Deck 7: Stratification

Question 1

In the distribution of scarce resources,caste systems rely on __________ statuses and class systems rely to a greater degree on __________ statuses.

A) achieved; ascribed
B) employment; educational
C) educational; employment
D) ascribed; achieved

Answer 1

D

Question 2

What did Marx hope would happen when people achieved class consciousness?

A) They would work hard to improve their status.
B) They would accept their position.
C) They would bond with others to combat the class system.
D) They would quit their jobs.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Duchess of York has so little money that she works as a spokesperson for Weight Watchers to make money.She may be said to be:

A) high on status and low on class.
B) high on status and high on class.
C) high on class and low on status.
D) high on power and low on status.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A status that is optional,one that we can reach (or fail to reach)on the basis of our own efforts,is called:

A) an achieved status.
B) an ascribed status.
C) a flexible status.
D) an active status.

Question 5

Sociologists call the ability to influence or force others to do what one wants them to do,regardless of their own wishes:

A) prestige.
B) power.
C) stratification.
D) caste.

Question 6

A university professor may receive more social approval and respect than an auto mechanic.Sociologists would term this a difference in:

A) prestige.
B) power.
C) stratification.
D) caste.

Question 7

The process of changing one's social class is called:

A) status climbing.
B) class consciousness.
C) career striving.
D) social mobility.

Question 8

In Marx's framework,those who own the tools and materials necessary for their work are the:

A) bourgeoisie.
B) middle class.
C) proletariat.
D) government leaders.

Question 9

The dimension of social class having to do with social honor expressed as sharing the same community and types of activities is called:

A) power.
B) class.
C) style.
D) status.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of upward social mobility?

A) Your parents are doctors and you become a doctor.
B) Your parents did not go to college, but you graduate with an M.A.
C) You lose your job as an engineer and you start a job in a fast-food restaurant.
D) You want to go to college one day.

Question 11

What did Marx call the class must sell its labor to those who own the means of production?

A) the working class
B) the underclass
C) labor
D) the proletariat

Question 12

According to Marx,one's relationship to the means of production is known as:

A) class.
B) status.
C) social mobility
D) employment.

Question 13

Marx's term for the an awareness of one's real position in the class structure is:

A) partial consciousness.
B) class consciousness.
C) false consciousness.
D) incomplete consciousness.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT one of Weber's three dimensions of social class?

A) class
B) power
C) education
D) status

Question 15

According to the definitions given in the text,which of the following workers would be considered to have developed class consciousness?

A) The maid thinks she is in the same class as the professor.
B) The GM autoworker thinks he is of a higher class than the janitor.
C) The man who owns the service station believes he is of the same class as the nurse.
D) The professor recognizes that like her auto mechanic, she too does not own the means of production.

Question 16

Inequality becomes stratification when it is institutionalized and:

A) involves different abilities.
B) supported by personal qualities.
C) based on membership in a status.
D) involves blue-collar employment.

Question 17

Which of the following is an ascribed status?

A) parent
B) female
C) friend
D) doctor

Question 18

How does Weber's definition of social class differ from that of Marx?

A) Weber's definition of class is focused on the relationship to the means of production; Marx's is not.
B) Marx's definition of class is focused on the relationship to the means of production; Weber's is not.
C) Marx's definition is of class; Weber's is of caste.
D) Marx and Weber use the same dimensions for defining social class.

Question 19

According to the definition in the text,which of these would be an example of stratification?

A) A curriculum with more physical education courses for boys than for girls
B) A plan that raises the minimum wage
C) Promotion based on more experience and more successful sales
D) The fact that girls generally score better than boys on tests of verbal ability

Question 20

The primary distinction between a caste system and a class system is that under a caste system:

A) there is more inequality than under a class system.
B) only one type of reward (status) is used.
C) ascribed statuses that are fixed throughout a lifetime are the major criteria used to rank individuals.
D) occupation is used as the chief criterion for membership.

Question 21

?Which measure of social class ranks people on income,education,occupation,or some combination?

A) status
B) class
C) socioeconomic status
D) prestige indicators

Question 22

Women in least-developed countries are _____times more likely to die in childbirth than women in the most-developed countries.

A) 10
B) 25
C) 50
D) 100

Question 23

A group of people who have a sense of identification with one another because they are about equal in class,power,and status are often referred to as sharing:

A) occupations.
B) socioeconomic status.
C) class consciousness.
D) social class.

Question 24

All of the following are intended outcomes of development EXCEPT:

A) longer life expectancy.
B) more consumer goods.
C) a capitalist economy.
D) better education.

Question 25

In the terminology of world-systems theory,the rich,powerful,economically diversified,and relatively autonomous nations comprise the:

A) peripheral societies.
B) core societies.
C) nation-states.
D) capitalist societies.

Question 26

The average life expectancy in the U.S.is almost _______ years; in Sierra Leone,it is ______ years.

A) 75; 50
B) 75; 59
C) 80; 62
D) 80; 48

Question 27

Which macrosociological view of social change is based on evolutionary and functional theory?

A) modernization theory
B) world-systems theory
C) industrialization theory
D) resource depletion theory

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT included as a factor necessarily related to development?

A) Westernization
B) increased productivity
C) higher standards of living
D) more education

Question 29

World-systems theory argues that the world economic system is dominated by:

A) capitalism.
B) socialism.
C) the proletariat.
D) the petit bourgeois.

Question 30

The Human Development Index measures the:

A) average achievements of a country and the basic dimensions of human experience.
B) age at which adolescents in a given country become fully developed.
C) disparity between men's and women's quality of life.
D) percentage of children who die before their first birthday.

Question 31

The process of increasing the productivity and standard of living of a society is called:

A) Westernization.
B) modernization.
C) industrialization.
D) development.

Question 32

The assumption that developing nations can follow the Western path to wealth through industrialization is basic to:

A) world-systems theory.
B) conflict theory.
C) third-world development theory.
D) modernization theory.

Question 33

The least-developed countries constitute what percentage of the world's population?

A) 9%
B) 32%
C) 54%
D) 75%

Question 34

The most-developed countries contain ______ of the world's population and produce ______ of the gross world product.

A) 80%; 8%
B) 50%; 50%
C) 20%; 80%
D) 35%; 70%

Question 35

The Human Development Index includes measures of:

A) life expectancy.
B) obesity rates.
C) gender-related development.
D) gross domestic product (GDP).

Question 36

Development is a major goal in:

A) all Western societies.
B) almost all societies.
C) almost no societies.
D) few Middle Eastern or Southeast Asian societies.

Question 37

In world-systems theory,the chief actors in the global free market system are:

A) capitalism and socialism
B) the first and second worlds.
C) Europe and the U.S.
D) nation-states and transnational corporations.

Question 38

According to a 2010 survey,most Americans consider themselves to be either __________ or __________ class.

A) upper-; lower-
B) middle-; working-
C) middle-; upper-
D) working-; lower-

Question 39

Which theory sees development as the natural unfolding of an evolutionary process in which a society goes from simple to complex institutional structures?

A) world-systems theory
B) evolutionary theory
C) modernization theory
D) expectation states theory

Question 40

Whether one identifies oneself as working- or middle-class has important consequences for all of the following EXCEPT:

A) how you vote.
B) what church you attend.
C) how much money you make.
D) how you raise your children.

Question 41

All the money that a person or family receives during a given period is termed:

A) wealth.
B) status.
C) income.
D) dividends.

Question 42

"Can money buy happiness?" The evidence in your text suggests that:

A) people with more money have a higher quality of life overall.
B) people with more money have more problems.
C) money has little real impact on one's quality of life.
D) social class is not very important any more in the United States.

Question 43

Applying Davis and Moore's structural-functional theory,women do not need to be rewarded for being mothers because:

A) it is not a very important job.
B) it is a very easy job.
C) there are many women who will do it voluntarily.
D) there are too many mothers already.

Question 44

Which theory of stratification offers a supply-and-demand explanation of occupational rewards?

A) symbolic interactionism
B) differential association
C) conflict theory
D) structural-functionalism

Question 45

Which of the following is a criticism of the structural-functional theory of stratification?

A) Social class, sex, and race probably have more to do with getting a good job than do scarce talents and abilities.
B) It does not account for the effect of unequal abilities.
C) It denies the necessity and desirability of authority and ranked statuses.
D) It fails to recognize the need to motivate people to work.

Question 46

To scholars of global relations,terrorism:

A) refers to foreigners who commit unlawful acts against a democratic population.
B) is always a social construction.
C) is only committed by the poor people within a society.
D) is an Islamic phenomenon only.

Question 47

The sum of the money and goods owned by a person at a given point of time is termed:

A) status.
B) assets.
C) wealth.
D) income.

Question 48

The richest 20% of the U.S.population hold approximately what percentage of total wealth?

A) 20%
B) 40%
C) 60%
D) 80%

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT discussed in the text as a consequence of social class difference in the U.S.?

A) People with incomes below $7,500 per year are four times as likely to be victims of violent crime as people with incomes higher than $75,000 per year.
B) People from the middle class are much more likely to be overweight than members of the working class.
C) Students from poor and working-class homes are more likely to drop out of college than middle-class students.
D) Infants born to mothers with college degrees are less than half as likely to die before their first birthday as those born to high school drop-outs.

Question 50

Which of the following statements is true about the difference between wealth and income?

A) Wealth measures all that a person and family have accumulated over years; income measures individual or family earnings.
B) In the U.S., income inequality is greater than inequality in wealth.
C) Inequality in wealth is a relatively new phenomenon in the U.S.
D) While inequality of wealth is high in the U.S., it is not as high as it is in European nations.

Question 51

The richest 20% of the U.S.population receive approximately what percentage of total income?

A) 20%
B) 30%
C) 50%
D) 98%

Question 52

Which is true about inequality in the distribution of household income in the U.S.?

A) It has declined in recent decades.
B) It has increased in recent decades.
C) It has not changed at all in the last 50 years.
D) It is low compared with that of other industrialized nations.

Question 53

Income inequality in the United States:

A) has declined over the past decade.
B) is less pronounced than in all other industrialized.
C) is similar to that in Sweden.
D) has steadily increased since 1970.

Question 54

The position that holds that inequality is both justifiable and necessary for society comes from:

A) structural-functional theory.
B) conflict theory.
C) synthetic theory.
D) symbolic interaction theory.

Question 55

A major criticism of the structural?functional theory of stratification is that it:

A) overlooks the fact that people are unequal in talent and ability.
B) overlooks the usefulness of inequality.
C) underestimates the importance of the division of labor.
D) ignores that fact that job importance can be artificially maintained.

Question 56

In structural-functional theory,rewards for performing essential tasks are increased when:

A) there is a scarcity of the talent and ability necessary to perform the task.
B) the task is pleasant.
C) the task is easy to accomplish.
D) All of these factors increase the rewards for a task.

Question 57

As a general rule,a person's social class is related to:

A) their behaviors but not their attitudes.
B) their attitudes but not their behaviors.
C) their life?style but not their values.
D) everything they do all day long.

Question 58

According to world-systems theory,the prosperity of the _________ is based on the poverty of the _________.

A) core societies; peripheral societies
B) peripheral societies; core societies
C) first-world countries; second-world countries
D) second-world countries; first-world countries

Question 59

According to structural-functional theory,stratification is necessary because:

A) people would otherwise not be motivated to work.
B) some tasks essential to society's survival require extra incentives because they are stressful and demanding.
C) social conflict is necessary in order to produce social change.
D) it provides individuals with a sense of belonging and social integration.

Question 60

Which of the following is NOT true about terrorism?

A) The poor are less likely to engage in terrorism than others.
B) The U.S. government generally routinely recognizes domestic terrorism.
C) Terrorism results from a perceived threat to a country's national or cultural pride.
D) One group's "terrorist" is another group's "freedom fighter."

Question 61

Which of the following examples of inequality is best explained on the macro level?

A) Despite his Princeton degree in economics, Miguel is unable to find a job anywhere but McDonald's.
B) Jasmina, an African American woman, goes to Yale and becomes a doctor like her father.
C) Yu works hard in school and wins a scholarship to study in the U.S. despite his family's low social class in China.
D) Olga has difficulty passing high school courses and, like her parents before her, decides not to attend college.

Question 62

The theoretical perspective that asks how inequalities are perpetuated within everyday life is:

A) structural-functionalism.
B) conflict theory.
C) symbolic interactionism.
D) strain theory.

Question 63

According to Karl Marx,inequality is caused by:

A) the need for competition to ensure the best candidates for any particular job.
B) the economic structuring that occurs as society moves from manufacturing to service jobs.
C) private ownership of the means of production.
D) All of these are explanations for inequality offered by Marx.

Question 64

In a class system,the allocation of statuses and resources in each new generation depends on:

A) personal characteristics such as education and job skills.
B) individual characteristics and labor market characteristics.
C) achievement motivation and intelligence alone.
D) none of the above

Question 65

If a teacher believes that a student is less intelligent than other students,that student is likely to receive less attention and assistance.Therefore,ultimately the student seen as less intelligent will perform poorly on assignments.This is an example of:

A) relative inequality.
B) a self-fulfilling prophecy.
C) structural-strain.
D) blaming the victim.

Question 66

When something is defined as real and therefore becomes real in its consequences,this is termed:

A) a self-fulfilling prophecy.
B) structural-strain.
C) reality functioning.
D) critical reality.

Question 67

The theoretical perspective that explains how social interaction reinforces inequality by reminding each of us of our place in the social order is:

A) structural-functionalism.
B) conflict theory.
C) symbolic interactionism.
D) strain theory.

Question 68

A set of beliefs that rationalizes current social structures is called:

A) an institution.
B) a culture.
C) a mythology.
D) an ideology.

Question 69

A major criticism of the conflict perspective on stratification is that it:

A) is an ideology that justifies inequality.
B) makes the assumption that unequal financial rewards are needed to motivate people.
C) ignores the fact that people are unequal and that coordination and authority are functional.
D) places too much emphasis on the importance of inequality as a major motivator of human labor.

Question 70

The phrase "segmented labor market" refers to a situation in which:

A) there is one labor market for white males and another for women and minorities.
B) jobs are rotated by segments in order to maintain status equality.
C) jobs become more specialized.
D) workers are categorized as being "democratic" or "republican."

Question 71

Studies of different stratification systems indicate that:

A) inequality is usually strongly resented.
B) few societies are aware of inequality.
C) inequality usually leads to resentment and revolution.
D) inequality is usually accepted as natural and just.

Question 72

The American Dream is an ideology that justifies inequality by saying that:

A) inequality is necessary to maintain society.
B) people are unequal in natural talent and ability.
C) achievement is possible and we each get what we earn.
D) the United States is a rich country and we are all better off than the poor people in third-world countries.

Question 73

Although the class system of the U.S.permits social mobility,most people attain the same or similar social class as their parents.This is best described as:

A) a self-fulfilling prophecy.
B) the indirect inheritance model.
C) survival of the fittest.
D) operant conditioning.

Question 74

Reproductive labor refers to:

A) traditionally female tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and nurturing.
B) refurbishing old machinery.
C) jobs that enable women to spend more time with their families.
D) flex-jobs.

Question 75

Chris is an engineer.Her daughter and son are also engineers.This pattern is probably a result of:

A) direct inheritance.
B) indirect inheritance.
C) genetics.
D) parental determination.

Question 76

Modern conflict theory examines:

A) how ownership of the means of production creates class competition.
B) the impact of false consciousness on social values.
C) the uses of social conflict to ensure the best qualified are motivated for difficult positions.
D) control affects the struggle for scarce resources and the role of class in governmental policies.

Question 77

In the last 90 years,the proportion of positions at the top of the U.S.occupational structure has:

A) dramatically decreased.
B) slightly decreased.
C) dramatically increased.
D) slightly decreased.

Question 78

The best predictor of your eventual social class is your:

A) intelligence.
B) determination.
C) achievement motivation.
D) parents' income.

Question 79

Marxists generally believe that inequality:

A) is a necessary evil within society.
B) is both necessary and desirable.
C) is undesirable, and benefits only the wealthy.
D) will disappear when productivity is increased.

Question 80

In the United States,parents provide children with social and economic surroundings that ensure that the children have about the same social class position as their parents.This is called:

A) achievement motivation.
B) an ascribed class system.
C) the indirect inheritance model.
D) intergenerational mobility.