Deck 1: An Introduction to the Study of Social Inequality

Question 1

Which of the following is the study of social inequality NOT concerned with?

A) individuals and groups
B) personal positions
C) psychological positioning
D) structural arrangements

Answer 1

psychological positioning

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT an event that has led to greater social inequality?

A) companies have been able to pass of their pension obligations to the federal government
B) blue collar-workers have been especially hard-hit because manufacturing jobs have either moved or been shut down
C) the streamlining and downsizing of businesses have increased job opportunities for experienced, specialized workers
D) the downsizing of companies has impacted white-collar workers

Answer 2

the streamlining and downsizing of businesses have increased job opportunities for experienced, specialized workers

Question 3

Which of the following is a true statement supporting the argument that inequality is not inevitable?

A) hard work determines the level of economic inequality faced by an individual
B) discrimination is a factor that contributes to inequality
C) inequality is a by-product of differences in individual talents, characteristics, and motivations
D) private property opens up opportunities for economic equality

Answer 3

discrimination is a factor that contributes to inequality

Question 4

Which of the following statements would be made by functionalists regarding inequality?

A) inequality is a necessary function of society
B) inequality endangers society
C) inequality is unnecessary but not a bad thing
D) inequality hinders individuals from filling the most difficult societal positions

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a type of equality cited by Bryan Turner (1986)?

A) equality of opportunity
B) equality of the individual
C) equality of outcome
D) equality of income

Question 6

The ideal conditions of pure capitalism assumes:

A) equality of result
B) equality of opportunity
C) equality of condition
D) equality of income

Question 7

Capitalism:

A) is generally viewed by liberals as irrelevant for democracy
B) is generally viewed by conservatives as a promoter of democracy
C) stresses the value of "equality of result" rather than "equality of opportunity"
D) is universally viewed as an economic system separate from the political system of democracy

Question 8

Conservatives argue that:

A) inequality can be eliminated
B) inequality is incompatible with a free society
C) inequality in material rewards is harmful to society
D) distinct social classes are largely nonexistent in the U.S.

Question 9

Liberals tend to argue that:

A) the U.S. is a classless society
B) unbridled capitalism is destructive of human beings
C) the effects of inequality on individuals are primarily positive
D) inequality is largely a natural phenomenon, rather than an artificial creation

Question 10

Conservatives are more likely than liberals to argue that:

A) people are basically the same in their talents and abilities
B) inequality is the result of the structure of the political economy in society
C) inequality is rooted in biological and inherited differences between individuals
D) characteristics of the labor market and work organizations are the primary reason for economic
Differences between individuals

Question 11

The belief in the classlessness of U.S. society is encouraged by:

A) lack of agreement about the definition of social class
B) the increasing trend toward less privacy and personal security in the U.S.
C) the presence of many reliable and clear-cut physical clues to class position
D) the belief that economic differences exist between categories of people not just individuals

Question 12

Recent data clearly indicate that for the U.S.:

A) poverty has been virtually eliminated
B) economic differences between social classes have sharply diminished
C) globalization has improved the economic well-being of virtually all Americans
D) none of the above

Question 13

There is universal agreement that:

A) social classes exist in the U.S.
B) inequality is inevitable and natural
C) capitalism is an enemy of democracy
D) none of the above

Question 14

The cultural aspect of the argument that socioeconomic differences between groups are decreasing stresses:

A) the massive growth in the poor population in the U.S.
B) the tendency for individuals in different classes to adopt the same values
C) the decline in the importance of race and sex as determinants of economic position
D) governmental policies aid the poor as well as restrain the growth in the wealth of the rich

Question 15

Survey research indicates that Americans believe that "hard work" is the most important factor determining one's movement within the U.S. class structure. This belief is most consistent with which position?

A) Inequality has sharply increased in recent years.
B) Equality of opportunity is preferable to equality of outcome.
C) Inequality is due to the obstacles that those in higher classes place in front of those in lower classes.
D) Inequality produces significant damaging social consequences for many people from certain
Social categories in our society.

Question 16

The less social interaction you have with people from social classes different than yours, the greater the likelihood that:

A) social class is "invisible" for you
B) you are aware of significant class differences between people.
C) you will believe that inequality produces detrimental consequences for society
D) you will believe that poverty is a result of the system rather than the poor themselves

Question 17

Which of the flowing is NOT a consequence of globalization?

A) freedom and open borders advantage wealthy countries while disadvantaging poor ones
B) transnational corporations and other international organizations can bypass regulations of national governments, weakening their power
C) international relationships have become more complicated
D) the inflow of immigrant workers decreases the significance of status differences and inequality

Question 18

There appears to be a good deal of agreement among government officials on how poverty should be defined.

Question 19

Liberals conclude that inequality is neither inevitable nor desirable.

Question 20

Aristotle argued that men and women are equal in qualities and abilities.

Question 21

Capitalism's ideal conditions assume equality of result. (p. 7

Question 22

How a concept is measured significantly affects the results of research.

Question 23

There is really no difference between the concepts of "sex"and "gender".

Question 24

The negative effects of social inequality appear to be limited to the poor.

Question 25

Over the past few decades, class mobility has increased.

Question 26

Statistics confirm that inequality is decreasing.

Question 27

In the last 30 years, class has become less important.

Question 28

Since the late 1990s, the incomes of the bottom 20% of families has increased by 3%.

Question 29

Since the late 1990s, the incomes of the top 20% of families has increased over 9%.

Question 30

Research shows that in 2007, the number of households with a net worth in excess of $10,000,000 has increased to 430,000.

Question 31

In 2007, CEOs in 500 of the top U.S. corporations received 344 times the pay of the average worker.

Question 32

CEO compensation has increased at a much lower rate than the average worker.

Question 33

There is general consensus among those studying social inequality as to the measurement of social class and poverty.

Question 34

The study of social inequality tends to focus on individual inequality as opposed to institutionalized inequality (i.e., structured inequality between categories of individuals that are systematically created, reproduced, legitimated by sets of ideas, and relatively stable).

Question 35

Recent research shows that a majority of people rank "hard work" more than any other factor as being critical for economic success.

Question 36

Some have argued that inequality is inevitable because of biological differences in physical skill, mental capacity, and personality traits.

Question 37

Research shows that Americans feel that any fair distribution of goods should be based on equality of result as opposed to equality of opportunity.

Question 38

African American and feminist leaders are more likely to consider poverty to be the result of deficiencies in the individual as opposed to being caused by problems in the free enterprise system.

Question 39

In the Marxist definition, social class has no relevance in the United Sates.

Question 40

The impacts of globalization are not only economic, but also political, social, cultural, and even religious.

Question 41

Globalization has allowed nations to trade, borrow, and transport good and services more easily.

Question 42

Varying definitions and measures of social inequality indicators make comparability of data difficult and raise communication problems among scholars attempting to study the same phenomenon.

Question 43

Race is a concept that has been socially constructed over time as racial classifications and positions within them change due to political, social, and other shifts.

Question 44

Why do some view the U.S. as being classless? What encourages this perception?

Question 45

Is inequality inevitable? Use the evidence in your book to present both sides of the argument.

Question 46

What are the different positions taken by conservatives and radicals regarding capitalism, democracy, and inequality?

Question 47

Discuss ways in which the recent economic downturn has been felt unevenly across the U.S. population.

Question 48

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the advances in computer/information technology and globalization? How has technology and globalization helped to increase/decrease social inequality?