1. Belief in Society Short Answer Questions
1. Identify and briefly explain three problems in assessing the influence of
religion in modern society. (9 marks)
2. Identify and briefly explain three examples of sociological evidence that might
be used to support the postmodernist view that the ‘grand narrative’ of
religion has collapsed (9 marks)
3. Identify and briefly explain three reasons, why we might have a “false view of
the religious nature of past societies” (Item A, lines 4 – 5). (9 marks)
4. Identify and briefly explain three of the reasons why women have a higher
participation rate in religion than men. (9 marks)
5. Identify and briefly explain three of the reasons why interest in and
commitment to alternative spiritual groups may be relatively “short-lived” (9
marks)
6. Identify and briefly explain three pieces of evidence that might lead
sociologists such as Bryan Wilson to conclude that modernity brings with it a
decline in the importance of religion. (9 marks)
7. Identify and briefly explain three of the reasons why church attendance might
be seen as an unreliable measure of belief today. (9 marks)
8. Identify and briefly explain three of the reasons why New Religious
Movements have such a high turnover of members.
(9 marks)
9. Identify and briefly explain three of the ways in which religion could be said to
‘exert’ social control over the members of society’ . (9 marks)
10. Identify and briefly explain three of the characteristic features of sects. (9
marks)
11. Identify and briefly explain three of the ways in which functionalists see
religion meeting the needs of society and/or individuals. (9 marks)
12. Identify and briefly explain three of the arguments and evidence for the view
that Britain is less religious now than it was in the past . (9 marks)
13. Identify and briefly explain three of the problems in measuring the extent of
religious belief in society today. (9 marks)
14. Identify and briefly explain some of the reasons why sects and cults are often
short lived. (9 marks)

2. 15. (a) (i) Identify and briefly explain two reasons why women seem to have a
higher participation rate in religion than that of men. (6 marks)
(ii) Identify and briefly explain one reason why people from some ethnic
minorities seem to have a higher participation rate in religion than other social
groups. (3 marks)
16. (a) Identify and briefly explain three reasons why traditional religious
organisations may have lost support and/or membership over the past thirty
years. (9 marks)

3. A) Using material from Item A and elsewhere, briefly examine the extent to
which religion can still be said to be functional for individuals and society. (19
marks)
B) Using material from Item A and elsewhere, identify and briefly examine some
of the sociological arguments that might be used to challenge the view
expressed in Item A, that ‘religions seem to have lost their authority’ in
today’s society (lines 11 – 19). (19 marks)
C) Using material from Item A and elsewhere, examine some of the reasons why
there is “much disagreement on the meaning of the concept of secularisation”
(Item A, line 1). (19 marks)
D) With reference to Item A and elsewhere, briefly examine why young people
seem to be less religious than older people. (19 marks)
E) Using information from Item A and elsewhere, briefly examine why religious
groups such as those referred to in Item A fail to attract men and the under
35s. (19 marks)
F) Examine some of the arguments and evidence that might lead some
sociologists to argue that, “most of the world is bubbling with religious
passions” (Item B, line 13). (19 marks)
G) Using material from Item B and elsewhere, briefly examine why some people
feel that traditional churches and denominations no longer meet their religious
needs. (19 marks)
H) Briefly examine the view that the established Church has suffered from
“declining influence” over most social groups in Britain today (Item B, lines 4 –
5). (19 marks)
I) Using information from Item B and elsewhere, briefly examine the evidence
and/or arguments in favour of the view that religion can act as a force for
change in society. (19 marks)

4. J) Examine the view that traditional churches have lost status and influence in
society over the past thirty years. (19 marks)
K) Using material from Item B and elsewhere, briefly examine post-modernist
views on the nature and role of religion. (19 marks)
L) Using material from Item B and elsewhere, briefly examine the view that there
is ‘a great deal of religious and spiritual activity in society today’ (Item B, line
9). (19 marks)
M) Using material from Item B and elsewhere, briefly examine the view that
‘conservative or orthodox or traditionalist movements’ have become more
significant and have increased their influence in the world today (Item B, lines
6–9). (19 marks)
N) Using material from Item B and elsewhere, briefly examine the view that the
appeal of sects, cults and new religious movements is causing traditional
churches to lose status and influence in contemporary societies. (19 marks)
O) Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the reasons why young
people seem to participate in religious activity far less than do older
generations. (19 marks)
P) Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that most people
today see spirituality and religious belief as purely private and personal
matters. (19 marks)