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.