family has been affected by industrialization. (9)

(b) Assess the contribution of feminist theories to an understanding of relationships in families. (16)

Paper 3 Oct/Nov2003

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the ways in which the family is linked to the economy in society. (9)

(b) Evaluate the claim that the process of industrialization leads to the decline of the extended family. (16)

2. (a) Describe the main changes that have occurred in the distribution of power within families in the last 100 years. (9)

(b) Outline and assess the implications for society of the changes you have outlined in your answer to part (a).

Paper 3 Oct/Nov2004

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the diversity of family forms that may be found in societies today. (9)

(b) Evaluate the claim that the extended family is of declining importance in modern industrial societies. (16)

2. (a) Describe, wit examples, changing fertility patterns in modern industrial societies over the last 100 years. (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that control of female fertility is the key to the status of women in the family and the wider society (16)

Paper 3 Oct/Nov2005

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the meaning of kinship. (9)

(b) ‘In modern industrial societies functions that were once carried out by the family are now carried out by the state’ Evaluate this claim. (16)

2. (a) describe the factors that influence fertility rates. (9)

(b) Assess the view that in modern societies matrifocal family types are becoming the norm. (16)

Paper 3 Oct/Nov2006

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) Describe, with examples, what is meant by status in relation to the family. (9)

(b) ‘The family is an institution of the state ideological apparatus’. Assess this view.(16)

2. (a) Describe, with two examples, what is meant by structure in relation to the family.(9)

(b) Evaluate the view that high levels of divorce in modern industrial societies are the result of a decline in the status of marriage. (16)

Paper 3 Oct/Nov2007

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) (i) Define the term household. (3)

(ii) Identify and describe two types of household (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that in modern societies family life is characterized by diversity(16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term canalization (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of canalization. (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that in modern societies family life is no longer patriarchal. (16)

Paper 3 Oct/Nov 2008

Section A : Families and Households

1. (a) (i) Define the term patriarchy. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of patriarchal family structures.(6)

(b) Evaluate the clam that families in modern industrial societies are increasingly democratic (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term cohabitation. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of socially approved living arrangements between adults, other than cohabitation. (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that industrialization has resulted in the formation of nuclear family structures.