Deck 8: The Nature and Causes of Poverty

Question 1

What is the main difference between the marginal poor and the transitional poor?

A)The transitional poor will most likely stay below the povery level and the marginal poor will be more likely to rise above the poverty level.
B)For the marginal poor,the rising out of poverty and sinking back into it constitute a long-term pattern and the transitional poor are most likely experiencing a brief episode of poverty.
C)There are no differences between the marginal poor and the transitional poor.Both of these levels of poverty will stay below the poverty line.
D)The marginal poor is only experiencing a brief episode of poverty whereas the transitional poor will have a pattern of rising and sinking out of poverty.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

How much more likely are female-only headed households than married-couple households to be in poverty?

A)Twice.
B)Six times.
C)Ten times.
D)Fifteen times.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Among the variables the Census Bureau uses to describe the poor are:

A)race.
B)age.
C)region.
D)all of the above.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

All of the following are individual explanations of poverty except:

A)people are poor because of inferior genetic quality.
B)people cannot develop the knowledge,skills and values to compete because of social factors.
C)people suffer from psychological problems that inhibit their ability to compete.
D)people don't develop the skills they need to compete.

Question 5

Which of these is NOT a factor of poverty as a result of individual characteristics?

A)Genetic Inferiority
B)Unsupportive Environment
C)Human Capital
D)Psychological Problems

Question 6

What do cultural explanations of poverty seek to do?

A)Individuals are viewed as possessing these characteristics because of the social situations they were born into and in which they were reared and educated
B)Blame the individual's genetics for their impoverished state.
C)Explain the individual's poverty from an environmental viewpoint.
D)None of the above.

Question 7

New Structural Poverty is the theory that:

A)governmental welfare programs do not encourage able-bodied working-age persons to to sink into a lifestyle of welfare dependency and consequently permanent poverty.
B)government welfare programs encourage able-bodied working-age persons to sink into a lifestyle of welfare dependency and consequently permanent poverty.
C)government welfare programs encourage able-bodied working-age persons to become independent and self-sufficient.
D)None of the above.

Question 8

The term "cross section or snapshot data" implies that the data collected

A)provides a series of statistical pictures at certain points in time,and gives us an accurate description of the situation at that time.
B)provides a series of statistical pictures at certain points in time while also focusing on other points in time.
C)provides a series of statistical pictures at certain points in time,but it does not tell us much beyond a general description of the situation at that time.
D)Both A and B

Question 9

Those who remain in poverty over an extended period of time are referred to as the:

A)transitional poor.
B)marginal poor.
C)residual poor.
D)working poor.

Question 10

Liberals and radicals tend to view poverty in terms of …

A)environmental characteristics
B)structural characteristics
C)genetic characteristics
D)individual characteristics

Question 11

Most media discussion of the problem of poverty in the United States focuses on the population known as:

A)the persistently poor.
B)the residual poor.
C)the underclass.
D)all of the above.

Question 12

Someone who has a low-paying and insecure job might be referred to as:

A)marginally poor.
B)underclass.
C)residually poor.
D)transitionally poor.

Question 13

An individual explanation of poverty is:

A)genetic inferiority.
B)the expectancy model.
C)human capital theory.
D)all of the above.

Question 14

According to Census Bureau data,which is the largest single age group among the poor?

A)middle aged men
B)young able bodied adults
C)senior citizens
D)children

Question 15

People who are poor because the plant closed and they can't find another job are the:

A)marginal poor.
B)transitional poor.
C)working poor.
D)residual poor.

Question 16

All of these are the result of social isolation EXCEPT

A)low-work ethic
B)high level of intelligence
C)female-headed families
D)inability to defer gratification

Question 17

An example of a cognitive distancing belief would be that

A)there are only inferior schools available for poor children
B)there is only low quality and inaccessible health care for the poor
C)poor people are dishonest
D)a store owner should follow a poor person around their store because they might steal something

Question 18

The proportion of non-citizens falling below the poverty line is:

A)probably understated.
B)15%.
C)20%.
D)30%.

Question 19

What proportion of the population is persistently poor?

A)Less than 5%
B)8-12%
C)13-16%
D)17-21%

Question 20

The marginal poor are sometimes referred to as:

A)the underclass.
B)the residual poor.
C)the working poor.
D)the transitional poor.

Question 21

The expectancy model is most closely aligned with the idea that:

A)ability is inherited.
B)people who don't have developmental needs met as children are more likely to be poor.
C)people without social capital are more likely to be poor.
D)all of the above.

Question 22

Herrnstein and Murray,in their book The Bell Curve,posited that:

A)differences in mental ability can be overcome.
B)success requires at least medium mental ability.
C)social standing is based on inherited differences.
D)all of the above.