for exam #2 sociology

Question 1

social stratification

Answer 1

arrangements of society into a serious of layers, unequal distribution of resources, prestige, power, such that the stratum at the to has the most resources

Question 2

social stratification

Answer 2

1. trait of society
2. generationally durable
3. involves beliefs

Question 3

trait of society

Answer 3

born into wealthy v. poverty as a determinant of life outcome for same biological individual

timing of birth

Question 4

generational durability

Answer 4

it gets passed down through generations

Question 5

stratification invloves belief

Answer 5

you have to belief society is correct in order to live within society

Question 6

meritocracy and class

Answer 6

emphasis on achievement -> justified inequality
mobility is possible

Question 7

pure ‘meritocracy’

Answer 7

1. achievement always overcomes ascription
   2.all positions in society allocated based on demonstrated merit
2. high social mobility possible
3. social stratification varies immensely from generation to generation

Question 8

intergenerational

Answer 8

what your children do, or you do relative to your parents

Question 9

how mobile is American society

Answer 9

1. social mobility has been fairly high in American society in recent generations, ablate limited. long term upward trend for the past 50 years
   2.however considerable more downward movement in the agitated over the past 15 years especially
2. penetrating the top 1% remains extremely difficult and rare
3. trend towards more inequality: top 1% are enjoying gains in wealth while poorest quintiles are losing wealth

Question 10

american dream?

Answer 10

-worker earnings have stalled or diminished
-more new jobs that are now available are paying less
-declines from recession have not rebounded (new recession on top of old ones)
-young people staying home
-contingent, precaroius ‘gig’ employment replacing ‘one job, one life’ model

Question 11

McNamee

Answer 11

what is a fair and just society

are billionaires billlsions of times smarter and more innovative than everyone else?

is a pure merit based system possible is it desirable?

how are Americans coping with widening stratifications as wealth is redistributed upwards: relying on multiple wage earners -having fewer children -delaying retirement -going into debt

Question 12

functionalist takes

Answer 12

functionalism (Davis Moore) stratification and inequality is beneficial to society
- individuals justly rewarded for filling more valuable positions in society
- poverty provides motivation
-poverty provides a cheap labor force
- poverty keeps prices down

Question 13

common critiques of functionalist view

Answer 13

difficulty of specifying value

suffocating the talents of those that might otherwise benefit the society

Question 14

conflict takes

Answer 14

conflict (marxism) stratification that results from capitalism has done little for the poor
-focus on non merit factors like inhearatince, discrimination, opportunity gaps, upward distribution
-reconstructed society to benefit -or provide opportunity for all - rather than a few

Question 15

critiques of conflict view

Answer 15

-unequal rewards motivate people
-presence of the middle class
-decentralization of corporate structures (shift away from purer ‘plutocracy’ to public corporations)
-labor gains (sam Gompers and AFL and OSHA)

Question 16

max webber

Answer 16

class is a continuum from high to low rather than a 2-class model with ridges boundaries

status, prestige and power reflecting class positioning

Question 17

upper upper

Answer 17

1% seeing biggest gains in wealth

Question 18

lower users

Answer 18

2-3% have to work to maintain lifestyles

Question 19

corporate

Answer 19

high corporate positions, supplanting family capitalism

Question 20

attributes

Answer 20

35% or so of population
shrinking

Question 21

upper middle class

Answer 21

120-220k a year
college education professionals

Question 22

ave-middle class

Answer 22

less prestigious white collar, skilled blue collar
depending heavily on earnings to maintain lifestyle
10-120k

Question 23

working class

Answer 23

another 35% or so of population
20-50k
little to no property
conformity and adherence to rules

Question 24

lower class

Answer 24

20-25% of the population and growing
instability
poverty
absolute versus relative

Question 25

absolute poverty

Answer 25

conditions where household income is insufficient to afford basic needs of life

criteria not changed by economic growth

Question 26

relative poverty

Answer 26

when household receives 50% less income than average median incomes

criteria will change with economic growth

Question 27

how do groups effect our behaviors

Answer 27

level of affinity within a group

status as in or out group

size (how big or small the group)

Question 28

groups affect behavior

Answer 28

level of affinity within a group

status as in or out of the group

size

Question 28

affinity

Answer 28

priamary intimant cooperative, face to face, personally oriented, defined by ‘who’ the group is

secondary- limited participation, impersonally, formal, associative ties, goal oriented, defined more by ‘what’ the group seeks to acoblish

Question 28

IN

Answer 28

people feel belonging

Question 28

OUT

Answer 28

people do not feel belonging

Question 29

size matters

Answer 29

the more individuals in a group the more complex the relationships

Question 30

group thinking

Answer 30

intense social pressure within a group to conform to group Normas and abandon individuals critical thinking