Lesson 6
The behaviors, customs, and norms associated with a class are known as:
Class Traits
C.Wright Mills revealed that most important decisions in the U.S. are made largely behind the scenes by which of the following?
Power Elite
The name of the small group of officials who make most of the important decisions in the U.S. is which of the following?
Power Elite
When Karl Marx said workers experience alienation, he meant that workers: Question 18 options: a) must labor alone, without companionship b) do not feel connected to their work c) move from one geographical location to another d) have to put forth self-effort to get ahead
b) do not feel connected to their work
88 million people live on less than $1.00 a day. These people are said to be living in ________. a. Subjective poverty b. Relative poverty c. Marginal poverty d. Absolute poverty
d. Absolute poverty
Which of the following is NOT a principle of social stratification: It is a reflection of individual differences It persists over generations It is universal It involves inequality It is a trait of society It involves beliefs
It is a reflection of individual differences
Which of the following scenarios is an example of intergenerational mobility? a) A janitor belongs to the same social class as his grandmother did. b) An executive belongs to a different class than her parents. c) An editor shares the same social class as his cousin. d) A lawyer belongs to a different class than her sister.
b) An executive belongs to a different class than her parents.
What factor makes caste systems closed? a) They are run by secretive governments. b) People cannot change their social standings. c) Most have been outlawed. d) They exist only in rural areas.
b) People cannot change their social standings.
Marie babysits as a form of income while she is in college. Because the amounts she gets prefab are not huge, Maria never bothers to report her earnings to the IRS. Maria is a part of the ________. a. Under-earning economy b. Underground economy c. Under-reportd economy d. Under-paid economy
b. Underground economy
Dependency theorists explain global inequality and global stratification by focusing on the way that: a) core nations and peripheral nations exploit semi-peripheral nations b) semi-peripheral nations exploit core nations c) peripheral nations exploit core nations d) core nations exploit peripheral nations
d) core nations exploit peripheral nations
Based on meritocracy, a physician's assistant would: a) receive the same pay as all the other physician's assistants b) be encouraged to earn a higher degree to seek a better position c) most likely marry a professional at the same level d) earn a pay raise for doing excellent work
d) earn a pay raise for doing excellent work
Mike, a college student, rents a studio apartment. He cannot afford a television and lives on cheap groceries like dried beans and ramen noodles. Since he does not have a regular job, he does not own a car. Mike is living in: a) global poverty b) absolute poverty c) subjective poverty d) relative poverty
d) relative poverty
With the recent Occupy Wall street Movement, the people of the US keep hearing about the top 1%. How much of the US wealth results in the hands of the wealthiest top 1% of people? a. 1/8 b. 1/16 c. 1/4 d. 1/3
d. 1/3
Which graphic concept best illustrates the concept of social stratification? a) Pie chart b) Flag poles c) Planetary movement d) Pyramid
d) Pyramid
A sociologist who focuses on the way that multinational corporations headquartered in core nations exploit the local workers in their peripheral nation factories is using a _________ perspective to understand the global economy.
Conflict Theory
Faith has a full-time job and two children. She has enough money for the basics and can pay her rent each month, but she feels that, with her education and experience, her income should be enough for her family to live much better than they do. Faith is experiencing:
Subjective Poverty
Structural mobility occurs when:
a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes
What factor makes class systems open? a) They allow for movement between the classes. b) People are more open-minded. c) People are encouraged to socialize within their class. d) They do not have clearly defined layers.
a) They allow for movement between the classes.
Slavery in the pre-Civil War American South most closely resembled a) chattel Slavery b) debt Bondage c) relative Poverty d) peonage
a) chattel Slavery
The behaviors, customs, and norms associated with a class are known as: a) class traits b) power c) prestige d) underclass
a) class traits
Unlike Davis and Moore, Melvin Tumin believed that, because of social stratification, some qualified people were _______ higher-level job positions. a) denied the opportunity to obtain b) encouraged to train for c) often fired from d) forced into
a) denied the opportunity to obtain
A ____________ perspective theorist might find it particularly noteworthy that wealthy corporations improve the quality of life in peripheral nations by providing workers with jobs, pumping money into the local economy, and improving transportation infrastructure. Question 21 options: a) functional b) conflict c) feminist d) symbolic interactionist
a) functional
In the United States, most people define themselves as: Question 7 options: a) middle class b) upper class c) lower class d) no specific class
a) middle class
If a sociologist says that nations evolve towards more advanced technology and more complex industry as their citizens learn cultural values that celebrate hard work and success, she is using _______ theory to study the global economy. Question 32 options: a) modernization theory b) dependency theory c) modern dependency theory d) evolutionary dependency theory
a) modernization theory
Social stratification is a system that: a) ranks society members into categories b) destroys competition between society members c) allows society members to choose their social standing d) reflects personal choices of society members
a) ranks society members into categories
One flaw in dependency theory is the unwillingness to recognize _______. a) that previously low-income nations such as China have successfully developed their economies and can no longer be classified as dependent on core nations b) that previously high-income nations such as China have been economically overpowered by low-income nations entering the global marketplace c) that countries such as China are growing more dependent on core nations d) that countries such as China do not necessarily want to be more like core nations
a) that previously low-income nations such as China have successfully developed their economies and can no longer be classified as dependent on core nations
In the US, where outsourcing is almost always addressed negatively, companies still get away with outsourcing. How do they do this? a. Americans want lower prices for their consumable products, and the only way for companies to deliver those lower prices is to outsource the work to cheaper laborers b. Capital flight, caused by outsourcing, helps local economies thrive, so Americans are willing to make the tradeoff. c. Companies find that the many US restrictions on manufacturing can seriously disrupt production, which leads to profit loss, which in return results in out coursing. d. deindustrialization, also caused by outsourcing, is better for the environment, so Americans are in favor of it.
a. Americans want lower prices for their consumable products, and the only way for companies to deliver those lower prices is to outsource the work to cheaper laborers
Hope is desperate for the new designer pure that she saw while widow shipping at her local mall She knew every girl in school would covet her bad an wish to be liker her. When she walked in, she whipped out her credit card and purchased the $5,000 bag. This kind of purchasing is called: a. Conspicuous consumption b. Credit card consumerism c. Designer consumerism d. Popular consumerism
a. Conspicuous consumption
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was create by: a. Core nation countries b. Asian and American Countries c. Third world countries d. Middle-income countries
a. Core nation countries
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 the did. Oil and his bride will have a(n) ________ marriage. a. Endogamus b. Traditional c. Exogamus d. Unconventional
a. Endogamus
Which is an effect of absolute poverty that also contributes to its cyclical nature? a. Lack of Education b. Home foreclosures c. Excellent Healthcare d. Massive credit card debt
a. Lack of Education
One main issue in studying global social inequality is: a. Social inequality is relative and therefore, difficult to compare across cultures. b. Most people live beyond their means which gives a false sense of wealth to a society c. The presence of tourism can make a country look richer than it really is. d. most countries keep their economic situations secret.
a. Social inequality is relative and therefore, difficult to compare across cultures.
Since the social classes in the US do not have any clear boundaries, how is 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. In the upper class, everyone knows everyone, but in the upper-middle class, the people do not commingle 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. The upper class is split into "old money" and "new money" people, while the upper-middle class simply struggles to maintain its wealth.
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.
Which statement explains why Immanuel Wallerstein's classification is preferred by sociologists? a. Wallerstein's classification uses neutral terms that allow his classification of nations to be less biased and appear less ethnocentric. b. Wallerstein's uses the United States as a point of comparison so that people can understand what he is saying. c. The former Cold War era classifications are outdated and no longer accurately, show the economic state of individual nations. d. Wallerstein's classification is based more on sociological data than economic data, and because of that applies to the field of sociology better than the Cold War era classification.
a. Wallerstein's classification uses neutral terms that allow his classification of nations to be less biased and appear less ethnocentric.
Which historical event was greatly responsible for global stratification as we see it today? a. the Industrial Revolution b. The French Revolution c. World War I d. The Fall of the British Empire
a. the Industrial Revolution
Which statement represents stratification from the perspective of symbolic interactionism? a) Men often earn more than women, even working the same job. b) After work, Pat, a janitor, feels more comfortable eating in a truck stop than a French restaurant. c) Doctors earn more money because their job is more highly valued. d) Teachers continue to struggle to keep benefits such as health insurance.
b) After work, Pat, a janitor, feels more comfortable eating in a truck stop than a French restaurant.
France might be classified as which kind of nation? Question 23 options: a) Global b) Core c) Semi-peripheral d) Peripheral
b) Core
Which person best illustrates opportunities for upward social mobility in the United States? a) First-shift factory worker b) First-generation college student c) Firstborn son who inherits the family business d) First-time interviewee who is hired for a job
b) First-generation college studen
Maya is a 12-year-old girl living in Thailand. She is homeless, and often does not know where she will sleep or when she will eat. We might say that Maya lives in _________ poverty. a) subjective b) absolute c) relative d) global
b) absolute
A sociologist who focuses on the way that multinational corporations headquartered in core nations exploit the local workers in their peripheral nation factories is using a _________ perspective to understand the global economy. a) functional b) conflict theory c) feminist d) symbolic interactionist
b) conflict theory
If a sociologist points out that core nations dominate the global economy, in part by creating global interest rates and international tariffs that will inevitably favor high-income nations over low-income nations, he is a: Question 33 options: a) functionalist b) dependency theorist c) modernization theorist d) symbolic interactionist
b) dependency theorist
Occupational prestige means that jobs are: a) all equal in status b) not equally valued c) assigned to a person for life d) not part of a person's self-identity
b) not equally valued
Faith has a full-time job and two children. She has enough money for the basics and can pay her rent each month, but she feels that, with her education and experience, her income should be enough for her family to live much better than they do. Faith is experiencing: Question 28 options: a) global poverty b) subjective poverty c) absolute poverty d) relative poverty
b) subjective poverty
In recent times, scholars have been trying to sort out why the countries on the continent of Africa, as a whole, have trouble completing to today's global capitalist economy. While an answer to this question is complex and carries with it many ambiguities, most scholars point European colonialism as a key to understanding the current states of Africa. A sociologist studying the topic would ascribe to which theoretical paradigm? a. Structural functionalism b. Conflict theory c. Symbolic interactionism d. Feminist theory
b. Conflict theory
Areas that once had vast economic growth and large amounts of industry, but are now suffering from the effects of outsourcing are going through a period of: a. Industrialization transition b. Deindustrialization c. Industrialization d. Post-Industrializaion
b. Deindustrialization
Cate is the daughter of a Senator and the former CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Harry grew up on a farm, tilling the land for a living. They are planning a June wedding. They will have a(n) _______ marriage. a. Traditional b. Exogamous c. Endogamous d. Unconventional
b. Exogamous
An example of slavery, according to Anti-Slavery International, is: a. Children playing with friends b. Factories using child labor c. Factories employing adults at salary level d. Children attending school
b. Factories using child labor
How is global stratification different from social stratification? a. Global stratification can only measure the inequalities among purely democratic states, while social stratification can be expanded to apply to people in any country in the world. b. Global stratification examines a myriad of different types of prejudice and inequality, while social stratification covers the social class and standing of individuals. c. Global stratification only examines environmental inequalities among nations while social stratification examines inequalities among people d. Counties cannot move up and down the global stratification ladder, unlike people who ca use social mobility to climb or fall down the social stratification ladder.
b. Global stratification examines a myriad of different types of prejudice and inequality, while social stratification covers the social class and standing of individuals.
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 ranks and becomes CEO of the company by the age of 50. What type of stratification is shown in this story? a. Intergenerational mobility b. Intragenerational mobility c. Structural mobility d. Downward mobility
b. Intragenerational mobility
What particularly unique about the United States middle class? a. The upper class are as likely to become members of the lower class as members of the lower class are likely to become members of the upper class. b. It is broken into two subcategories: upper and lower middle class. c. It is the smallest class in the US d. The people who are middle class often have little to no education.
b. It is broken into two subcategories: upper and lower middle class.
Which social class is quickly disappearing from modern economies? a. Upper class b. Middle Class C. Lower Class d. The amount of people in each class has been about the same for the past 10 years.
b. Middle Class
Which trend has the World Bank seen in its study of poverty in low-income nations? a. Children can avoid living in poverty if they live with their fathers b. More women live in poverty than men c. Equal numbers of men and women live in poverty d. More men live in poverty than women
b. More women live in poverty than men
The Davis-Moore Thesis states: a. That economic hardship and skyrocketing inflation is the cause for all social stratification in the US. b. That the more society values a particular profession, the more the people in that profession will make. c. That Karl Marx was correct and that stratification can only be solved by converting to a socialist government. d. That people constantly move up and down the social ladder, and this creates an unstable economy which will eventually collapse on itself.
b. That the more society values a particular profession, the more the people in that profession will make.
GNI PPP, or gross national income divided by purchasing power parity, helps measure: a. The average level of education per person in a country b. The standard of living in a country c. The average global interest rates for loans d. The amount of inflation affecting a country's currency.
b. The standard of living in a country
Which statement illustrates low status consistency? a) A suburban family lives in a modest ranch home and enjoys nice vacation each summer. b) A single mother receives food stamps and struggles to find adequate employment. c) A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year. d) A celebrity actress owns homes in three countries.
c) A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year.
Structural mobility occurs when: a) an individual moves up the class ladder b) an individual moves down the class ladder c) a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes d) a member of a family belongs to a different class than his or her siblings
c) a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes
In an American town, a mining company owns all the stores and most of the houses. They sell goods to the workers at inflated prices, offer house rentals for twice what a mortgage would be, and make sure to always pay the workers less than needed to cover food and rent. Once the workers are in debt, they have no choice but to continue working for the company, since their skills will not transfer to a new position. This most closely resembles: a) child slavery b) chattel slavery c) debt slavery d) servile marriage
c) debt slavery
One flaw in modernization theory is the unwillingness to recognize _________. a) that semi-peripheral nations are incapable of industrializing b) that peripheral nations prevent semi-peripheral nations from entering the global market c) its inherent ethnocentric bias d) the importance of semi-peripheral nations industrializing
c) its inherent ethnocentric bias
The basic premise of the Davis-Moore thesis is that the unequal distribution of rewards in social stratification: a) is an outdated mode of societal organization b) is an artificial reflection of society c) serves a purpose in society d) cannot be justified
c) serves a purpose in society
The GNI PPP figure represents: a) a country's total accumulated wealth b) annual government spending c) the average annual income of a country's citizens d) a country's debt
c) the average annual income of a country's citizens
Mohair spent his days combing through garbage in Mumbai, India with this 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 soviet. Mohair is an example of someone living under: a. A dictatorship b. A meritocracy c. A caste system d. An oligarchy
c. A caste system
Elisa graduated from college with 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 rise and a bonus. This form of promotion is based on the principles of: a. A caste system b. A closed stratification system c. A meritocracy d. A democracy
c. A meritocracy
Which continent has the greatest number of impoverished nations in the world? a. Asia b. South America c. Africa d. North America
c. Africa
In 2008 the US, 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 foreclosures . For many people, it was a time of ___________. a. Social inconsistency b. Social stratification c. Downward mobility d. Horizontal mobility
c. Downward mobility
Which number does the World Bank use to determine the status and classification of each nation? a. Gross Domestic Product b. Purchasing power parity c. Gross National Income per Capita d. Organization for Economic and Cooperative Development data
c. Gross National Income per Capita
The two regions with the highest risk of social unrest are: a. Latin America & Asia b. Europe & Africa c. Sub-Saharan & the Middle East-North Africa region d. South America and North America
c. Sub-Saharan & the Middle East-North Africa region
A person's position in a country's social stratification is determined by: a. Clothes, accessories, hobbies, shoes, and number of credit cards b. GNI PPP, GDP, GNI, PRB, and standards of living c. Wealth, power, come, race, and education d. Prestige, family, legal records, occupation, and favorite food.
c. Wealth, power, come, race, and education
Which of these systems allows for the most social mobility? a) Caste b) Monarchy c) Endogamy d) Class
d) Class
In the past, the United States manufactured clothes. Many clothing corporations have shut down their American factories and relocated to China. This is an example of: Question 24 options: a) conflict theory b) OECD c) global inequality d) capital flight
d) capital flight
Conflict theorists view capitalists as those who: a) are ambitious b) fund social services c) spend money wisely d) get rich while workers stay poor
d) get rich while workers stay poor
A sociologist working from a symbolic interaction perspective would: a) study how inequality is created and reproduced b) study how corporations can improve the lives of their low-income workers c) try to understand how companies provide an advantage to high-income nations compared to low-income nations d) want to interview women working in factories to understand how they manage the expectations of their supervisors, make ends meet, and support their households on a day-today basis
d) want to interview women working in factories to understand how they manage the expectations of their supervisors, make ends meet, and support their households on a day-today basis
Which factor is considered when evaluating someone's standard of living? a. Income B. employment c. Class d. All of the Above
d. All of the Above
Which continent has the largest number of people in poverty in the world? a. North America b. Africa c. South America d. Asia
d. Asia
Women's employment outside the agricultural sector remains under 20 percent in: a. Southern America b. Northern Africa c. Western Asia d. Both B & C
d. Both B & C
What seems to be the key (although not the rule) to upward social mobility? a. How well off your parents are. b. How much you spend on your personal appearance c. How many jobs you work d. How much education you have
d. How much education you have
Whose work do conflict theorists rely on to help form their arguments surrounding social stratification? a. Rene Decartes b. Emile Durkheim c. Auguste Comte d. Karl Marx
d. Karl Marx
Symbolic interactionists have come to the conclusion that: a. Most people do not care about social ran and standing. b. Only lower class people drink beer. c. Only upper class people can enjoy a good game of polo. d. Most people only socialize with people in their same social class.
d. Most people only socialize with people in their same social class.
Which statement would you find in the analysis of poverty by Neckerman and Torche? a. People living i poverty enjoy living in poverty b. People will take advantage of social welfare programs if you do not watch them carefully c. People live in poverty because they are lazy and lack meaningful work. d. Once poverty has entered a geographic location, it is very difficult to get rid of it.
d. Once poverty has entered a geographic location, it is very difficult to get rid of it.
What is the most significant threat to the relatively high standard of living people are accustomed to in the US? a. The feminization of poverty b. The stagnation of wages for workers c. The growth of the upper class d. The decline of the middle class
d. The decline of the middle class
Child labor and sweatshops have existed since the Industrial Revolution and even before that. Many products sold today are created in these sweatshops, even though, living in the 21st century, we like to think we are above such practices. What is one practical way we can try and stop multinational companies form using such labor? a. We can ignore the problem because it will eventually go away b. We can justify such practices because they are legal in other countries c. we can trust that the CEOs and the members of the board of the companies will do the right thing d. We can be responsible consumers and research products before we buy them.
d. We can be responsible consumers and research products before we buy them.
Immanuel Wallerstein's classification of nations uses which set of terms? a. super powers, allies of super powers, enemies of super powers b. primary nation, secondary nation, tertiary nation c. first world, second world, third world d. corenation, peripheral nation, semi-peripheral nation
d. corenation, peripheral nation, semi-peripheral nation
When Karl Marx said workers experience alienation, he meant that workers:
do not feel connected to their work
One flaw in modernization theory is the unwillingness to recognize _________.
its inherent ethnocentric bias
