Intro to Social Problems CH 1/2
Political analysts have documented that men are somewhat more likely to vote for Republican candidates, while women favor Democrats. This difference is referred to as the a. "gender gap." b. "pink ceiling." c. "second shift." d. "the Clinton effect."
"gender gap"
In 2010, income for the average poor family in the United States was about how far below the poverty line? a. It was the same as the poverty line. b. $2,000 c. $5,000 d. $11,000
$11,000
Families in the top 10 percent of all families earn at least a. $50,000 a year. b. $150,000 a year. c. $250,000 a year. d. $500,000 a year.
$150,000 a year
The typical "welfare family" today receives about how much assistance each month? a. $400 b. $800 c. $1,000 d. $1,200
$400
According to the U.S. government, the 2010 median family income was a. $401,395. b. $50,395. c. $60,395. d. $70,395.
$60,395
In 2010, what share of the U.S. population lived in a household with income below the poverty line? a. 2.2 b. 4.5 c. 8.6 d. 15.1
15.1
Despite this nation's wealth, about how many boys and girls under age eighteen live in poor households a. 640,000 b. 4 million c. 16.4 million d. 164 million
16.4 million
In 2010, what share of children under the age of eighteen were living in poor households? a. 2 percent b. 22 percent c. 42 percent d. 62 percent
22 percent
The lowest paid 20 percent of U.S. families receive about what share all income in the country? a. 4 percent b. 10 percent c. 14 percent d. 20 percent
4 percent
In 2010, about how many people in the United States were counted among the poor? a. 460,000 b. 4.6 million c. 46 million d. 466 million
46 million
The richest 20 percent of the U.S. population controls what share of all privately-owned wealth? a. 85 percent b. 65 percent c. 45 percent d. 25 percent
85 percent
An example of an issue that does lead to considerable public harm but is not defined as a problem is our society's use of automobiles.
TRUE
If you were to accept the logic called "blaming the victim," you would place the cause of poverty in the traits of poor people
TRUE
Many of the counties in the United States with especially high levels of poverty are found in the South and the West
TRUE
Many social problems are related, so solving one problem may create a new problem.
TRUE
One person's "problem" is sometimes another person's "solution."
TRUE
Social classes are categories of people with similar access to resources and opportunities
TRUE
The bottom 50 percent of all taxpayers end up paying about 2 percent of all federal income taxes
TRUE
Adopting a global perspective shows us which of the following patterns a. Women in poor nations typically have fewer children than women in the United States. b. People in poor nations have as much schooling as people in the United States. c. The same problems we face in the United States also exist in other countries. d. Poverty is more serious in much of the world than it is in the United States.
Poverty is more serious in much of the world than it is in the United States
The major theoretical models in sociology are the structural functional approach, the social conflict approach, the feminist approach, and the symbolic interaction approach.
TRUE
The poverty line for a family of four is about $22,000
TRUE
The sociological imagination shows how society affects the experiences we have and the choices we make.
TRUE
Wealth refers to all of the economic assets owned by a person or family, minus any debts
TRUE
The government uses the policy of taxation for several purposes. Read the four statements below. Three of the statements are correct. One is not correct. Which one is NOT correct? a. Taxes provide the government with the money it needs to operate. b. Taxes discourage certain types of behavior. c. Taxes reduce economic inequality. d. Taxes transfer money from the poor to the rich.
Taxes transfer money from the poor to the rich
Sociologists contend that a. many—but probably not all—social problems will ever be solved. b. almost no social problems will ever be solved. c. all social problems will eventually be solved. d. only truly harmful social problems are ever solved.
many—but probably not all—social problems will ever be solved
In the United States, social welfare programs that provide government assistance of one type or another benefit a. only a small share of the poor. b. only poor people. c. only disabled people. d. most people.
most people
If you focus on social problems involving racial and ethnic inequality, you are probably using which of the following theories? a. social disorganization theory b. class conflict theory c. multicultural theory d. feminist theory
multicultural theory
If you wanted to study poverty in terms of race and ethnicity, you would probably use a. multicultural theory. b. social disorganization theory. c. Marxist theory. d. cultural capital theory.
multicultural theory
In approaching the problem of homelessness, conservatives point to a. the recent increase in low-wage jobs. b. the low minimum wage. c. personal problems, such as alcohol abuse and mental illness, among the homeless. d. our nation's high rate of poverty.
personal problems, such as alcohol abuse and mental illness, among the homeless
If you were to take a conservative solution to the problem of poverty in the United States, you would focus on a. government activism. b. societal responsibility. c. personal responsibility. d. replacing the market economy.
personal responsibility
Claims and counterclaims about what should and should not be defined as a social problem is a good description of a. politics. b. societal consensus. c. coalescence. d. philosophy.
politics
Which concept below refers to the difference between the poverty line and the average poor family's actual income? a. poverty line b. poverty gap c. median income d. nonfarm family income
poverty gap
Which concept below is used by the U.S. government for the purpose of counting the poor? a. poverty line b. poverty gap c. median income d. nonfarm family income
poverty line
The social constructionist approach asserts that a. society keeps facing the same problems year after year. b. social problems are those that are the most harmful to any population. c. problems arise as people define conditions as undesirable and in need of change. d. the government decides what the serious problems are.
problems arise as people define conditions as undesirable and in need of change
Which of the following policies raises tax rates on individuals and families as income increases? a. progressive taxation b. flat taxation c. regressive taxation d. tax limitation
progressive taxation
According to which of the following political positions does the solution to poverty lie in government reforms, such as changes in the minimum wage and tax rates? a. radical left b. liberal c. conservative d. radical right
radical left
Sociologist Herbert Gans claimed that inequality benefits a. everyone by making society more productive. b. rich people by ensuring there is a supply of poor people willing to do almost any job, no matter how unpleasant. c. bureaucrats by expanding government assistance programs. d. corporations because poor people are a profitable market.
rich people by ensuring there is a supply of poor people willing to do almost any job, no matter how unpleasant
In the United States, a progressive tax rate means that a. income taxes have been replaced by payroll taxes. b. rich people pay at a lower rate than lower-income people. c. rich people pay the same tax rate as lower-income people. d. rich people pay at a higher rate than lower-income people.
rich people pay at a higher rate than lower-income people
Which theory would you be using if you studied how social problems arise when rapid change overwhelms society's institutions? a. social conflict theory b. social disorganization theory c. symbolic interaction theory d. social Darwinist theory
social disorganization theory
Major spheres of social life, or societal subsystems, are organized to meet a basic human need. Sociologists call these subsystems a. theoretical paradigms. b. functional prerequisites. c. social institutions. d. subcultures.
social institutions
An organized effort to encourage or discourage social change is called a a. social movement. b. sociological theory. c. social-constructionist approach. d. subculture.
social movement
Which of the following theories is correctly described as a "medical model" that views social problems as diseases that disrupt the normal operation of society? a. social disorganization theory b. social pathology theory c. social conflict theory d. symbolic interaction theory
social pathology theory
A formal strategy created by government or some other organization that affects how society operates is called a. social policy. b. culture. c. science. d. the political spectrum.
social policy
Which of the following concepts refers to people who live within some territory and share many patterns of behavior? a. sociology b. culture c. society d. nation
society
Which of the following terms refers to a point of view that highlights how society affects the experiences and choices of individuals? a. social patterns b. sociological imagination c. comparative perspective d. social problems approach
sociological imagination
Because many social problems are related a. no social problem can be solved. b. every social problem can be solved. c. solving one social problem may create a new problem. d. solving one social problem will solve all social problems.
solving one social problem may create a new problem
Because social problems result from the ways in which society operates a. these problems cannot ever be solved. b. people must solve issues on their own. c. solving social problems requires change to society itself. d. all social problems can easily be solved.
solving social problems requires change to society itself.
Which theoretical approach sees society as a system of many interrelated parts that operate together? a. structural functional approach b. feminist approach c. social conflict approach d. symbolic interaction approach
structural functional approach
Which of the following theoretical approaches sees society in terms of the everyday interaction of individuals? a. social Darwinist approach b. structural-functional approach c. symbolic interaction approach d. social-conflict approach
symbolic interaction approach
Regarding income distribution in the United States, the overall pattern reveals a. small gains for both the rich and poor. b. small losses for both the rich and poor. c. that by 2007 income inequality became greater than at any time during the last fifty years. d. that by 2007 income inequality was less than at any time during the last fifty years.
that by 2007 income inequality became greater than at any time during the last fifty years.
The belief that, with hard work, people can achieve a secure and improving way of life is often referred to as a. the myth of the melting pot. b. the American Dream. c. the dilemma of the underclass. d. hypersegregation.
the American Dream
Anthropologist Oscar Lewis referred to cultural patterns that make poverty a way of life as a. the bell curve thesis. b. the culture of poverty. c. meritocracy. d. social disorganization.
the culture of poverty
If you were studying how society is divided by gender inequality, which theoretical approach would you be using? a. the structural functional approach b. the feminist approach c. the symbolic interaction approach d. the social Darwinist approach
the feminist approach
According to Marxist theory, social problems such as poverty result from a. an evil human nature. b. advanced technology. c. the operation of a capitalist economy. d. the high rate of immigration.
the operation of a capitalist economy
Sociology's key insight is that the troubles many people face are rooted in a. their personal issues. b. the operation of society. c. human pathologies. d. the choices they make.
the operation of society
Which of the following approaches is now the most influential in the sociological study of social problems? a. the structural functional approach b. the social conflict approach c. the symbolic interaction approach d. the social-Darwinist approach
the social conflict approach
To provide an example of a tax that is regressive rather than progressive, you would point to a. the inheritance tax. b. the federal income tax. c. the tax on gasoline. d. no tax, because there are no regressive taxes in the United States.
the tax on gasoline
An example of a pattern that is very harmful but not generally defined as a social problem is a. terrorism, which includes events that resulted in thousands of deaths. b. school shootings that have resulted in several dozen deaths. c. the use of automobiles that results in some 34,000 deaths each year. d. homicide, which involves almost 15,000 deaths each year.
the use of automobiles that results in some 34,000 deaths each year
An example of an issue that has become defined as a social problem over the last several years is a. people dying from bee stings. b. the use of cell phones while driving. c. driving while intoxicated. d. our nation's death rate from homicide.
the use of cell phones while driving
Sociologists use which of the following concepts to refer to a statement of how and why specific facts are related? a. model b. correlation c. theory d. societal subsystem
theory
In evaluating any social policy, it is important to remember that a. there is usually only one way to define "success." b. there is more than one way to measure "success." c. policies have little or nothing to do with politics. d. the public generally does not care if programs work or not.
there is more than one way to measure "success."
Issues are considered to be as social problems if a. they are defined as undesirable and in need of change. b. they have been problems in the past. c. they harm the largest number of people. d. they are not controversial at all.
they are defined as undesirable and in need of change
If you wanted to add up the total economic assets owned by a person or family, you would be measuring a. income. b. social status. c. wealth. d. status base.
wealth
If an argument includes statistics, the argument must necessarily be true.
FALSE
Social problems never involve more than one nation
FALSE
Sociologists claim that social problems arise from the poor choices made by individuals.
FALSE
Which early English sociologist made the statement that poverty and related problems were created by people who lacked ability and personal discipline? a. Herbert Spencer b. Emile Durkheim c. Max Weber d. Karl Marx
Herbert Spencer
Read the following four statements. One of them is incorrect. Which one is NOT correct? a. People in their forties typically have higher income that people in their twenties. b. Women typically earn more than men. c. White people typically earn more than people of color. d. Married couples typically earn more than single people.
Women typically earn more than men.
A research project focused on a single person, organization, or event is called a. an experiment. b. a case study. c. secondary analysis. d. field research.
a case study
A person who claims that government welfare assistance creates dependency is probably a. a liberal. b. a radical on the left. c. a conservative. d. unconcerned with politics.
a conservative
Social stratification is defined as a. the fact that some people tend to outperform others. b. the way people in a society size up their social standing. c. a society's system of ranking categories of people in a hierarchy. d. the income levels of all the members of a society.
a society's system of ranking categories of people in a hierarchy
Today, 52 percent of poor families contain a. a male head of the household with no woman present. b. a woman head of the household with no man present. c. men and women who are both working. d. a married couple with both partners under the age of eighteen.
a woman head of the household with no man present
Experts estimate that about how many people in the United States are homeless at some point during a year? a. about 16,000 b. about 160,000 c. about 1.6 million d. about 16 million
about 1.6 million
The richest 20 percent of U.S. families earn a. almost as much as the remaining 80 percent of families combined. b. about as much as the poorest 40 percent of families combined. c. a share of income about equal to that of other quintiles. d. only slightly more than the national average.
almost as much as the remaining 80 percent of families combined
Although the sociological perspective gives us power to change society, it a. also discourages us from having any concern for others. b. rarely results in causing any real change. c. can also lead to the conclusion that sometimes people suffer through no fault of their own. d. produces inevitable conflict that harms society.
can also lead to the conclusion that sometimes people suffer through no fault of their own
Which of the following types of places in the United States has the highest poverty rate? a. coastal communities b. rural areas c. suburbs d. central cities
central cities
The process of convincing the public and important public officials that a particular issue should be defined as a social problem is a process sociologists call a. subjective assessment. b. claims making. c. objective assessment. d. factual analysis.
claims making
In which stage of a social movement does the new organization begin rallies, demonstrations, and political lobbying? a. coalescence b. formalization c. decline d. emergence
coalescence
Poverty involves not only a lack of money; it also can mean a lack of skills, values, attitudes, and schooling, which together are called a. meritocracy. b. cultural capital. c. the subculture of affluence. d. intersection theory.
cultural capital
Which of the following concepts refers to a way of life including widespread values, beliefs, and behavior? a. culture b. society c. social structure d. normative expectations
culture
Compared to questionnaires, interviews offer a researcher the chance to gain greater a. depth of understanding. b. breadth of opinion. c. representativeness. d. impersonality.
depth of understanding
In approaching the problem of homelessness, liberals point to a. personal problems, such as alcohol abuse and mental illness, among the homeless. b. economic issues such as low-wage jobs and high rates of unemployment. c. moral weakness among poor people. d. the need for greater self-discipline and personal responsibility.
economic issues such as low-wage jobs and high rates of unemployment
Which of the following theories states that the reality of any particular situation depends on how people define it? a. labeling theory b. learning theory c. class conflict theory d. feminist theory
labeling theory
Only one of the following statements is NOT correct. Which one is it? a. Social problems result from the way society operates. b. Everyone defines the same issues as social problems. c. Definitions of social problems change over time. d. Definitions of social problems involve both subjective values and objective facts.
everyone defines the same issues as social problems
In 2011, the average compensation of the ten highest-paid chief executive officers (CEOs) in the United States a. was $500,000 b. was $10 million. c. was $25 million d. exceeded $60 million.
exceeded $60 million
People who actively seek social equality for women and men would closely identify with which of the following? a. feminism b. multiculturalism c. social pathology theory d. social disorganization theory
feminism
Which term refers to the trend by which women represent an increasing share of the U.S. poor? a. gender gap b. glass ceiling c. feminization of poverty d. poverty gap
feminization of poverty
In 2012, a survey asked people what they considered to be serious social problems. All but one of the following were on the list of serious problems. Which one was not on the list? a. the economy b. unemployment c. the gap between the rich and the poor d. global warming
global warming
Which theory would be supported by evidence that people pick up troublesome attitudes and behaviors from those around them? a. social-conflict theory b. learning theory c. social-disorganization theory d. social Darwinist theory
learning theory
A social problem is defined as a condition that a. harms everyone in a society. b. harms only the poorest people in a society. c. harms only the most powerful people in a society. d. harms some or all members of a society and is usually controversial.
harms some or all members of a society and is usually controversial
The text states that 6.7 percent of the world's people a. have a college degree. b. are illiterate. c. are desperately poor. d. live in cities.
have a college degree
The Williams family lives in an inner-city community that is poor, cut off from the larger society, and without good schools or good-paying jobs. This family is experiencing what sociologists call a. hypersegregation. b. redlining. c. homelessness. d. prejudice.
hypersegregation
Which of the following concepts refers to salary or wages from a job, plus earnings from investments or any other source? a. wealth b. interest c. income d. money
income
We tend to assume people are responsible for their own troubles because our way of life in the United States emphasizes a. collective goals. b. individualism. c. tradition. d. diversity.
individualism
The study of how race, class, and gender often result in multiple dimensions of disadvantage is called a. subculture of poverty theory. b. cultural capital theory. c. social disorganization theory. d. intersection theory.
intersection theory
The correct way to describe social problems is that they a. are only a matter of objective facts. b. are issues that involve the greatest public harm. c. involve both objective facts and subjective assessment. d. are almost always economic issues.
involve both objective facts and subjective assessment
If you take a liberal point of view, poverty is mostly a problem that a. involves society as a whole. b. focuses on traits of poor people. c. can never be solved. d. people should solve for themselves.
involves society as a whole
In the 2008 presidential election, 80 percent of people earning $100,000 or more voted. Among those earning less than $10,000, what share of people voted? a. 90 percent b. 70 percent c. 60 percent d. just under half
just under half
Most people in the United States who live below the poverty line are a. elderly. b. homeless. c. white. d. children.
white
Sylvia earns $7.25 per hour, which in 2012, was the minimum wage. She works full-time, year-round, and earns about $15,000 annually. This profile places her within a. working poor. b. non-working poor. c. the underclass. d. the poverty gap.
working poor
