SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL STUDIES

Teaching schedule for Understanding Individuals and Society FYA002-0

TEACHING WEEK LECTURE

1 Introduction to the unit: psychology and society

2 Mass media in society

3 Technology, social media and human relationships

4 Terrorism

5 Mental health and contemporary society

Gender
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The handing out of the assessment workbooks.

7 The role of religion and science in society

8 Psychological perspectives on criminal behaviour

9 The changing nature of families and childhood in society

10 The physical health of the nation

11 Effects of globalisation and multiculturalism

Christmas break – Monday 16 December to Friday 27 December 2019

Individual/guided study week - no lectures/workshops 30

December 2019

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Assignment/portfolio will be submitted today portfolios must
be submitted by 10 am.
18 December 20

13 Social and psychological issues of identity

14 Revision Lecture

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Introduction
Welcome to the student Assignment workbook which will guide you through the assignment
requirements for this unit. Having engaged in the unit thus far this is your one and final
assignment for the unit. You are expected to independently gather enough information so
that you are able to answer the set questions for each week. The portfolio itself will account
for 100% of the graded marks for the unit. The teaching team for the Understanding
Individuals and Society have produced this workbook as a practical aid for you as students
on this unit in readiness for submission of your portfolio. On completion of the tasks within
this booklet you will be required to submit the booklet
The portfolio ideally builds upon the learning that you have undertaken throughout semester
1 and contributes towards your progression onto Level 4. The portfolio is an opportunity for
you to demonstrate your knowledge of the models, theories and debates within the taught
lessons and within the field of Social Sciences. It is important that you read this workbook
carefully so that you are clear about the assignment expectations. Within this workbook you
will find a number of hyperlinks which will lead you to short video clips, these are intended to
help you understand specific topics better and therefore to assist you in completing the
portfolio to a higher standard. These video clips are there to help you they will not provide
you with the complete answers therefore you will need to research a little more using the
points raised in the video clips as a guide.

Aims of the module

1 Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding
 Understand sociological perspectives in relation to human behaviour

2 Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

 Can demonstrate how, where and when to use different information concerning
human behaviour

Session Structure and Learning Methods

The module will run over 12 weeks – please note that the submission of this portfolio has
been set for 18th December, 2019
Some lectures will be specifically included to provide guidance concerning depth and scope
of material to be studied during each of the lectures. You are recommended to extend your
learning by consulting relevant subject-specific textbooks and other resources to extend your
knowledge and understanding further.

Self-Study & Follow-up Work

You are strongly advised to use self-study time to fully meet the intended learning outcomes
of the module by working through the information given during lectures and tutorials. The

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aim is to enable you to apply your knowledge and understanding of the subject material
learnt in this academic Unit in a concise and understandable way. It is important to clearly
demonstrate you learning when answering the questions set for you each week.

Preparation for your portfolio submission

An electronic copy of the portfolio must be submitted through BREO. No hard copies are to
be submitted.
Portfolios will be marked by the Unit Co-coordinator and a second marker and the
recommended grade agreed. It is the university policy that you should be able to receive
feedback on your work within 15 days of submission. Feedback on your portfolio will be
available on BREO.
Ensure that your portfolio is submitted with a cover sheet which identifies you via your
student ID number, Unit name and code.
Please ensure that you keep, in a safe place the electronic receipt which will be given to you
once you have submitted the portfolio. This acts of proof of submission should there be any
queries about the time of submission or whether in fact you have submitted.
1. Make sure that you have proof read your work BEFORE it is submitted.
2. Have you read the questions carefully?
3. Does your work contain full sentences? Do the sentences begin with a capital letter
and end with a full stop?
4. Have you inserted references?
5. Have you referenced correctly? Are the references in alphabetical order by family
name in your reference list?
6. Does you work have a clear introduction, middle and ending?

Completing your Assignment

What am I required to do in this assignment?

This assignment asks you to complete weekly tasks in order to build a portfolio of your
knowledge and understanding of sociological perspectives and relate this knowledge to
every day experiences.
In order to complete this assignment you will need to follow the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Ensure that you complete the weekly tasks set in your workbook which will be
provided by your tutor.
Step 2: Follow all instructions in the workbook for each weekly task. For example, Week 6
task will be to explain the similarities between 2 sociological perspectives, Week 7 will then
ask you to investigate and describe the differences between 2 sociological perspectives on
human behaviour.
Step 3: In order to address these tasks you will need to identify, locate and conduct some
reading of a variety of different texts -guidance will be given on good academic texts to read.

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Step 4: You will need to make some notes in your own words based on your reading and
your understanding of different sociological perspectives and how they explain human
behaviour
Step 5: You will then be asked to answer a short essay question which will be written under
timed conditions in your classroom. You will be allowed to take your portfolio into the
classroom with you.
Step 6: You will submit your completed portfolio of work

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?
Through building the portfolio (assignment) you are week by week developing and
embedding knowledge of the key sociological theories and how to apply it to everyday
issues within a society. This assessment is specifically related to developing key academic
skills; writing, searching for and selecting appropriate academic literature, reading that
literature and paraphrasing its content, referencing, developing notes, following instructions
and using IT. By completing the in class test you are showing that you can take what you
have learned in the lecture room and in a timed setting develop an answer to a set question.
For further information relating to the portfolio can be found on the BREO shell for this unit.
Prepare answers for the following sets of questions.

Week 4
Question 1.
Subject: Terrorism
Date: 25th October 2019
1. Identify a recent newspaper article which discusses the issue of terrorism. You will
also need to clearly state the name of the newspaper and the author(s) of the
article.

2. Identify the sociological perspective being used to discuss the issue of terrorism.

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3. In which way does this perspective explain terrorism?

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Week 5
Question 2.
Subject: Mental Health and Contemporary Society
Date: 1st November 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO0v_JqxFmQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0zJGDokyWQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRN8oeMNaDc

1. Identify a sociological perspective on mental health.

Individualism is a sociological perspective. According to this perspective, the
society treats an individual as a “self made man". Individualism promotes exercise
of one’s goals and desires, so, it values self reliance. In such a society, being
ordinary is regarded as a curse.
2. Who is the key thinker of your chosen perspective?
The key thinker in individualistic perspective is the society. An individualistic
society proclaims that the individual and their achievements is everything and that
everyone is capable of a special destiny. This society has no place for hopeless
and they consider ordinary people a curse.

3. What are the two (2) key points used to explain mental health?
-According to WHO, mental health is not the mere absence of mental disorder.
A person may not have mental disorder and still may be mentally unhealthy.
Mental health is an integral part of health. In fact, without mental health, there is
no health.
-Mental health lies on a spectrum. Rather than people being mentally ill or healthy,
we are all on a spectrum, where our society, genetic makeup and our upbringing
determine where we lie on it.

4. What are the disadvantages of these perspectives?

In modern day society, there exist many sociological perspectives, with their own
views about the society and how the society should be. Every sociological
perspective has certain limitations attached to it. For example, a meritocratic
society takes any perceived lack of talent not as an accident or misfortune but as
a sure sign of lack of talent or laziness. According to them, if those at the top
deserve their success, those at the bottom deserve all their failures. Similarly, in
an individualistic society, ordinary people end up with failure. Such perspectives
decrease self esteem of ordinary individuals and of those who face a failure and
are never able to recover. Some sociological perspectives set high standards in
the minds of people and when they are not able to meet those standards, mental
illness results.

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Week 6
Question 3.
Subject: Gender
Date: 8th November 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QthMrCqspww
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbdcmKC1d2M

1. Which 2 sociological perspectives explain the issue of gender?

Structural functionalism and conflict theory are 2 sociological perspectives
explaining the issue of gender. Structural functionalism believes that gender roles
were set before the pre industrial times, when men used to perform activities
outside home, such as hunting, and women typically performed activities inside
home such as cooking. These roles were considered functional because women
were unable to leave home for long periods of time due to pregnancy and nursing.
These roles were passed on for generations.
Conflict theory believes that there is conflict in the society (such as men vs
women) for dominance. When sociologists look at the society from this
perspective, they look at male as dominant character and female as recessive.
2. Give one example where women are oppressed by their gender.

3. What are the similarities between the two (2) sociological perspectives you have
identified?
Both perspectives identifies women as a recessive group. Same owner worker
relationship seen in labor force is seen in household, where women is performing
the role of proletariat. It is difficult for the women to rise above men because the
rules of success and opportunity are set by men.

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Week 7
Question 4.
Subject: The role of religion and science in society
Date: 15th November 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgpR1hj4_9o
1. Which two (2) sociological perspectives are critical of the role of religion in society?
Two sociological perspectives critical of the role of religion in society are
functionalism and conflict theory. Functionalism perspective believes that religion
gives meaning to life includes giving meaning and purpose to life, promoting
psychological and social well being, motivating people to work for positive social
change and reinforcing social stability. Conflict theory holds that religion promotes
social inequality and social conflict. It leads to violence motivated by social
differences.
2. What are the differences between the sociological perspectives identified?
The views of both perspectives are opposite. Sociological perspective assumes
that religious beliefs bring clarity to one’s life, enhance social interaction, teaches
moral behavior and strengthen social order, whereas, conflict theory assumes that
religion promotes social inequality and social conflicts. Conflict theory define
religion as” opiate of masses"

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 3. Discuss the different definitions of religion and the weaknesses of the definitions.

4. Give an example of the way in which religions influences human behavior.

Week 8
Question 5.
Subject: Sociological perspectives on criminal behaviour
Date: 22nd November 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmMZnvI0JjA
1. In what way is Charles Murray’s explanation of crime similar to Emile Durkheim’s

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 explanation?

2. In which ways are these two (2) perspectives different?

Food for thought.

Over the past five weeks you should have been in the process of answering a series of
questions which will come together to form your portfolio. The portfolio is the only
assignment that you will have to submit for this unit, therefore we would like to encourage
you to reflect upon your work in this portfolio before you submit it on the deadline date. To
help you with this please read and think about the following questions.

How well did your work meet the stated assessment criteria?
How can you improve your performance in future tasks?
We will revisit these questions again in weeks 10 and 12.
Tutor feedback:
How well did your work meet the stated assessment criteria?

How can you improve your performance in future tasks?

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Week 9
Question 6.
Subject: The changing nature of families and childhood in society
Date: 29th November 2019
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzKr26kiVg4

1. What is a child?

2. How would you define family?

3. In which ways has the concept of family changed since the 1960’s?

Week 10
Question 7.
Subject: The physical health of the nation
Date: 6th December 2019

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pnEMBgEG24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c8BCZd6GXU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roAQHn5rEoQ
1. How would you define the term ‘health’?

2. Which ethnicity is understood to be most at risk of obesity?

3. Why?

4. What is the role of sociology in understanding health?

Food for thought.

Over the past seven weeks you should have been in the process of answering a series of
questions which will come together to form your portfolio. The portfolio is the only

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 assignment that you will have to submit for this unit, therefore we would like to encourage
you to reflect upon your work in this portfolio before you submit it on the deadline date. To
help you with this please read and think about the following questions.

1. How well did your work meet the stated assessment criteria?
2. Have you referenced correctly?
3. Have you ensured that there is enough detail within your answers that clearly
demonstrates that you have answered the questions correctly and that what it is
that you have written can be clearly understood?
4. How can you improve your performance in future tasks?
We will revisit these questions again in week 12.

Tutor feedback:
How well did your work meet the stated assessment criteria?

How can you improve your performance in future tasks?

Week 11
Question 8
Subject: Effects of globalism and multiculturalism
Date: 13th December 2019

1. What are some of the positive effects of globalisation?

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 2. What are some of the issues with ‘outsourcing’ jobs?

3. What is your definition of “culture?”

4. Why is cultural diversity important?

Week 12
Subject: portfolio submission.

Food for thought.

Over the first semester of your studies should have been in the process of answering a
series of questions which will come together to form your portfolio. The portfolio is the only
assignment that you will have to submit for this unit, therefore we would like to encourage
you to reflect upon your work in this portfolio before you submit it on the deadline date. You
would have been given a number of opportunities within the lectures, seminars and
individual tutorials to explore and discuss with the teaching team how best to develop your
portfolio in accordance with the assignment brief.

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To help you with this please read and think about the following questions.
How well did your work meet the stated assessment criteria?
Have you referenced correctly?
Have you ensured that there is enough detail within your answers that clearly demonstrates
that you have answered the questions correctly and that what it is that you have written can
be clearly understood?
How can you improve your performance in future tasks?
1. Make sure that you have proof read your work BEFORE it is submitted.
2. Have you read the questions carefully?
3. Does your work contain full sentences? Do the sentences begin with a capital letter
and end with a full stop?
4. Have you inserted references?
5. Have you referenced correctly? Are the references in alphabetical order by family
name in your reference list?
6. Does your work have a clear introduction, middle and ending?

Assignment/portfolio will be submitted today portfolios must be submitted by 10 am.

FINAL TASK FOR THE WORKBOOK

Please use the pages below to write your answer to the short essay question which will be
written under timed conditions in your classroom. You will be allowed to take your portfolio
into the classroom with you.

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Tutor feedback:

How well did your work meet the stated assessment criteria?
How can you improve your performance in future tasks?

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