{"id":119130,"date":"2022-05-02T17:53:11","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T12:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/?p=119130"},"modified":"2022-05-02T17:54:51","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T12:24:51","slug":"chapter-5-social-structure-stratification-and-social-processes-in-society-questions-and-answers-ncert-solutions-for-class-11-sociologyunderstanding-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapsofindia.com\/my-india\/education\/chapter-5-social-structure-stratification-and-social-processes-in-society-questions-and-answers-ncert-solutions-for-class-11-sociologyunderstanding-society","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 1 – Social Structure, Stratification and Social Processes in Society Questions and Answers: NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Sociology(Understanding Society)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Question 1.
\nDiscuss the different tasks that demand cooperation with reference to agricultural or industrial operations.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nCooperation is an associative social process. It involves individuals or groups working together to achieve their individual or collective goals. Cooperation is universal and continuous process. It involves sympathy, empathy and capacity to unite people. It fulfils member\u2019s physical and psycho social needs.
\nIn simple societies where no surplus was produced, there was cooperation between individuals and groups, although in the capitalistic societies cooperation do exist but many a time it is enforced, e.g. the factory workers do cooperate in their everyday work but a certain conflict of interests would define their relationship.
\nThe idea of cooperation rests on certain assumptions about human\u2019s behaviours. According to Durkheim, the role of division of labour-which implies cooperation\u2014is precisely to fulfil certain needs of society.
\nIn agricultural societies people are dependent on each other. The members work together to achieve shared goals. In villages a group of people i.e. ironsmith provides tools, equipment of agriculture. Another groups may be working as shopkeeper and . provides seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. A group of people work in the field to sow seeds, at harvesting time cut the crops and do other activities. The farmer alone can\u2019t attain the goals.
\nSimilarly in the field of industrial operations, there is specialisations. The workers as well as management may be enforced among each other to attain the shared goals.<\/h3>\n

Question 2.
\nIs cooperation always voluntary or is it enforced? If enforced, is it sanctions or is the strength of norms that ensure cooperation? Discuss with examples.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nThe relationship between cooperation, competition and conflict is often complex and not easily separable.
\nIn order to understand how cooperation may entail conflict, and the difference between \u2018enforced\u2019 and \u2018voluntary cooperation\u2019 we can take example of women\u2019s rights properly. Daughters, knowing their rights on the property mostly would not claim full or anv share of natal property, because they were afraid this would sour relations with
\ntheir brothers. So this cooperation of daughters with the natal family members is not voluntary, it is basically enforced. Daughters have no option, if they want to maintain harmonious relationship with natal family members.
\nBasically voluntary or enforced cooperations depend on the circumstances. To attain the shared goals e.g. prosperity of family, all the members work and earn money or in villages all the members work in the field voluntarily to bring prosperity to the family.
\nCooperation can be seen as universal feature of all societies, explained as inevitable interaction among humans living in a society and pursuing their ends.
\nAccording to conflict perspective in societies, divided by caste, or class some groups are disadvantaged and discriminated against. The dominant groups sustain this unequal order by a series of cultural norms and other methods involving force or even violence.
\nThe functionalist perspective explains cooperation in terms of society as a whole. Functionalists mainly see the norms or sanctions as \u201csystem requirement\u201d of the society \u2013 certain functional prerequisite.
\nSociological studies have shown how norms, sanctions and patterns of socialisation ensure particular social order which is functional requisite for the existence of society.<\/h3>\n

Question 3.
\nCan you find illustrative examples of conflict drawn from Indian society? Discuss the causes that led to conflict in each instance.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nConflict includes all those processes in which individual acts against the wishes of others to achieve his purpose. It is a conscious process to attain one\u2019s gains.
\nConflict is a dissociative social process in which either an individual or a group perceives that others have opposing interests and both try to contract each other. Conflicts between groups give impetus to a series of social and cognitive processes. These processes harden the stand of each side leading to in-group polarisation. This may result in coalition formation of like minded parties thereby increasing the apprehensions of both parties. These are related to caste, class, religion, region, language just to name a few of them.
\nExplanation of such conflicts can be at the structural, group and individual levels.
\nIn Indian society, structural conditions include high rates of poverty, economic and social stratification, inequality, limited political and social opportunities etc.
\nAt the individual level, beliefs, biased attitudes and personality are important determinants.
\nIn India in recent days conflicts on land issue, identity issues, communal issues, class issues and language issues are becoming very common.<\/h3>\n

Question 4.
\nWrite an essay based on examples to show how conflicts get resolved.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nConflicts are inevitable in any society. It is a dissociative social process. Since the focus is on system sustenances, competition and conflict is looked at with the understanding that in most cases they tend to get resolved without too much distress.
\nConflicts can be resolved if we know about their causes. A number of social processes operate to resolve conflicts like accommodation, assimilation and enforced cooperation. The conflicts can be resolved through certain strategies also. Few of them are as follows:
\nNegotiations: Conflicts can be resolved through negotiations and third party interventions.
\nWarring groups can resolve conflicts by trying to fluid mutually acceptable solutions. This requires understanding and trust.
\nNegotiation refers to reciprocal communications so as to reach to an agreement in situations in which there is a conflict.
\nSometimes it is difficult to dissipate conflict through negotiations; at that time mediation and arbitrations by a third party is needed.
\nMediators help both parties to focus their discussions on the relevant issues and reach a voluntary agreement.
\nIn arbitration, the third party has the authority to give a decision after hearing both the parties.<\/h3>\n

Question 5.
\nImagine a society where there is no competition. Is it possible? If not, why not?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nNo, we cannot imagine a society where there is no competition. People interact among themselves in different contexts. Behaviours in most social situations are characterised by either cooperation or competition. When groups work together to achieve the shared goals, we refer to it as cooperation. When members try to maximise their own benefits and work for the realisation of self interest, competition is likely to result. But all social interactions include cooperation and competition.
\nCompetitive goals are set in such a way that each individual can get his\/her goal only if others do not attain their goals. Many a time the groups and individuals are placed differently and unequally within the system of production relations.
\nBut we must remember that competitions which is a dissociative social process is integral part of the social structure. Therefore we cannot imagine a society without competition. It is integral and inevitable part of any society in the world. There may be less competitive society or highly competitive society but a society without competition can\u2019t exist.<\/h3>\n

Very Short Answer Type Questions<\/h3>\n

Question 1.
\nWhat do you mean by social structure?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nStructure refers to some sort of ordered arrangement of parts or components.
\nThe term \u2018social structure\u2019 refers to any recurring pattern of social behaviour or the ordered relationship between the different elements of a social system.
\nMain elements of social structure are status, role, norms and values.<\/h3>\n

Question 2.
\nWhat do you understand by social processes?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nThe repetitive forms of social interaction are called social processes.
\nIt is the continuous change in a situation which happens in a particular way because of the activities of its inherent forces.<\/h3>\n

Question 3.
\nWhat do you understand by social stratification? Why is it essential?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nThe term \u2018stratification\u2019 refers to studies of structured social inequality between groups of people, which arise as the unintended consequence of social processes and relationships.<\/h3>\n

Question 4.
\nExplain the concept of caste stratification.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nCaste is an institution of considerable internal complexity. Caste stratification is a type of rigid hierarchical social division of society in permanent groups or categories.
\nThis division is based on the relationships of superiority and subordination.<\/h3>\n

Question 5.
\nExplain the concept of class stratification.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nA social class is any position of the community marked off from the rest of social status. These classes are arranged on the basis of economic conditions but social classes are more than economic groups. They show a common pattern of behaviour and develop in group bias. It may be defined as broad category of people who share similar economic conditions.<\/h3>\n

Question 6.
\nExplain the concept of gender stratification.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nGender stratification refers to socially unequal division into femininity and masculinity. It is not only related to the difference between males and females and to individual identity and personality but also at symbolic level, to cultural ideals and stereotypes of masculinity and femininity at the structural level, to the sexual division of labour in institutions and organisations.<\/h3>\n

Question 7.
\nWhat do you mean by Ethnicity?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nThe term \u2018Ethnicity\u2019 refers to the individuals who consider themselves to share common characteristics that differentiate them from the other collectivities in a society and from which they develop their distinctive cultural behaviour, form an ethnic group.
\nOne race hates the other race due to the sense of superiority. It is not inborn.<\/h3>\n

Question 8.
\nWhat is Accommodation?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nAccommodation is a form of social process in which two or more persons or groups interact in order to prevent, reduce or eliminate conflict.
\nIt is a process whereby the subordinate groups simply conform to the expectations of the dominant group.<\/h3>\n

Question 9.
\nWhat is Assimilation?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nAssimilation implies that the subordinate groups actually come to accept and internalise the values and culture of the dominant group.
\nIt is a social process through which, persons or groups accept the behaviour of others.<\/h3>\n

Short Answer Type Questions<\/h3>\n

Question 1.
\nExplain the concept of status.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nThe term \u2018status\u2019 has two meanings in sociology:
\n1. It refers to the position a person occupies in the social structure, such as a teacher or doctor. This status (position) may be ascribed or achieved.
\n2. Status refers to a form of social stratification in which social positions are ranked and organised by legal, political and cultural criteria into status groups.<\/h3>\n

Question 2.
\nWhat are Norms? Explain its importance.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nNorms are shared expectations of behaviour. It connotes what is considered culturally desirable and appropriate.
\nNorms are similar to rules or regulations in prescriptive, although they lack the formal status of rules.
\nThe sociological concept of norm is closely related to that of \u2018role\u2019, which is commonly defined as a set of norms attached to social position.<\/h3>\n

Question 3.
\nDistinguish between mechanical and organic solidarity.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nAccording to Durkheim, traditional cultures with a low division of labour are characterised by mechanical solidarity.
\nMost of the members of the society are involved in similar occupations. They are bound together by common experience and shared beliefs.
\nAccording to Durkheim, societies characterised and held together by people\u2019s economic interdependence and a recognition of the importance of others contributions are called organic solidarity.
\nIts division of labour becomes more complex, people become more and more dependent on each other.
\nRelationships of economic reciprocity and mutual dependency come to replace shared beliefs in creating social consensus.<\/h3>\n

Question 4.
\nHow voluntary cooperation is different from enforced cooperation?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nCooperation may be voluntary, may be enforced. It depends on the situation.
\nIn agricultural operations different members of the group perform different activities. They grow different crops. Some focus on fishing or growing vegetables and some perform supportive activities. For example, preparing tools and equipment. They all cooperate each other to get good harvest. This is voluntary cooperation, which is intrinsic in nature.
\nBut the factory workers do cooperate with the owners in performing their tasks because total production depends on their mutual relations but it is actually system requirement. This cooperation is a prerequisite for job sustenance. Behind the cooperation there are many norms. So this is enforced cooperation which is extrinsic. The feeling of fulfilment and creativity of a weaver or potter or ironsmith is voluntary cooperation.
\nIn contrast, a worker involved in a factory whose sole task may be to pull lever or press a button throughout the day. Cooperation in such a situation would be enforced.<\/h3>\n

Question 5.
\nHow Durkheim and Marx differ on the issue of cooperation?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nFor Durkheim, solidarity, the moral force of society is fundamental for understanding of cooperation and thereby functioning of society.
\nThe role of division of labour which implies cooperation is precisely to fulfil certain needs of society. It is simply system requirement. For Marx, cooperation is not voluntary in a society where class exists. He argues, \u201cThe social power i.e. multiplied productive force (surplus) arises through the cooperation of different individuals as it is caused by the division of labour. Cooperation is not voluntary but naturally. In this enforced cooperation, workers lose control over how to organise their own work and they lose control over the fruits of their labour.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Question 6.
\nWhat is competition? How is it different from cooperation?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nCooperation is a dissociative social process in which it sets up its own values in opposition to the mainstream.
\nCompetition is a social process in which many people struggle to achieve something which has hunted availability.
\nCompetition is for getting scarce resources, may be money, jobs, prestige, position, power or love.
\nCompetition is a universal social process but it varies from culture to culture.
\nConcept of competition involves attainment of goal without using force or terror. Cooperation represents all relations among persons or groups which work together towards a shared common goal.
\nCooperation is an associative social process. It may be conscious or unconscious. It involves an element of sympathy, sacrifice and feeling of togetherness.<\/h3>\n

Question 7.
\nWhat is Laissezfaire liberalism?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nA political and economic approach based on the general principle of non-interference in the economy by government and freedom for markets and property owners, is called Laissez faire liberalism.
\nLaissez faire liberalism is an approach to economics that asserts the importance of the free, competitive market of the individual suppliers and individual purchasers to the efficient production, distribution and allocation of goods and services and emphasises on the need to keep state regulation to a maximum.<\/h3>\n

Question 8.
\nWhat do you mean by division of labour?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nThe specialisation of work tasks by means of which different occupations are combined within a production system. With the development of industrialisation the division of labour becomes more complex than any prior type of production system. In the modem world, the division of labour is international in scope. On the basis of division of labour, the concept of organic solidarity functions with the form of social cohesion. The interdependence of members of society is the result of such kind of solidarity.<\/h3>\n

Question 9.
\nWhat is dominant ideology?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nDominant ideology refers to shared ideas or beliefs which serve to justify the interests of dominant groups. Such ideologies are found in the societies in which are systematic. The concept of ideology connects closely with that of power, since ideological system serves to legitimise the differential power which groups hold.<\/h3>\n

Question 10.
\nWhat is alienation in terms of Marx?<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nMarx used the term alienation to refer to the loss of control on the part of workers over the products of their labour.
\nIn general term, it describes the estrangement of individuals from one another or from a specific situation or process.<\/h3>\n

Question 11.
\nDo you think that conflicts are always manifestations through overt clashes? Explain with suitable examples.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nConflict is often not overtly expressed. Many a time conflict appears as a discord or overt clash only when it is openly expressed e.g. the existence of a peasant movement is an overt expression of a deep rooted conflict over land resources. But it is not always true. This can be explained through a few examples.
\nTraditionally the family and household were often seen as harmonious units where cooperation was the dominant process and altruism (doing some thing good for other without having any vested interest) the driving principle of human behaviour. \u2018Maternal altruism\u2019 in the northern Indian plain is likely to be biased towards sons and can be seen as women\u2019s response to patriarchal risk.
\nMostly we observe that women\u2019s subversion of male decision-making power tends to be covert e.g. doing small business or money landing.
\nAnother example of covert conflict and overt cooperation is related to property rights where a woman demanding her rights is named as greedy. Woman mostly shows cooperation by not demanding her right but inside the conflict occurs and causes bitterness.<\/h3>\n

Question 12.
\nDifferentiate between functionalist perspective and conflict perspective in terms of social processes.<\/h2>\n

Answer:
\nKarl Marx is usually associated with conflict perspective and Emile Durkheim is usually identified with a functionalist perspective.
\nConflict theories emphasised the importance of interests over norms and values and the ways in which the pursuit of interests generated various types of conflicts as normal aspect of social life, rather than abnormal or dysfunctional (interfering) occurences e.g. class conflicts in industrial society.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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