Chapter 4 Sociology

An open class system is based on social mobility that includes

horizontal mobility intergenerational mobility vertical mobility.

The United States has an open class system based on social mobility that includes

horizontal mobility. intergenerational mobility. vertical mobility

Differences between social classes in the United States are based on

income, lifestyle, and beliefs

Underclass

social class that relies on public assistance

The unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards is called

social inequality

Advances in technology can cause workers with outdated skills to experience _____.

Downward social mobility

Social class

A group of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and prestige.

Socioeconomic status

A rating that combines social factors such as educational level, occupational prestige, and place of residence with the economic factor of income.

Name and describe the two basic types of stratification systems.

Caste System: a system in which scarce resources and social rewards are distributed on the basis of ascribed statuses. Class System: a system in which the distribution of scarce resources and rewards are determined on the basis of achieved statuses.

A groundskeeper who moves from a school to a church and remains a groundskeeper is experiencing _____.

Horizontal mobility

Identify and describe the three types of social mobility.

Horizontal mobility: movement within a social class or stratum. Vertical mobility: movement between social classes or strata. Intergenerational mobility: status differences between generations in the same family.

American society is based on the caste system.

False

Based on the caste system in India, the Harijans are the highest rank in their caste system.

False

Members of the upper middle class hold white-collar jobs.

False

Social mobility is not an important feature of an open class system.

False

The subjective method is used to define social class by income, occupation, and education.

False

How does social class affect societal roles?

Individuals with substantial wealth usually possess considerable power and these individuals are the ones that get the respect, honor, and recognition that are characteristics of prestige.

A doctor whose father works as a janitor would be an example of _____.

Intergenerational mobility

Bourgeoisie

Owners of the means of production in a capitalist society.

Techniques used to rank individuals according to social class are

Reputational Subjective Objective

Name the three basic techniques used to rank individuals according to social class and describe each briefly.

Reputational method: individuals in the community are asked to rank other community members based on what they know of their character and lifestyle. Subjective method: individuals are asked to determine their own social rank. Objective method: social class is defined by income, occupation, and education.

How is socioeconomic status used to determine an individual's rank in society?

SES determines rank in society based on the individuals wealth, power, and prestige. These factors are the result of an individual's education, occupation, and income.

Social stratification

Separation of members in society based on certain characteristics.

The method of ranking social status that asks people to rank themselves is called the _____.

Subjective method

Caste system

System in which scarce resources and social rewards are distributed on the basis of ascribed statuses.

Class system

The distribution of scarce resources and rewards that is determined on the basis of achieved status.

A division of society into categories, ranks, or classes is called social stratification.

True

Competition over scarce resources is seen as a cause of social inequality according to the conflict theory.

True

Endogamy is marriage within one's own social category.

True

In a class system, the distribution of scarce resources and rewards is determined on the basis of achieved status.

True

Marriage outside of one's own social category is called exogamy.

True

Social classes in the United States are usually divided into three classes—upper class, middle class, and lower class.

True

____ individuals can attend prestigious schools and their families have usually been wealthy for generations.

Upper class

In a ____, a person is assigned a status at birth and remains at that level throughout life.

caste system

Lower middle class

nursing and sales are professions associated with this social class

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a rating that combines the following social factors EXCEPT

race and ethnicity

Families that experience unemployment and poverty over several generations are considered

underclass

Individuals that are primarily high-income business people and professionals are

upper middle class

Those who hold jobs that require manual labor are in the

working class