Sociology & Anthropology: NCK Exam Questions & Revision
Sociology and Anthropology examines the social and cultural context of health. NCK questions cover the social determinants of health, cultural competence and health beliefs, family and gender, stigma, and community mobilisation.
High-yield topics
The areas that come up most often in sociology & anthropology questions.
Sample exam questions
Which best describes the social determinants of health?
- A. Only a person genetics
- B. Conditions such as income, education and living environment
- C. The size of the nearest hospital
- D. A person blood group
Why: Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live and work, such as income, education and environment.
What is the term for the study that describes living cultures?
- A. Ethnography
- B. Ethnology
- C. Archaeology
- D. Social anthropology
Why: Ethnography is the study of living cultures through direct observation, participation, and immersion. It involves detailed documentation and analysis of the social practices and interactions within a culture. Ethnology, on the other hand, compares and analyzes different cultures, while archaeology studies past human societies through material remains. Social anthropology is a broader field that includes the study of cultures, but ethnography specifically focuses on living cultures.
The cultural knowledge and practices transmitted from one generation to the next are referred to as:
- A. Culture.
- B. Rule.
- C. Stratification.
- D. Power.
Why: Culture encompasses the beliefs, practices, norms, and values that are passed down from one generation to the next, shaping the way of life for a group of people. 'Rule' refers to guidelines or laws, 'stratification' pertains to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals in society, and 'power' relates to the ability to influence or control others. Therefore, 'culture' is the correct term for the transmission of knowledge and practices across generations.
Cultural components consist of:
- A. Language, status, material life
- B. Values, beliefs, roles
- C. Religion, material life, status
- D. Languages, beliefs, Social interactions
Why: Cultural components are the elements that define a culture, including values, beliefs, and roles. These components shape how individuals within a culture perceive the world and interact with each other. While language, material life, and social interactions are important, they are more specific aspects or expressions of the broader cultural components like values and beliefs. Therefore, option b is the most comprehensive and accurate representation of cultural components.
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Revision tips
- Practise with real past-paper questions, not just notes — recognition is not the same as recall.
- Always read the rationale, even when you answer correctly, so you learn why the other options are wrong.
- Revise little and often using spaced repetition rather than cramming the night before.
- Track your weak topics and spend most of your time there, not on what you already know.