sociology 101 chapter 9
McDonaldization
(Ritzer) refers to the increasing presence of the fast food business model in common social institutions. This model includes efficiency (division of labor), predictability, calculability, and control (monitoring).
consequences of social class
1. Physical Health 2. Mental Health 3. Family Life 4. Education 5. Religion 6. Politics 7. Crime and Criminal Justice
poverty line
A method used to count the number of poor people, it considers what a family must spend for an "austere" standard of living. Divide income by the poverty guideline and multiply by 100.
A
A person's position in a country's social stratification is determined by: a) wealth, power, income, race, education b) GNI PPP, GDP, GNI, the PRB, and standards of living c) Clothes, accessories, hobbies, shoes, and number of credit cards d) Prestige, family, legal records, occupation, and favorite food
Industrial Revolution
A series of improvements in industrial technology that transformed the process of manufacturing goods. Created unprecedented wealth in Western Europe and North America. Also saw the rise of vast inequalities between countries that were industrialized and those that were not.
A
Elisa graduated from college with a double major and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa society. She was then offered a job in New York where she worked 12 hours a day and produced excellent results. Within two years she had over 100 employees working under her. Elisa's hard work was rewarded with a raise and a bonus. This form of promotion is based on the principles of: a) a meritocracy b) a democracy c) a caste system d) a closed stratification system
A
Hope is desperate for the new designer purse that she saw while window shopping at her local mall. She knew every girl in school would covet her bag and wish to be like her. When she walked in, she whipped out her credit card, and purchased the $5,000 bag. This kind of purchasing is called: a) conspicuous consumption b) popular consumerism c) designer consumerism d) credit card consumerism
D
Which historical event was greatly responsible for global stratification as we see it today? a) World War 1 b) The Fall of the British Empire c) The French Revolution d) The Industrial Revolution
D
Whose work do conflict theorists rely on to help form their arguments surrounding social stratification? a) August Comte b) Emile Durkheim c) Rene Decartes d) Karl Marx
income
a person's wages or investment dividends
structural mobility
a societal change that enables a whole group of people to move up or down the class ladder
meritocracy
an ideal system based on the belief that social stratification is the result of personal effort- or merit- that determines social standing. High levels of effort will lead to a high social position, and vice versa.
upward mobility
an increase—or upward shift—in social class
wealth
the net value of money and assets a person has
caste system
closed stratification systems in which people can do little or nothing to change their social standing. one in which people are born into their social standing and will remain in it their whole lives.
global stratification
compares the wealth, economic stability, and power of various countries
Marx model of social classes
conflict theory. Marx believed social stratification resulted from people's relationship to production. People were divided by a single line: they either owned factories or worked in them. Bourgeois capitalists owned high-producing businesses, factories, and land. Proletariats were the workers who performed the manual labor to produce goods. The two groups were divided by differences of wealth and power.
social class
consists of a set of people who share a similar status with regard to factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation.
A
Cate is the daughter of a Senator and the former CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Harry grew up on a farm, tilling the land for a living. They are planning a June wedding. They will have a(n)___________ marriage: a) exogamous b) traditional c) endogamus d) unconventional
B
It was time for Oli to marry. He had finished school and was starting a job. His parents chose a bride for him whose parents had the same amount of wealth and belonged to the same class as they did. Oli and his bride will have a(n) _________ marriage. a) exogamous b) endogamous c) traditional d) unconventional
American dream
The widespread belief that the United States is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success.
A
What seems to be the key (although not the rule) to upward social mobility? a) how well off your parents are b) how much education you have c) how many jobs you work d) how much you spend on your personal appearance
A
With the recent Occupy Wall Street Movement, the people of the United States keep hearing about the top 1%. How much of the United State's wealth rests in the hands of the wealthiest top 1% of people?: a) 1/3 b) 1/4 c) 1/8 d) 1/16
David-Moore Thesis
argued that the greater the functional importance of a social role, the great must be the reward. Posits that social stratification represents the inherently unequal value of different work. Certain tasks in society are more valuable than others. Qualified people who fill those positions must be rewarded more than others.
exchange mobility
the exchange of positions on the socioeconomic scale such that talented people move up the economic hierarchy while the less talented move down
status inconsistency
the lack of consistency of an individual's rank across social categories like income, education, and occupation
standard of living
the level of wealth available to acquire material goods and comforts to maintain a particular socioeconomic lifestyle
exogamous marriage
unions of spouses from different social categories
25-100 thousand
annual household incomes for the middle class range between ______
D
Symbolic interactionists have come to the conclusion that: a) Most people do not care about social rank and standing. b) Only lower class people drink beer. c) Only upper class people can enjoy a good game of polo. d) Most people only socialize with people in their same social class.
feminization of poverty
The increasing concentration of poverty among women, especially unmarried women and their children
class system
based on both social factors and individual achievement. occupation is not fixed at birth
intragenerational mobility
describes the differences in social classes between different members of the same generation
endogamous marriage
marriage to a partner from the same social background
downward social mobility
movement down the social class ladder
social stratification
refers to a society's categorization of its people into rankings of socioeconomic tiers based on factors like wealth, income, race, education, and power.
conspicuous consumerism
the act of buying and using products to make a statement about social standing. symbolically communicating. example) carrying pricey but eco-friendly water bottles.
intergenerational mobility
the change that family members make in social class from one generation to the next
minimum wage
varies from state to state, but in many states it is approaching $8.00 per hour.
US income distribution
very inequal in the US and every other country higher income the greater ability to buy goods and servies Top 1% owns 1/3 of country wealth, top 20% own over 4/5 of countrys wealth
