Unit 4 Test Review Questions

Explain the way you think the US is most divided

Based on the race differentials in the United States

Describe the 3 current demographic trends in the US

Big states Conservative, Little states liberal

List some ways the US could increase social capital

By increasing the overall GDP

Is ethnocentrism the same thing as racism?

Ethnocentrism describes an individual or group's tendency to see their own group or culture as superior in culture and practices. Racism is a belief that human beings can be divided into various races, and that certain races are inferior to others. Racism has been blamed for various discriminatory policies throughout American history, including eugenics, slavery, segregation, and immigration. Today, ethnocentrism and racism continue to be important in discussions pertaining to issues such as education and social justice

Compare and contrast the major beliefs of liberalism and conservatism

Liberalism's major beliefs are in change, social equality, and more government regulation with regards to the economy and social welfare. Conservatism's major beliefs are in supporting more of a traditional approach to society. They believe in smaller government (less gov't regulation) and are less prone to change

Studies show that after we control for socioeconomic status, many apparent racial divisions disappear. Explain how race and SES are related

Race is apart of your Socioeconomic status.

Rank and describe the three main reasons social capital is declining

The greatest indication of a fall in social capital can be found in the trust component. ... Thus, my conclusion for why social capital declined in the U.S. differs from Putnam's and others who have argued that up to half of the decline in generalized trust was due to the aging of the civic generation

Explain the connection between trust and democracy

must have trust to have a good democracy and vice versa

What is the difference between cross-cutting cleavages and reinforcing cleavages?

Cross cutting cleavages- this is when one cleavage (group in society) mixes or overlaps with another cleavage (ex: different races can be republican and democrat; races of different social class). The US in generally is this type of cleavage. Reinforcing cleavages- in this cleavage (group in society), the divisions/groups are homogeneous. They do not overlap. An example would be a society where all republicans are poor; all democrats are white; all Native Americans live in Oklahoma. This cleavage is not typical of the United States.

How does diversity affect social capital?

Diversity is one of the dividing factors in your social capital.

What effect will technology have on political socialization and political culture?

Easy to spread opinions to others and influence

Explain the effects of low social capital on our political system

Makes more people liberal

Will changes in our country make the US more democratic or less?

More democratic

List and describe 7 different demographic categories in the US

Socioeconomic characteristics of a population expressed statistically, such as age, sex, education level, income level, marital status, occupation, religion, birth rate, death rate, average size of a family, average age at marriage.

How does the idea of the American Dream influence American politics today?

The notion of the American Dream influences the U.S. economy because it creates the driving force behind the free enterprise system. The engine of the U.S. economy is entrepreneurship and the concept of an open society in which people can prove themselves based on their own merits. The American Dream is basically the idea that anyone can come to America and create an extraordinary life with hard work and skill.

What effect does immigration (legal or illegal) have on American political system?

The political debacle of the current immigration debate has left the United States of America divided along racial, ethnic and political lines, never seen before in our great country

Explain what politics in the US will be like in 2050

The republican party will decrease because there will be less white people.

What role do educational opportunity, economic wealth, and religious freedom play in achieving the American Dream?

They are the backbone of the what the American Dream. People who come to America for the American Dream are in search of these characteristics.

Describe the average american today

White male in his 40s

Describe the way population growth is changing American electoral politics.

With more people that means that their is more people the government thinks they have to protect, and that is resulting in more liberals

List four dimensions of diversity in the American population

personality, internal/external/organizational dimensions

Describe how technology affects social media

structure; it provides a theoretical framework to understand whether use of the Internet can generate social capital through creation of larger online ties, which defines wellbeing in older adults.