Deck 8: Social Class and Social Stratification

Question 1

Which of the following is not one of the groups within a feudal system?

A)nobles
B)priesthood
C)commoners
D)doctors

Answer 1

D

Question 2

A relatively fixed,hierarchical arrangement in society by which groups have different access to resources,power,and perceived social worth is called.

A)social differentiation
B)social stratification
C)social inequality
D)social status

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The Smiths compare their wealth,income,and lifestyle to others in their neighborhood.Which of the following are they comparing?

A)Life chances
B)Ascribed statuses
C)Achieved statuses
D)Class systems

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A college graduate examines her income and wealth in relation to others.She is interested in.

A)Social differentiation
B)Social stratification
C)Social equality
D)Social change

Question 5

The feudal societies of Europe in the Middle Ages are an example of a(n) system of stratification.

A)estate
B)caste
C)class
D)socialist

Question 6

What type of system did black workers experience during South Africa's period of Apartheid?

A)estate
B)caste
C)class
D)socialist

Question 7

People at a party are comparing clothing,automobiles,and personal possessions.They are comparing elements of.

A)social class
B)social status
C)social standing
D)social caste

Question 8

Which of the following is false regarding social class?

A)Social class shapes one's access to resources in society.
B)It is not possible to directly observe social class.
C)It is not possible for people to change whatever social class they are born into.
D)People in the same social class share similar opportunities.

Question 9

2refers to the process by which different statuses develop in any group,organization,or society.

A)Social differentiation
B)Social stratification
C)Social inequality
D)Social mobility

Question 10

What do sociologists use to measure social class?

A)education level
B)occupation
C)income
D)all of these

Question 11

The position one holds in relation to the economic,political,social and cultural resources in a society is called
One's .

A)social achievement
B)social organization
C)social class
D)cohort

Question 12

Class systems differ from caste systems in that one's status in a class system may be ,to some extent?
While in a caste system it is not.

A)ascribed
B)achieved
C)economic
D)social

Question 13

Which of the following mostly likely happened to the Joneses if they were in the top 1 percent of earners in
2009?

A)They saw a decrease in income.
B)They saw a large tax increase.
C)They saw little or no decline in net worth.
D)None of the above.

Question 14

Max Weber called the opportunities that people have in common by virtue of belonging to a particular class
)

A)strata indicators
B)social attributes
C)life chances
D)social anomalies

Question 15

In a caste system,one's place in the stratification system is an status? in a class system,one's place in the
Stratification system is an status.

A)achieved; ascribed
B)master; achieved
C)ascribed; master
D)ascribed,achieved

Question 16

Which of these statements about social class is false?

A)Social class may be observed in the everyday habit of a person.
B)The social class one is born into has enormous consequences for one's life.
C)Social class is personal and individual,not social structural.
D)Social class is major determinant of life chances.

Question 17

In a caste system,one's place in the stratification system is a(n)status.

A)ascribed
B)achieved
C)temporary
D)ambiguous

Question 18

If an individual discovers he has certain opportunities to succeed,he is examining his.

A)life chances
B)social setting
C)ascribed status
D)status symbols

Question 19

Which of the following is true about stratification systems?

A)Most societies do not have true stratification systems.
B)Most societies share the same amount of complexity in their stratification systems.
C)Stratification systems are somewhat unusual in modern societies.
D)Stratification systems vary in degree and complexity of stratification.

Question 20

What is the difference between stratification and differentiation?

A)Differentiation is based on different social status,stratification is not.
B)Differentiation is not necessarily unequal,but stratification is.
C)Stratification develops in many groups and organizations,but differentiation is less common.
D)Stratification exists in modern societies,and differentiation exists in previous societies.

Question 21

According to William Julius Wilson,the "underclass" is

A)the result of structural transformations in the economy.
B)the product of a welfare system that is so generous that going to work is not an attractive option.
C)actually comprised of unemployed individuals from rural,more than urban,areas.
D)mostly found in the suburbs of big cities.

Question 22

Occupational prestige ratings

A)are subjective evaluations of the value of jobs.
B)are determined by sociologists who measure income and education requirements for the jobs.
C)are not related to overall socioeconomic status.
D)are based on economic potential.

Question 23

What is the sociological term for the process by which people end up in any given position in the stratification system?

A)stratification achievement
B)ascription
C)status attainment
D)goal orientation

Question 24

In 2007,in order for a person to be in the top 400 wealthiest people in the U.S.one had to have more than
In wealth.

A)$1 million
B)$100 million
C)$1 billion
D)$100 billion

Question 25

The Parkers are in the upper class and earned all their wealth in the last year from a very successful business.
The Parkers are considered part of the:

A)upper-upper class.
B)nouveau riche.
C)achieved class.
D)ascribed caste.

Question 26

Jan is adding up her wages earned,child support received,and interest.She is calculating her.

A)income
B)wealth
C)assets
D)tax receipts

Question 27

Most of the wealth represented by the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest people and families in the U.S.

A)has been earned in the oil industry.
B)is inherited.
C)belongs to major athletes.
D)is earned by an individual during their lifetime.

Question 28

The sociological perspective that defines classes in terms of their structural relationship to other classes and their relationship to the economic system is the.

A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)symbolic interactionist perspective
D)exchange perspective

Question 29

Which of the following does not represent a reason why "middle class" is difficult to define?

A)A very large portion,with widely varying lifestyles and resources,consider themselves middle class.
B)Being middle class tends to mean more than just economic status.
C)Calling oneself middle class is the norm in the U.S.
D)The middle class is a very large and diverse group.

Question 30

The Bakers are part of the upper class.Which of the following scenarios are they most likely to fit?

A)They achieved their wealth.
B)They were born in the middle class
C)They are a family who have held wealth for generations.
D)None of the above.

Question 31

income is defined as the midpoint of all household incomes.

A)Mean
B)Median
C)Modal
D)Measured

Question 32

John shows off his new car and clothes to other students.He is exhibiting an example of.

A)class consciousness
B)conspicuous consumption
C)social differentiation
D)social stratification

Question 33

Beth a sociology major is trying to determine what she owns and how much she owes in debt.From this she will be able to determine her.

A)class position
B)wealth
C)income
D)prestige

Question 34

As a women,Jane is ___________.

A)more likely to receive subprime mortgages
B)less likely to receive subprime mortgages
C)unaffected by subprime mortgages
D)none of the above

Question 35

The urban underclass differs from others among the lower class in a number of ways.Which of the following is
Not one of these reasons?

A)The urban underclass have no means of economic support.
B)The working poor are more likely to engage in illegal activities.
C)The urban underclass is very likely to be dependent on public assistance programs.
D)The urban underclass consists of mostly recent immigrants.

Question 36

Which of these statements is the best description of social class in the United States?

A)There is a very simple class structure: a very few wealthy landowners and the majority of the population having no property.
B)The social class system is very simple because throughout society there is relative equality.
C)Social class status is determined almost exclusively by the occupation that one has.
D)The U.S.system is elaborate; it could be depicted by a ladder with a different social class at each rung.

Question 37

Sociologists who analyze class using a conflict perspective

A)see class basically as a continuum.
B)argue that class is basically a matter of what individuals possess in terms of income and prestige.
C)see class as defined by the relationship of the classes to the larger system of economic production.
D)base their views on the early work of Emile Durkheim who pointed out the dysfunctional consequences of division of labor.

Question 38

In the United States

A)it is very common for people to start out poor and yet achieve great wealth.
B)most people live their entire lives as members of a social class very close to the one they were born into.
C)a person's individual achievements have no effect on their social class.
D)most individuals move down the social class ladder during their lifetimes.

Question 39

How is the measure of occupational prestige determined?

A)Employers are asked how prestigious they believe their businesses are.
B)Employees are asked to evaluate the prestige of their jobs.
C)A nationwide sample of people are asked to evaluate a series of different jobs.
D)Jobs are ranked according to how much they are paid.

Question 40

In the United States,the lower class

A)has little formal education.
B)is disproportionately people of color and women.
C)includes the working poor.
D)all of these

Question 41

As of 2008 the pattern of home foreclosures in the U.S.is

A)that foreclosures are occurring at the same rate in all neighborhoods.
B)middle-class neighborhoods have been able to avoid foreclosures.
C)that greater the proportion of Blacks in a neighborhood the higher the rate of foreclosure.
D)five foreclosures for Black families for every one foreclosure among Whites.

Question 42

One percent of the U.S.population controls approximatelyof the total net wealth in the nation.

A)one-third
B)one-quarter
C)one-half
D)two-thirds

Question 43

How is the pattern of wealth distribution in the U.S.influenced by race?

A)Asians are a "model minority."
B)Black families have lower levels of wealth than white families.
C)Discriminatory practices in banking and housing have resulted in inequality of wealth,even after several generations.
D)The patterns of wealth distribution in the U.S.is not influenced by race.

Question 44

Class inequality in the United States have been growing due to all of the following,except

A)the recent economic restructuring.
B)the loss of savings and income.
C)global economic changes
D)Americans have unrealistic expectations of wealth.

Question 45

In regards to the intersection of race and class,Black Americans

A)in the middle class are not segregated from whites as are poorer Blacks.
B)are more likely to be working class than are whites.
C)are more likely to be middle class than working class.
D)look more like Asian Americans that Whites.

Question 46

The most important predictor of Bobby's class location is.

A)his income
B)his wealth
C)his inheritance
D)his debt

Question 47

In recent years,both the African American and Latino middle class have expanded because of

A)increased access to education and middle-class occupations for people of color.
B)increased intermarriage rates with White Anglos.
C)legislation that has brought an end to de facto discrimination.
D)a significant upturn in the U.S.economy during the past decade.

Question 48

The Black middle class

A)does not experience racism.
B)earns wages equal to those earned by the white middle class.
C)is becoming more like the model minority.
D)continues to experience segregation.

Question 49

Who benefits most from U.S.tax policies?

A)the wealthy
B)the poor
C)the government
D)corporations

Question 50

In the United States,the concept of the "model minority"

A)is based on a stereotype of Asian Americans being the most successful minority group in the United States.
B)takes into account the successes of other minority groups.
C)changes based on the experiences of racial groups.
D)hides the successes of whites.

Question 51

According to Marxian conflict theory,as capitalism progresses

A)the professional-managerial class will become part of the elite.
B)many of those in the middle class will drop into the working class as they are pushed out of managerial jobs into working class jobs.
C)corporate mergers will redistribute wealth from being in the hands of the few to society's "have­nots."
D)the classes will become polarized with no overlap or mobility.

Question 52

Regarding race and class,which of the following is true?

A)Blacks have less wealth than whites,Asians,and Latinos.
B)Latinos have been unable to move into the middle class.
C)Racial minorities do not aspire to be part of the middle class.
D)The race-class debate has largely been concluded.

Question 53

The idea that Asian Americans are a "model minority":

A)is accurate.
B)obscures obstacles to success.
C)underestimates the contributions of other minorities.
D)acknowledges poverty among Asian American groups.

Question 54

About eighteen percent of Americans have zero or negative wealth,meaning

A)their debt exceeds their net worth.
B)their debt exceeds their annual income.
C)their tax burden is more than double their income.
D)their education debt exceeds their potential income.

Question 55

Which of the following is false regarding social class in the United States?

A)Social classes are becoming more polarized with the wealthy increasing their wealth and the middle class stagnating.
B)Rising debt among the middle class has increased inequality between the classes.
C)The lower class has little power to control their working environment.
D)Tax policies favor the middle and lower classes.

Question 56

Which of the following is true about the effects of gender on stratification?

A)Based on their own income and education levels,most women would be considered middle-class
B)The median income for women is far below the national median income level.
C)When women have as much education as men,they have jobs that pay as well.
D)Women are more likely than men to work in upper-middle class jobs.

Question 57

When researchers calculate a basketball star's net worth they are measuring the star's.

A)wealth or net worth
B)wages and income
C)income and wealth
D)total value

Question 58

While Marx predicted a specific set of events,which of the following actually occurred?

A)The middle class was pushed into the working class.
B)The middle class remains fragile while the upper and lower classes grow.
C)The upper class has been overthrown by the working class.
D)The working class is growing in size and power.

Question 59

What does economic restructuring refer to?

A)the decline in manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
B)the process of consumers consolidating their debt
C)a shift in the percentages of Americans in each social class
D)the passing of wealth from one generation to the next

Question 60

Measured by their average education and income levels,most women would be considered

A)poor.
B)working class.
C)middle class.
D)upper class.

Question 61

Unlike his father,Johnny has been able to go to college and enter a high paying profession.He has experienced
Mobility.

A)intergenerational
B)intragenerational
C)extragenerational
D)co-generational

Question 62

The perception that a class structure exists and the feeling of shared identification with others in one's class is
Referred to as.

A)false consciousness
B)class consciousness
C)normative consciousness
D)stratified consciousness

Question 63

According to Weber,what is the relationship of the dimensions of stratification to each other?

A)The economic,social,and political dimensions of stratification are usually related.
B)A person's social,political,and economic statuses are always consistent with each other.
C)Political status is much more important in determining one's position in the stratification system than are economic or social status.
D)There is no relationship between the economic,social,and political dimensions of stratification.

Question 64

What is the primary difference between Marx's and Weber's views of social class?

A)Weber disagreed that classes were formed around economic issues.
B)Weber disagreed that economic forces are the primary basis for stratification.
C)Weber disagreed that there could be more than one dimension to stratification.
D)Weber did not believe that economic forces had any impact on other aspects of life.

Question 65

Which of these statements about class consciousness in the U.S.is false?

A)Americans do not tend to be very conscious of social class.
B)In the U.S.the importance placed on individualism diminishes the existence of class consciousness.
C)There is widespread belief that everyone has access to the same types of material comforts.
D)Despite the absence of class consciousness,most Americans are aware that there is little upward social mobility.

Question 66

Weber's concept of is the political dimension of stratification.

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

Question 67

Which of these statements about social mobility in the U.S.is true?

A)Social mobility is most influenced by the characteristics of individuals.
B)Being born into a particular generation may significantly influence chances for social mobility.
C)Social mobility within the U.S.is virtually impossible.
D)Most people remain in the same social class as their parents.

Question 68

The United States is assumed by many to be a ,a system in which one's status is based on
Accomplishments.

A)democracy
B)pluralist society
C)meritocracy
D)status attainment society

Question 69

Which of the following is false about social mobility in the United States today?

A)In the U.S.anyone who works hard enough can get ahead.
B)Social mobility occurs in the U.S.,but less often than the myth asserts and over shorter distances from one class to another.
C)Most people remain in their class of origin.
D)Social mobility is greatly influenced by education.

Question 70

Which of these groups best corresponds to the "lumpenproletariat" identified by Marx as subdivision of the
Working class?

A)managers and administrators
B)workers
C)the homeless and permanently poor
D)the owners of the means of production

Question 71

Karl Marx used the concept ofto explain why people who do not benefit from a capitalist system would still support it.

A)surplus value
B)power and prestige
C)ideology
D)lumpenproletariat

Question 72

Social mobility occurring within a generation is calledmobility.

A)intergenerational
B)intragenerational
C)extragenerational
D)co-generational

Question 73

Max Weber analyzed the connections between

A)the economic,social,and political dimensions of stratification.
B)class,race,and gender as the basis for social stratification.
C)cooperation,competition,and conflict as social processes effecting social mobility.
D)ability,ambition,and sponsorship as factors impacting on social mobility.

Question 74

A politician describes inequality as a motivator of people to fill the different and necessary positions in society.
He is using an example of.

A)functionalist theory
B)conflict theory
C)symbolic interactionist theory
D)social exchange theory

Question 75

According to theperspective,the most vital jobs in society usually receive the greatest economic rewards.

A)functionalist
B)conflict
C)symbolic interactionist
D)feminist

Question 76

Weber believed that

A)class and access to life chances are totally unrelated.
B)while power is linked to economic standing,economic standing alone is not always the source of people's power.
C)systems of stratification are not part of the social structure.
D)microlevel analysis is more valid than macrolevel analysis.

Question 77

What was the basis of the definitions of class identified by Karl Marx?

A)level of education
B)relationship to means of production
C)ownership of agricultural land
D)amount of net wealth

Question 78

Which of the following is most accurate if Bobby is under the age 10?

A)He is less likely to be poor because he is under the age of ten and teens make up most of youth poverty.
B)He has the same chance of being poor because all age groups are equally likely to be poor.
C)He is more likely to be poor because children are the age group most likely to be poor.
D)He is less likely to be poor because the elderly are the age group most likely to be poor.

Question 79

When members of the subordinated classes internalize the views of the dominant class and justify inequality,Karl
Marx termed this.

A)false consciousness
B)class consciousness
C)normative consciousness
D)stratified consciousness

Question 80

Which of the following is an example of intergenerational mobility?

A)A daughter rises above the class of her parents.
B)A man's class status changes due to a bad investment.
C)A woman's class status changes as a result of business success.
D)After having children,a couple's class status drops.