sociology chapter 7 quiz

Poverty can be defined in either relative or absolute terms. How is poverty defined according to absolute deprivation?

by considering access to food, shelter, clothing, and medical care

In industrialized, capitalist societies, stratification systems are most commonly based on a _____.

social class system

Mother Teresa was a person with tremendous power and prestige yet she was very poor. Mother Teresa is an example of which of the following?

status inconsistency

Sociologists often point out that systems of stratification in the United States systematically favor white men. Sometimes people contest this, pointing to wealthy and powerful black women like Oprah Winfrey or Toni Morrison. A counterpoint to this argument is that

stratification is a characteristic of a society rather than a reflection of individual differences.

Consider the three major theoretical perspectives we've routinely explored throughout our text. Which perspective is likely to explore the ways in which poverty serves a purpose in society by ensuring that even the "ugly" jobs get done?

structural functionalism

Cal is a farmer in India. In a few weeks, he plans to marry Mala. Considering the most prevalent system of stratification in India, Mala is most likely a member of which social category?

sudra (farmers, artisans, and laborers)

The upper class makes up just 1 percent of the total U.S. population, but its total net worth is greater than that of ________ percent of the rest of the population.

99

Why do members of the lower class exercise less often?

Exercise is a luxury often accessible only to those who do not have to struggle with day-to-day existence.

Which of the following is true of the upper class in the United States today?

It is a largely self-sustaining group and rarely adds new members.

Which of the following is one of the basic principles of social stratification?

It is maintained through beliefs that are widely shared in a society.

What is the principal sociological critique of the culture of poverty theory?

It tends to blame the victims of poverty for their own misfortunes while ignoring the structural causes of inequality.

Although they make very little money, priests, ministers, rabbis, imams, and clergy are often prestigious members of their communities. Which social theorist first suggested that this is an important element of class status?

Max Weber

How is Max Weber's idea of social class different from Karl Marx's?

Weber believed that wealth, power, and prestige could all affect a person's social class.

What is a society called in which social mobility is highly restricted by formal or informal rules like those of a caste system?

a closed system

Unlike students at public schools, private school students are often offered the opportunity to learn tennis and golf. This is because _____.

in terms of social reproduction, it is important to offer such experiences to upper class children

Edith dropped out of high school at sixteen and now works as a housekeeper in Boise, Idaho. Although she works as much as she can, the hours offered by employers are irregular and her wages are so low that her family is below the poverty line. Edith is most likely a member of which social class?

working poor

The tendency to choose romantic partners based on similarities in background and group membership is called

homogamy.

What do sociologists call awareness of our own and others' class statuses?

class consciousness

What school of social thought insists that all social structures, including systems of stratification, are built out of everyday interactions?

Symbolic interactionism

Which of the following demonstrates Karl Marx's conviction that social inequality would continue to grow?

The modern laborer . . . instead of rising with the process of industry, sinks deeper and deeper below the conditions of existence of his own class. He becomes a pauper, and pauperism develops more rapidly than population and wealth."

A black man in the United States was convicted of a felony when he was 17. He is now 58 and has not committed any crimes since his release. However, he is still not permitted to vote. Michelle Alexander would describe this as an example of

The new Jim Crow

Which is true of social mobility in a caste system?

There is little or no chance of social mobility.

Poverty can be defined in either relative or absolute terms. How is poverty defined according to absolute deprivation?

by comparing the poor with more affluent members of society

What might an individual be trying to gain if he or she takes adult education classes, attends lectures and concerts, or travels to Europe?

cultural capital

According to Karl Marx, what social relations matter MOST in a capitalist system?

economic relations

Karl Marx spent much of his life attempting to understand and describe how capitalism works. In one particularly vivid passage, he described the turbulence he saw as inherent in capitalism: "All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real condition of life and his relations with his kind." What sort of relationships did he think his readers had with other people?

economic relationships

When young people go away to college, it is often the first time they make friends with people of substantially different class statuses. Sometimes this leads to tension when the wealthier member of a friendship is oblivious to his or her friend's class status and suggests activities that are beyond the friend's means. This tension results from a lack of

everyday class consciousness.

Which system of social stratification was in the final stages of breaking down when Karl Marx developed his ideas?

feudalism

How do observers determine someone's socioeconomic status when meeting him or her for the first time?

his or her speech and gestures

Which of the following is a form of stratification in which all positions are awarded on the basis of merit?

meritocracy

A young girl from a poor family is sent to live with wealthy distant relations. Her relations expect her to take care of the household cooking and cleaning instead of going to school. They do not pay her and threaten her when she attempts to return home. Her situation is an example of

modern slavery.

Amir and his family recently immigrated to the United States. His mother dreams of him becoming a doctor because they are so well respected and held in such high esteem in America. In other words, she wants this career for him because it has high _____.

prestige

What system of stratification is commonly used in modern capitalist societies?

social class

The folk-pop singer Jewel is famous for having lived in her van when she first moved to San Diego and started performing in a coffee shop. Soon after Atlantic Records signed her, her advance allowed her to rent a house and buy a new car. Of what class-based phenomenon is this an example?

social mobility

What does Pierre Bourdieu call the tendency of social class to be passed down from one generation to the next and consequently remain relatively stable over time?

social reproduction

George recently learned that among a tribe of Kenya there is a social hierarchy based on gender and age, with men and elders at the top. George has learned about this tribal society's _____.

social stratification

Ralcy started his career as a poorly paid unskilled laborer working in the home building industry, but by the time he retired he was the president and CEO of a large construction company. Ralcy experienced _____.

social vertical mobility

What criteria does a social class system use to stratify its members?

wealth, property, power, and prestige

Harvey is a middle-class college student who is skeptical of social programs aimed at helping the poor. He thinks that what would really help is for poor people to start delaying gratification, valuing education, and trying to improve their own situations by setting and working towards higher goals. Harvey's perspective is best reflected in which of the following concepts?

the culture of poverty

Oscar Lewis was the first to suggest that the poor develop a way of life with fundamentally different values and goals because they are excluded from mainstream social life. Consequently, they are much less likely to join the middle class. This way of life is usually called

the culture of poverty.

Igby and Connor are both very well off financially, but Igby gets most of his income from investments that he inherited from his grandfather while Connor works long hours as a corporate lawyer to earn his. In terms of social class, Igby would be considered _____, whereas Connor would be _____.

upper class; upper-middle class

An accountant with a college degree and a license from the state accounting board works for the Department of Defense as a senior auditor. He makes about $100,000 a year and will soon retire with benefits and a pension. To what class would you expect him to belong?

upper-middle class

Many workers at auto plants in Michigan lost their jobs when plants closed. What has this resulted in for the vast majority of these workers?

vertical social mobility