Deck 12: Social Stratification

Question 1

Which statement about class differences in the U.S.is true?

A) The years 1945-75 witnessed a widening gap between the various classes.
B) Over the last 60 years there has been a shifting of class differences.
C) The gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" has widened since 1975.
D) Since 1975 class differences have remained essentially unchanged.
E) There are fewer class differences in the U.S. today.

Answer 1

The gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" has widened since 1975.

Question 2

Economic inequality is greatest among:

A) the Ju/'hoansi.
B) the Inuit.
C) the people of the United States.
D) the Nuer.
E) the people of Bolivia.

Answer 2

the people of the United States.

Question 3

One of the most visible traits of the members of the underclass is:

A) working in closely supervised occupations.
B) homelessness.
C) vulnerability to layoffs.
D) lack of medical benefits in their work.
E) lack of a college degree.

Answer 3

homelessness.

Question 4

According to Max Weber,the three major criteria used for measuring social inequality are:

A) wealth, power, and prestige.
B) prestige, education, and religion.
C) power, race, and religion.
D) wealth, religion, and prestige.
E) prestige, wealth, and status.

Question 5

The ability to achieve one's goals and objectives even against the will of others is known as:

A) prestige.
B) inequality.
C) subordination.
D) exploitation.
E) power.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a reason the upper class in the United States has considerable power?

A) It owns the means of production.
B) It controls the media.
C) It has enormous political influence.
D) It is the main source of soft money contributions to political campaigns.
E) It comprises about 20% of the U.S. population.

Question 7

During the last 25 years,compensation for CEOs in the U.S.(when compared to other segments of the population)has:

A) increased dramatically.
B) decreased somewhat.
C) increased only slightly.
D) remained unchanged.
E) decreased dramatically.

Question 8

In caste societies:

A) no caste has a monopoly on certain occupations.
B) marriage between castes is strictly prohibited.
C) all castes have equal access to power, prestige, and wealth.
D) social mobility is virtually unrestricted.
E) there is very little difference in occupational ranking.

Question 9

Chiefs in a rank society possess great prestige and accumulate large amounts of tribute which:

A) they give away to others.
B) is used for their sons' inheritance.
C) is used for the inheritance of all of their children.
D) they destroy in one large potlatch.
E) they keep for their own use.

Question 10

_____________ societies developed approximately 5,500 years ago.

A) Egalitarian
B) Rank
C) Ascribed
D) Stratified
E) Caste

Question 11

Prestige in the United States is associated with occupations,but it changes over time.The Harris Poll indicated that ___________ rank among the highest prestige professions.

A) stock traders
B) bankers
C) real estate brokers
D) scientists
E) home builders

Question 12

Which statement about the class system in the United States is true?

A) All people have an equal chance of going from rags to riches.
B) The U.S. allows for the least amount of social mobility.
C) Most people stay in the same social class for their entire lives.
D) U.S. society places a higher value on ascribed status than on achieved status.
E) In the U.S. we have more characteristics of a caste society than a class one.

Question 13

In a rank society,high-status positions:

A) are available only to the best qualified.
B) often expand to include all qualified candidates.
C) are often filled on the basis of kinship.
D) are constantly expanding.
E) do not exist. Only the chief has a high status position.

Question 14

In an egalitarian society:

A) there are no individuals who are more highly esteemed than others.
B) the most esteemed individuals have the most tools, therefore the most wealth.
C) there are as many positions of prestige as there are persons capable of filling them.
D) there are always a number of positions of power with no one to fill them.
E) there is no such thing as power or prestige.

Question 15

Comparatively,the lower classes in the U.S.have not done very well in the last three decades because of all of the following except:

A) the new post-industrial economy requires increasing amounts of higher education.
B) tax cuts during the Reagan and George W. Bush administrations have helped the wealthy more than the poor.
C) labor unions have been on the decline.
D) rising job opportunities that take them away from home.
E) the increase in female-headed households.

Question 16

In the United States,which of the following would you not expect to be among the power elite?

A) military commander
B) college professor
C) politician
D) corporate CEO
E) president of a bank

Question 17

____________ systems are based on achieved status and permit considerable social mobility.

A) Class
B) Chiefdom
C) Egalitarian
D) Rank
E) Caste

Question 18

The capitalist class wields enormous influence (well beyond their numbers)through all of the following except:

A) making large financial contributions to political campaigns.
B) being recruited to serve in powerful government positions.
C) controlling the media.
D) owning local and national businesses.
E) practicing the same religion.

Question 19

Which of the following are types of societies based on levels of social inequality?

A) band, tribe, chiefdom, and state
B) stratified, ascribed, and achieved
C) egalitarian and state societies
D) egalitarian, rank, and stratified
E) hunting and gathering, horticultural, pastoral, and agricultural

Question 20

Members of the same social class share similar economic levels:

A) but very different political views and values.
B) and often similar educational backgrounds and political views.
C) but very different occupations and memberships in organizations.
D) but very different job opportunities.
E) and similar types of job mobility and cultural practices.

Question 21

Which racial term was dropped from the U.S.Census after 1920?

A) Black
B) White
C) Mulatto
D) Mestizo
E) Latino

Question 22

Ethnicity refers to:

A) cultural traits passed from generation to generation.
B) physical traits that distinguish individuals.
C) physical and cultural traits of human populations.
D) only visible cultural traits, such as clothing, food, and religious practices.
E) the way a population behaves.

Question 23

The "Decade of Roma Inclusion" was initiated by European countries in order to:

A) improve housing, education, health, and employment for Arabic populations.
B) improve housing, education, health, and employment for African populations.
C) improve housing, education, health, and employment for Gypsy populations.
D) encourage and provide incentives for foreign-born nationals to participate in political structures in their countries.
E) better educate European populations about the ethnic diversity and richness within their own countries.

Question 24

As a scientific concept,race:

A) is very significant because it gives us a clearer understanding of human behavior than the concept of culture provides.
B) is seldom, if ever, influenced by people's beliefs.
C) justifies the exclusion of some groups from the activities of others.
D) is not very significant because it gives us little insight into human behavior.
E) is the basis for distinguishing between different groups of people.

Question 25

Which statement about race and intelligence is false?

A) I.Q. tests are an accurate measure of genetically-based intelligence.
B) On average, Whites scored higher than Blacks on I.Q. tests during World War I.
C) I.Q. test scores are a good predictor of success in college.
D) A person's I.Q. score may change during his or her lifetime.
E) Blacks from Northern states score higher than Whites from the South.

Question 26

Race refers to:

A) a group of people sharing similar cultural traits.
B) a group of people sharing similar beliefs and ideologies.
C) nothing more than a statistical statement about the occurrence of physical traits.
D) three specific categories: Mongoloid, Negroid, and Caucasoid.
E) the accumulation of all physical differences between any two populations.

Question 27

Assimilation is best illustrated by:

A) Palestinians in Israel.
B) Chechens in Russia.
C) various Pacific Island cultures living in Hawaii.
D) French Canadians living in Quebec.
E) Hispanics migrating to the U.S

Question 28

The highest of the four major Hindu castes is the varna of the:

A) warriors.
B) priests and scholars.
C) tradesmen.
D) cultivators.
E) business owners.

Question 29

The systematic annihilation of a culture is referred to as:

A) population transfer.
B) genocide.
C) long-term subjugation.
D) assimilation.
E) pluralism.

Question 30

Sanskritization refers to the process in India of:

A) moving up the caste ladder.
B) slowly adding beef to one's diet.
C) gradually eliminating social mobility from the society.
D) becoming more Islamic and less Hindu.
E) learning a new language.

Question 31

Until the recent changes in South Africa in the 1990s,the repression of Blacks under the apartheid system was an example of:

A) assimilation.
B) legal protection of minorities.
C) long-term subjugation.
D) extermination.
E) population transfer.

Question 32

Caste societies are found in:

A) South America and Asia.
B) Scandinavian countries.
C) several regions of the world.
D) Hindu India.
E) African and eastern European countries.

Question 33

Which of the following is false about the jati (sub-castes)of India?

A) They have social rankings which vary from one region to another.
B) They are local groups that are strictly endogamous.
C) They only socialize with members of their own group.
D) They are linked today to traditional occupations only.
E) They provide the primary basis for personal identity.

Question 34

Which statement about the Hispanic population in the U.S.is true?

A) Most do not speak English.
B) Most do not fully participate in the U.S. economy.
C) Most are short-timers, planning to return to their native country as soon as possible.
D) They have a higher labor force participation rate than Anglos or African-Americans.
E) They do not wish to be citizens.

Question 35

Pluralism:

A) is the process of the wider society accepting a new ethnic group.
B) describes a racial or ethnic minority's absorption into the wider society.
C) describes the political, economic, and social repression of racial and ethnic minorities.
D) is a myth because it does not exist anywhere in the world today.
E) describes two or more diverse ethnic groups living in harmony.

Question 36

"Kite fighting" is a popular sport in which country?

A) South Korea
B) Brazil
C) Norway
D) Afghanistan
E) India

Question 37

Which statement about the term Dalit is false?

A) It refers to the upper caste in Hindu India.
B) It means literally the "crushed" or "oppressed" people of India.
C) It is a more politically correct term for "Untouchables."
D) It refers to the caste of people relegated to performing the most menial tasks.
E) It is not considered a legitimate caste.

Question 38

Which ethnic group in the U.S.grew the fastest during the 1990s?

A) Vietnamese
B) Hispanics
C) African-Americans
D) Arabic-speaking peoples
E) Chinese

Question 39

In order to gather adequate data for the rejuvenation of a park in New Jersey,anthropologist Setha Low:

A) used only participant-observation as a method.
B) used a number of techniques including social mapping and having all interested parties make a sketch plan of the proposed park that reflected their values, interests, and needs.
C) used a standardized survey administered by anthropology students.
D) gathered information about the needs and values of the members of the surrounding neighborhood who had the most power and prestige.
E) employed a large number of architects from different ethnic backgrounds.

Question 40

The U.S.Census data on race and ethnicity:

A) is the only completely accurate measure of race in the United States.
B) is constantly changing because of problems of definition and categorization.
C) has become increasingly accurate over the last four decades.
D) is completely wrong and has no use at all as national data.
E) is no longer collected.

Question 41

Which statement about per capita gross national income (GNI)is not true?

A) Half of the countries of the world have a GNI of under $2500.
B) The richest nation per GNI is the United States.
C) The United States has a GNI of over $47,000.
D) Liberia and Ethiopia have GNIs of less than $180.
E) The poorest nation per GNI is Burundi.

Question 42

In the United States the middle class constitutes approximately 40% of the population.

Question 43

In egalitarian societies,a few individuals will always have more wealth than others.

Question 44

Caste systems are associated with ascribed status,and class systems are associated with achieved status.

Question 45

Caste membership is directly related to occupation and control of valuable resources.

Question 46

The Dalit group ("untouchables")are the lowest legitimate caste in Muslim India.

Question 47

Rank societies have unequal access to wealth but not to power or prestige.

Question 48

How is the per capita gross national income calculated?

A) It is the total amount of goods produced and sold minus the amount of goods and services imported.
B) It is the total amount of goods produced plus the amount of goods exported.
C) It subtracts the amount of exports and imports from the national total production and divides this by the number of citizens.
D) It adds the total amount of goods or services exported to the amount imported and divides this by the total income of the population.
E) It adds the total amount of output or production of goods and services to the amount of income of residents and divides this by the total population.

Question 49

All of the following are arguments against the functionalist interpretation of social inequality except:

A) those who obtain higher education should be paid more because of the amount of job preparation that they have.
B) not all people in a society are motivated to maximize their wealth.
C) some populations do not have equal opportunities to compete for positions.
D) stratified societies do not always give the most valuable positions to those who most deserve them.
E) it is fundamentally an ethnocentric argument.

Question 50

The conflict theory interpretation of inequality argues that:

A) if people are to make sacrifices necessary to perform vital jobs, they must be adequately rewarded.
B) the most highly skilled people deserve the most money.
C) the upper levels of the hierarchy exploit those below.
D) it is best to have a very competitive process for job selection so that the candidate that is most evolved will emerge first.
E) jobs that require more specialized skills should be classified as more valuable to society.

Question 51

The functionalist interpretation of inequality argues that if people are to make sacrifices necessary to perform vital jobs,they must be all of the following except:

A) adequately rewarded.
B) convinced that the most highly skilled people deserve the most money.
C) convinced that the current system serves to motivate the best people to fill key jobs into those positions in society.
D) aware that, because of social stratification and gender inequality, some people are simply not prepared to assume certain jobs.
E) aware that better jobs require more specialized education and skill.

Question 52

All complex societies are stratified.

Question 53

There is extremely little social mobility in a class society.

Question 54

Genocides have occurred in all of the following countries except:

A) Rwanda.
B) Sudan.
C) Germany.
D) Yugoslavia.
E) Iceland.

Question 55

Which of the following is not among the ten richest nations in per capita gross national income?

A) Switzerland
B) Denmark
C) Finland
D) Germany
E) Netherlands

Question 56

Karl Marx referred to the exploited working class,those who exchanged their labor for wages,as the:

A) bourgeoisie.
B) capitalists.
C) proletariat.
D) peons.
E) peasants.

Question 57

Which of the following is not an expected social consequence of wealth disparity in the world? Poor countries have:

A) the highest birth rates and the lowest life expectancies.
B) the lowest mortality rates and the lowest education levels.
C) very poor quality infrastructural systems and more health problems.
D) fewer adults to care for the number of young children.
E) more children born underweight than overweight.

Question 58

Social scientists estimate that there are,in reality,some six classes in the United States.

Question 59

Primogeniture is the exclusive right of the eldest son to his father's estate.

Question 60

According to the Marxist view,capitalists create a false consciousness in workers by leading them to believe that:

A) God does not exist.
B) work will not lead to a better life.
C) they are actually the owners of the means of production.
D) if they work harder, they will be successful.
E) the owners of business are morally better than they are.

Question 61

Compare and contrast achieved and ascribed status.

Question 62

What is ethnicity?

Question 63

The conflict theory of inequality holds that stratification contributes to the overall well being of the society.

Question 64

What are the most significant social consequences of global wealth inequity?

Question 65

Compare and contrast the theories of functionalist interpretation with the theory of conflict to explain stratification.

Question 66

The outward appearances of class in the United States today are very obvious.

Question 67

The measurement of different racial groups in the U.S.by using census data is a relatively easy and straightforward task.

Question 68

Distinguish between power and prestige.

Question 69

What are the three criteria delineated by Max Weber for measuring levels of social inequality?

Question 70

The fastest-growing ethnic population in the U.S.today is Chinese.

Question 71

Name the three types of societies based on levels of social inequality.

Question 72

What are six forms of intergroup relations?

Question 73

Based on our knowledge of genetics,we know that there are no pure races.

Question 74

The proletariat is in control of the labor of the bourgeoisie.

Question 75

Most scientific researchers do not believe there is a correlation between IQ tests and genetic intelligence.

Question 76

Assimilation occurs when a racial minority is absorbed into the wider society.

Question 77

People who accept the functionalist theory of social inequality argue that societies must pay the most money to the best people.

Question 78

An example of genocide was the "ethnic cleansing" of the Serbian forces under President Slobodan Milosevic.

Question 79

What are common characteristics of caste societies?

Question 80

Scientifically,what is a race?