Deck 15: Education

Question 1

For lower-class white males, educational attainment is __________ related to occupation and income.

A) strongly
B) moderately
C) slightly
D) largely negatively

Answer 1

B

Question 2

For upper-class white males, social origin is __________ to occupation and income.

A) strongly related
B) moderately related
C) slightly related
D) largely negatively related

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Knowing how to dress, act, and present oneself at work, and being able to work well with other people are examples of __________ skills.

A) citizenship
B) higher-order
C) soft
D) technical

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Research on contemporary college and university students in the United States shows they study __________ students in the past.

A) less than
B) more than
C) about the same as
D) twice as much as

Question 5

What do sociologists mean when they say that education serves a credentialing function?

A) that schools seek to maximize educational outcomes of students
B) that education doesn't change people but moves them along different routes that influence how much they earn
C) that education limits entry into some occupations and thus raises the rewards for people in them
D) that schools with the best-performing teachers produce more students who earn multiple degrees

Question 6

Among the following, who is exhibiting a soft skill?

A) Aaron, who is teaching others how to fill out a new timesheet at work
B) Bonita, who is solving geometric inequalities
C) Charles, who is waiting for a ride home
D) Denise, who is reading in the library

Question 7

Sociologists offer two competing explanations as to why people with more education reap larger socioeconomic rewards. What are they?

A) allocation theory and labeling theory
B) allocation theory and classical economic theory
C) human capital theory and allocation theory
D) socialization theory and human capital theory

Question 8

The United States __________ the world in the amount of education its citizens receive.

A) matches
B) leads
C) for the first time in history leads
D) no longer leads

Question 9

__________ refers to the practice of marrying individuals whose educational levels are similar to one's own.

A) Educational homogamy
B) Marriage homogamy
C) Marriage determinism
D) Pair symmetry

Question 10

Among the following, which plays a role in the sorting function of students into particular jobs?

A) accreditation
B) credentialism
C) criticism
D) socialization

Question 11

The fact that people with comparable occupations and incomes participate more in the civic and political life of their communities when they have more education is consistent with the __________ view of education.

A) allocation
B) classical economic
C) labeling
D) socialization

Question 12

What does allocation theory suggest about education?

A) that schools seek to maximize educational outcomes of students
B) that people with less education can close the pay gap by acquiring mentors
C) that people with more education are paid more because they are more productive
D) that education moves people along different routes that influence how much they earn

Question 13

Social closure practices, which __________, include licensing.

A) limit entry into some occupations
B) lower entry pay for some occupations
C) produce unemployment among some occupational classes
D) affect eligibility for unemployment benefits

Question 14

People with more education tend to live longer. This is true of __________.

A) men but not women
B) white women but not black women
C) women but not men
D) men and women, whether white or black

Question 15

Besides learning skills and knowledge, schools serve three other major purposes. What are they?

A) economic, future preparation, and socialization functions
B) economic, citizenship, and gender role functions
C) future preparation, socialization, and self-worth functions
D) socialization, self-worth, and online learning functions

Question 16

What does human capital theory suggest about education?

A) that education doesn't change people but moves them along different routes that influence how much they earn
B) that education transmits knowledge, skills, and values that persist in adulthood and that employers believe increase productivity
C) that people with more education are paid more because they are more intelligent
D) that education changes people in ways that influences how much they earn

Question 17

According to human capital theory, __________.

A) schools seek to maximize educational outcomes of students
B) people with less education can close the pay gap by acquiring mentors
C) people with more education are paid more because they are more productive
D) schools with the best-performing teachers produce more students who earn doctorate degrees

Question 18

Which of the following life outcomes for Sylvia is more likely than the others because she failed to complete high school?

A) Sylvia has a college degree.
B) Sylvia has a full-time job.
C) Sylvia is married.
D) Sylvia is unmarried.

Question 19

After the end of World War II, how did the government choose to regulate the flow of workers into the labor market and avoid high unemployment among former soldiers?

A) by reclaiming farmland in the West
B) by issuing the G.I. Bill
C) by guaranteeing private pensions
D) by using a federal stimulus to create and save jobs for teachers, principals, and school nurses

Question 20

Which of the following statements about less educated workers is true?

A) They are more likely to perform mental work.
B) They have more control over the pace of their work.
C) They are more likely to have wider and bigger social networks.
D) They are more likely to do manual labor.

Question 21

Differences in achievement test scores can be explained, in part, by the differences in the courses that students take, especially in which three subjects?

A) science, math, and economics
B) science, math, and English
C) math, English, and foreign language
D) math, science, and foreign language

Question 22

Why does tracking persist, even though it clearly segregates students by social class and ethnicity?

A) Privileged parents feel that tracking gives their children educational benefits.
B) Tracking by ability group increases teachers' perceptions of what grades are appropriate for students in different tracks.
C) Movement toward detracking has never gained much support.
D) Many teachers prefer to manage classrooms with a range of student abilities.

Question 23

Over the last 50 years, family income has become __________ in explaining the educational achievement gap.

A) less important than race
B) more important than race
C) as important as race
D) as inconsequential as race

Question 24

Theo went to a prestigious private high school and, afterward, attended a well-respected university, where he earned a degree in finance. After working at a reputable firm for a few years, Theo branched out on his own. As a financial planner in private practice, Theo was sure he knew exactly what each of his new clients needed but had trouble making them understand his precise instructions. Every client eventually left him, saying that he was brilliant with figures but not so bright with people. Which of the following concepts would Theo's clients likely emphasize when describing their dealings with him?

A) the connection between elite schooling and financial success
B) his lack of soft skills
C) the keys to the economic development of a society
D) his lack of credentialism

Question 25

In a sociological context, SES is an abbreviation for __________.

A) socioeconomic sanctions
B) socioeconomic stability
C) socioeconomic statistics
D) socioeconomic status

Question 26

How did U.S. students rank in comparison with other students of the world on the International Student Assessment tests in 2009?

A) better than average in reading, better than average in science, and better than average in math
B) better than average in reading, better than average in science, and worse than average in math
C) better than average in reading, worse than average in science, and worse than average in math
D) worse than average in reading, worse than average in science, and worse than average in math

Question 27

The educational experiences of American children, regardless of social class differences, __________.

A) are likely to be quite different
B) are likely to be quite similar
C) are likely to be constrained by equal opportunity
D) are not likely to be the focus of sociological study

Question 28

Who is more likely to be home-schooled?

A) black school-age children
B) white school-age children
C) lower-income school-age children
D) lower-income school-age children living in two-parent households

Question 29

The gender gap in education favors girls over boys with respect to __________.

A) earning economics degrees
B) attending selective colleges
C) achievement and attainment
D) choosing majors that lead to higher-paying careers

Question 30

How has marriage changed in recent decades?

A) Educated Americans are marrying at an older age and having fewer children, but having them somewhat sooner.
B) Educated American women, in particular, are waiting longer to marry.
C) Educated Americans are marrying at an older age but having similar numbers of children as their parents.
D) Educated American women are having fewer children at a somewhat sooner age than their mothers.

Question 31

The disparity in educational achievement between whites and Asian Americans, who tend to fare better, on average, than African American, Latino/a, and Native American students __________.

A) is a fairly recent phenomenon
B) has persisted over 30 years
C) has been steadily declining since 1980
D) has been all but eliminated

Question 32

Prosperous and white children are __________ as likely as poor or minority children to attend private schools.

A) just
B) two times
C) three times
D) four times

Question 33

Jeff wants to start his own business and he's eager to make it successful. He remembers his sociology professor talking about socialization theory, human capital, and allocation theory. Armed with this knowledge, what should be Jeff's strategy in building up his business?

A) Avoid hiring too many college graduates. They demand higher salaries, which drains money from profit margins.
B) Hire more workers than you think you'll need. Not all of them will stay with the company for long.
C) Hire mostly college graduates. They'll have the needed skills and productivity levels.
D) Outsource as many positions as possible to keep personnel costs low.

Question 34

Which of the following scenarios best illustrates the long-lasting effects of the hidden curriculum in schools?

A) Joey's elementary music teacher taught him a song that names each U.S. state in alphabetical order. Now that he's an adult, Joey can still rattle off the name of each state, as long as he sings the tune.
B) Kelly and her twin brother Brent had very different experiences in school. While Brent's teachers encouraged him to focus on math and science, Kelly was directed toward home economics. Brent received more support from his coaches than did his sister. Kelly's interest in and talent for math and sports surpassed Brent's, but she never pursued those areas and abandoned them altogether when she got to college. She had learned her place as a female.
C) An elementary school teacher was caught stealing from the PTA fund. Her students were shocked and confused. Ms. Kenrick had always demanded honesty and integrity from her students. As they entered high school, Ms. Kenrick's former students continued to have trouble trusting their teachers.
D) A high school principal, on retirement, wanted to leave a legacy. As a former band member, he had a great love for music and knew well the benefits that strong music and art programs bring to schools. He anonymously donated $10,000 to the music department, which had a long-term positive impact on the quality of the school's music program.

Question 35

What percentage of U.S. college students attends public nonprofit colleges and universities?

A) 85 percent
B) 75 percent
C) 65 percent
D) 55 percent

Question 36

Tracking is __________.

A) assigning students to different ability or curriculum groups
B) another word for teaching to the test
C) providing students with more personal attention and tutoring
D) reporting school-level data on students' test scores

Question 37

In the United States how much funding for schools comes from the federal government?

A) less than 10 percent
B) 15 percent
C) 18 percent
D) 22 percent

Question 38

Men with some high school education earn __________ than their female counterparts, while men with master's degrees earn __________ with similar educations.

A) 53 percent more; 20 percent more than women
B) 10 percent less; 30 percent more than women
C) 30 percent more; approximately the same as women
D) 62 percent more; 41 percent more than women

Question 39

Liz and Rachel were inseparable childhood friends but drifted apart after high school. Liz took a couple of community college classes, and Rachel earned a bachelor's degree. Considering only the extent of their postsecondary educational attainment, which of the following future outcomes seems most plausible for Liz and Rachel?

A) Liz has one child. Rachel has three children.
B) Liz regularly volunteers to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. Rachel's job and family leave her little time for volunteering.
C) Liz suffers from more illnesses throughout her life than does Rachel.
D) Rachel and Liz both marry college graduates.

Question 40

Where is tracking a particularly widespread practice?

A) in large, diverse school systems and in schools serving primarily lower-class students
B) in religiously affiliated schools with sizable immigrant populations
C) in upper-middle-class suburban schools, whether private or public
D) in new parochial schools with relatively inexperienced faculties

Question 41

Enrollment in public schools grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s as a result of __________.

A) an increase in population
B) an increase in public funding for schools
C) a sudden rejection of private education
D) desegregation

Question 42

Sociologists discovered which of the following was true among the urban elementary schools' response to the Texas Accountability System and Student Success Initiative?

A) Teachers were more likely to help students on the brink of passing the standardized test.
B) Teachers were less likely to refer students to special education.
C) Teachers spent more time with students who were failing the standardized test.
D) The initiative had very little effect on how teachers interacted with students.

Question 43

The value of degrees that previously secured a job are in decline such that students must overcome a variety of academic hurdles in order to be competitive for a position; this is known as __________.

A) credential inflation
B) association representation
C) rising human capital
D) allocation diversity

Question 44

__________ is the idea that competition for desirable and important positions should go to those with the best qualifications regardless of their family background.

A) Equality
B) Credentialism
C) Meritocracy
D) Democracy

Question 45

Why do people with more education reap larger socioeconomic rewards?

Question 46

In 1848, Horace Mann called education __________.

A) the great equalizer
B) a social machine
C) a credential system
D) unjust

Question 47

Which of the following methods is more likely than the others to improve overall student achievement?

A) mandatory national achievement tests that set high standards for learning and making teachers accountable for student achievement levels
B) mandatory national tests for teachers that measure their competency in the subjects and levels that they teach
C) removal of all testing from schools and reduction in teacher accountability assessments
D) instruction in creative problem solving and in critical thinking and analysis

Question 48

The Morrill Act, passed in 1862 by the federal government, provided each state with resources to build __________.

A) public elementary schools
B) land-grant universities
C) parochial schools
D) community colleges

Question 49

Is schooling equally available to all children around the world? Explain your answer.

Question 50

A group of teachers and administrators are meeting to discuss effective alternatives, or modifications, to tracking. Their goal is to provide an equitable learning and achievement environment for all students. Which of the following proposals has the greatest chance of fulfilling their goal?

A) immediately eliminating all specialized groups of students with differing abilities, ensuring equal opportunities for all students
B) maintaining all specialized ability groups but clearly explaining their existence and purpose to students and parents
C) offering students clearly explained specialized assistance for their differing abilities, while involving parents in the process of phasing out most of the existing specialized groups
D) training teachers to group students according to their abilities, without offering any one group more privileges than the others

Question 51

Briefly summarize the arguments for and against high-stakes achievement testing.

Question 52

Given what you know about gender differences in educational attainment, which of the following scenarios is most likely?

A) Jane is more likely than Bob to earn her bachelor's degree.
B) Bob is more likely than Jane to earn his PhD.
C) Jane is more likely than Bob to earn her PhD.
D) Bob is more likely to attend a two-year college than Jane.

Question 53

How do sociologists explain why the achievement gap between black and white children who are similarly matched in terms of age, birth weight, education, and occupation of their parents reappears in the third generation?