Sociology Test (Chapter 9)

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.

B.

In 2008 the U.S., as well as the rest of the world, felt the effects of the recession. After the collapse of the housing market, people lost their jobs and they quit spending money. Many people could not afford their mortgages anymore and their homes went into foreclosure. For many people, it was a time of _____

Downward mobility

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.

Endogamous

Chris is the offspring of a Senator and the former CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Quinn grew up on a farm, tilling the land for a living. They are planning a June wedding. They will have a(n) ____ marriage.

Exogamous

What is particularly unique about the U.S. middle class?

It is broken into two subcategories: upper and lower middle class.

Symbolic interactionists have come to the conclusion that ____

Most people only socialize with people in their same social class

In many societies, property inheritance is passed to the first born son. Passing wealth from generation to generation via eldest sons is known as ____

Primogeniture

What is one main issue in studying global social inequality?

Social inequality is relative and therefore, difficult to compare across cultures.

Factors such as wealth, income, race, education, and power are used to categorize people into a system of social standing. This process is known as ____

Social stratification

Which historical event was greatly responsible for global stratification as we see it today?

The Industrial Revolution

Which statement below best defines the Davis-Moore Thesis?

The more society values a particular profession, the more the people in that profession will make.

What does GNI/PPP, or gross national income divided by purchasing power parity, measure?

The standard of living in a country.

Meritocracies have ____ status consistency, while caste systems have ____ status consistency.

low; high

The level of wealth available to a certain socioeconomic class in order to acquire the material necessities and comforts to maintain its lifestyle is referred to as the ____

standard of living

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.

Since the social classes in the United States do not have any clear boundaries, how is a sociologist supposed to determine whether their subjects are in the upper class or the upper-middle class? a. Upper class is often defined as having control over one's life and the lives of people around you, while the upper-middle class is often defined as having control only over one's own life. b. The upper class is split into "old money" and "new money" people, while the upper-middle class simply struggles to maintain its wealth. c. All upper class people enjoy opera and have been bred for their stations while the upper-middle class consists mostly of newly wealthy people who may not have had the same kind of upbringing. d. In the upper class, everyone knows everyone, but in the upper-middle class, the people do not comingle.

A.

Charlotte was born to a lower class family in rural Pennsylvania. After taking a job in the mail room of a large corporate office, Charlotte is slowly promoted through the ranks and becomes CEO of the company by the age of 50. What type of stratification is shown in this story? a. Structural mobility b. Intergenerational mobility c. Intragenerational mobility d. Downward mobility

C.

Mohit spent his days combing through garbage in Mumbai, India with his brothers and sisters. Sometimes he would find food, or something to sell for money. He never tried to overcome his lower-class status because he had seen his friends try and fail. So, he accepted his fate, and tried to live life as best he could in a closed society. Mohit is an example of someone living under: a. A meritocracy b. A dictatorship c. A caste system d. An oligarchy

C.

The _______ perspective suggests that the class system is very deep-rooted because the "haves" control social institutions and set them up in favor of their positions and values and also because they pass on their spoils to their children. The same is true for the "have-nots" who also pass on what they have to their children; unfortunately this class has little to pass on but a disadvantaged position.

Conflict

Hope is desperate for the Chanel designer purse that she saw while window shopping in the city. 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 purchase is called _____

Conspicuous consumption