Social Class: The Structure of Inequality

Which theorist was concerned about the new kind of social inequality that was emerging between the owners and the workers?

Karl Marx

social reproduction

The tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as social class status is passed down from one generation to the next.

Social inequality

The unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society

relative deprivation

a relative measure of poverty based on the standard of living in a particular society

open system

a social system with ample opportunities to move from one class to another

meritocracy

a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit

feudal system

a system of social stratification based on a hereditary mobility who were responsible for and served by a lower stratum of forced laborers called serfs

The United States, where social mobility is possible, is perceived to be:

an open system. According to popular views of the United States, anyone who works hard can attain high levels of success.

just-world hypotheis

argues that people have deep need to see the world as orderly, predictable, and fair, which creates a tendency to view victims of social injustice as deserving of their fates

everyday class consciousness

awareness of one's own social status and that of others

structural mobility

changes in the social status of large numbers of people due to structural changes in society

heterogamy

choosing romantic partners who are dissimilar to us in terms of class, education, religion, and other social group membership

homogamy

choosing romantic partners who are similar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership

middle class

composed primarily of "white collar" workers with a broad range of incomes; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population

A student with highly educated parents who pass their value of education on to her is an example of that student acquiring what Bourdieu called:

cultural capital. Cultural capital refers to people's tastes, habits, and expectations that are relevant to class standing and are often passed down in families.

hypogamy

marrying "down" in the social class hierarchy

hypergamy

marrying "up" in the social class hierarchy

working class or lower-middle class

mostly "blue collar" or service industry workers who are less likely to have a college degree; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population

upper-middle class

mostly professionals and managers who enjoy considerable financial stability, they constitute about 14 percent of the U.S. population

intergenerational mobility

movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next

The "Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study" research has found:

moving from welfare to work is only mildly positive for families. Income rose only slightly for families that moved off welfare.

working poor

poorly educated workers who work full-time but remain below the poverty line; they constitute about 20 percent of the U.S. population

Weber would argue that a person who belongs to an exclusive country club would belong to a higher social class due to that membership's:

prestige. The prestige of the membership helps enhance that person's class standing.

The geographic isolation of the poor from other parts of the city is called:

residential segregation

The movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchy system of social classes is called:

social mobility

The term that sociologists use to measure an individual's place within a social class system is called

socioeconomic status

During the Great Depression, large numbers of people dropped down in social class standing. This is an example of:

structural mobility. In this case, the movement took place in a single generational grouping, so it is intragenerational.

The belief that entrenched attitudes can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate is called:

the culture of poverty thesis

A person from a lower socioeconomic status who is unaware of a job opening that is only posted on the internet is an example of the impact of ------- on social mobility.

the digital divide. The digital divide refers to the idea that a technology becomes more important, those who have greater access to and familiarity with will enjoy ever greater advantages.

digital divide

the experience of unequal access to computer and internet technology, both globally and within the United States

residential segregation

the geographical separation of the poor from the rest of the population

vertical social mobility

the movement between different class statues, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility

intragenerational mobility

the movement between social classes that occurs during the course of an individual's lifetime

social mobility

the movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchal system of social classes

horizontal social mobility

the occupational movement of individuals or groups within a social class

underclass

the poorest Americans who are chronically unemployed and may depend on public or private assistance; they constitute about 5 percent of the U.S. population

disenfranchisement

the removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means

prestige

the social honor people are given because of their membership in well-regarded social groups

A single mother living on the streets with her two young children who does not have the means to provide adequate food and shelter for her family is experiencing:

Absolute deprivation. Because her basic needs are not met, she is experiencing absolute, not relative deprivation.

Social class

A system of stratification based on access to such resouces as wealth, property, power, and prestige

In 2009, the Census Bureau defined the poverty line as________ for a family of three.

$17,100

blue collar

A description characterizing workers who perform manual labor (pg 191)

Caste system

A form of social stratification in which status is determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed (pg 188)

wealth

A measure of net worth that includes income, property, and other assests

A system in which rewards are distributed based on achievements is:

A meritocracy

status inconsistency

A situation in which there are serious differences between the different elements of an individual's socioeconomic status

Closed system

A social system with very little opportunity to move from one class to another (pg 203)

Absolute deprivation

An objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care (ph 204)

A women who works on an assembly line on the floor of a factory has a:

Blue-collar job. Most jobs involving physical labor are considered blue-collar.

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

It is maintained through beliefs that are widely shared by members of society

Which of the following is true concerning slavery?

Slavery is the most extreme system of social stratification. Although slavery still exists in some places, it is illegal everywhere.

Which of the following is true concerning socioeconomic status and life chances?

People from lower classes are more likely to be the victims of violent crime

The tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as social class status is passed down from one generation to the next is called

Social reproduction

The division of a society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy is called:

Social stratification

A man who has his PhD in sociology, yet continues to work as a cabdriver, is an example of:

Status inconsistency. In this case, the man's education does not match his occupational status or income

Social stratification

The division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy

Slavery

The most extreme form of social stratification, based on the legal ownership of people

Conapartheid

The system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa b/w 1948 and 1991 (pg 189)

Apartheid

The system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991

Cultural capital

The tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and other cultural dispositions that help us gain advantages in society

The stratification system in India that is based on hereditary and allows little to no opportunity for movement between strata is:

a caste system

white collar

a description characterizing workers and skilled laborers in technical and lower-management jobs

upper class

a largely self-sustaining group of the wealthiest people in a class system; in the United States, they constitute about 1 percent of the population and possess most of the wealth of the country

simplicity movement

a loosely knit movement that opposes consumerism and encourage people to work less, earn less, and spend less, in accordance with non-materialistic values

Socioeconomic status (SES)

a measure of an individual's place within a social class system; often used interchangeably with "class"

culture of poverty

entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot.

The American Dream legitimizes social stratification by reinforcing the idea that:

everyone has same chance to succeed and success or failure is completely determined by the individual person. The first three answer choices emphasize structural or social factors, while the fourth choice is a purely individualistic explanation.

When a women marries a man who is similar to her in education level and social class background, she is practicing:

homogamy. Homogamy refers to the "birds of a feather flock together" phenomenon. It is not solely about marriage or romantic relationships.

Children who are able to attain more education and a better-paying job than their parents are experiencing:

intergenerational mobility. Intergenerational mobility is movement that happens between generations, as when children do better or worse than their parents. If movement happens within only one generation, as in when one person starts a career with high standing but is fired and can only obtain low-paying work, it would be Intragenerational mobility.