MCAT Psych #12 Flashcards
social class
a category of people who share similar socioeconomic positions in society.
o Can be identified by looking at the economic opportunities, job positions, lifestyles, attitudes, and behaviors of a given slice of society.
social stratification
focuses on social inequalities and studies the basic question of who gets what and why.
socioeconomic status
depends on achieved and ascribed status.
ascribed status
derives from clearly identifiable characteristics, such as age, gender, and skin color, involuntary.
• Caste and estate systems.
achieved status
acquired via direct, individual efforts.
• Class systems (US after they left British colonial rule)
Describe the 3 main classes
• Upper: high concentration of prestige and power
o Wealth, reputation, political influence
• Middle: also has an upper, middle, and lower
o Upper-middle: successful business and professional people
o Middle-middle: unable to be upperm0muddle due to educational or economic shortcomings
o Lower-middle: skilled and semiskilled workers with few luxuries
• Lower: poorer end, greatly reduced amount of sociopolitical power
prestige
the amount of positive regard society has for a given person or idea.
• Certain occupations and awards have high prestige.
power
: the ability to affect others’ behavior through real or perceived rewards and punishments, based on the unequal distribution of valued resources.
• Defines the relationships between people and groups.
• Function to maintain order.
marxist theory
the have nots (proletariat) can overthrow the haves (bourgeoisie) as well as the entire capitalist economy by developing class consciousness. • Class consciousness: the organization of the working class around shared goals and recognition of a need for collective political action. • False consciousness: barrier to class consciousness: a misperception of one’s actual position within society. o The proletariat is too blind to what is going on around them to properly organize.
class consciousness
Marxist the organization of the working class around shared goals and recognition of a need for collective political action.
false consciousness
Marxist
barrier to class consciousness: a misperception of one’s actual position within society.
o The proletariat is too blind to what is going on around them to properly organize.
proletariat
have nots
bourgeoisie
haves
anomie
breakdown social solidarity
a lack of social norms, or the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and society, has further accelerated social inequality.
• Anomic conditions include excessive individualism, social inequality, and isolation.
social capital
the investments people make in their society in return for economic or collective rewards, the benefits one receives from group association.
The greater the investment, the higher the level of social integration (peaceful movement into mainstream society) and inclusion.
One form of social capital is networks: (there is inequality within them and created by them)
• Privilege: inequality of opportunity.
Cultural capital: the benefits one receives from knowledge, abilities, and skills.
Communities are joined together through strong and weak ties:
• Strong ties: peer group and kinship contacts, quantitatively small, but qualitatively powerful.
• Weak ties: social connections that are personally superficial, such as associates, but that are large in number and provide connections to a wide range of other individuals.
social integration
peaceful movement into mainstream society
privilege
inequality in opportunity
cultural capital
the benefits one receives from knowledge, abilities, and skills.
cultural capital
the benefits one receives from knowledge, abilities, and skills.
strong ties
peer group and kinship contacts, quantitatively small, but qualitatively powerful.
weak ties
social connections that are personally superficial, such as associates, but that are large in number and provide connections to a wide range of other individuals.
intersectionality
the compounding of disadvantage seen in individuals who belong to more than one oppressed group.
5 ethnicities model
white, black, Asian, Latino, and Native American
• Some argue that racial and ethnic boundaries are more diverse than this.
social mobility
the ability to move up or down from one class to another, the result of an economic and occupational structure that allows one to acquire higher-level employment opportunities given proper credentials and experience requirements. US: The American Dream
intragenerational changes
happen within a person’s lifetime
Once believed that America was the place for these things but a widening gap between the upper and lower and middle classes has opposed this idea.
intergenerational changes
from parents to children
Once believed that America was the place for these things but a widening gap between the upper and lower and middle classes has opposed this idea.
meritocracy
based on intellectual talent and achievement, and is a means for a person to advance up the social ladder.
Motivation, strong work ethic, and mastery of skills will get you there
Does not always guarantee positive social mobility
Plutocracy: a rule by the upper classes.
plutocracy
a rule by the upper classes
upward and downward mobility
Can move up or down, up is considered positive and down is considered negative
Professional athletes and musicians are main examples of upward mobility.
vertical mobility
upward and downward mobility, movement from one social class to another.
horizontal mobility
a change in occupation or lifestyle that remains within the same social class.
poverty
defined by low socioeconomic status and a lack of possessions or financial resources.
social reproduction
social inequality and poverty can be handed down from generation to generation.
The culture of poverty, powerlessness, isolation and apathy is handed down from one generation to the next.
Structural poverty: based on the concept of “holes” in the structure of society rather than poverty due to the actions of the individual.
• The same individuals do not occupy the holes every year but since the holes exist the percentage that falls below the poverty line is consistent.
structural poverty
based on the concept of “holes” in the structure of society rather than poverty due to the actions of the individual.
• The same individuals do not occupy the holes every year but since the holes exist the percentage that falls below the poverty line is consistent.
absolute poverty
poverty is a socioeconomic condition in which people do not have enough money or resources to maintain a quality of living that includes basic life necessities such as shelter, food, clothing, and water.
• Applies across all locations, countries, etc.
relative poverty
people are poor in comparison to the larger population in which they live.
• Live in a rich neighborhood but make a modest salary.
poverty line
derived from the government’s calculation of the minimum income requirements for families to acquire the minimum necessities of life.
• Highly related to geography.
• Does not take into account the geographic location (renting an apartment in an urban area is much more expensive, certain areas are more costly to live in than others)
social exclusion
Can arise from a sense of powerlessness when poor individuals feel segregated and isolated from society.
The attitudes create further obstacles to achieving self-help, independence, and self-respect.
spatial inequality
focuses on social stratification across territories and their populations.
o Social categories such as gender, ethnicity and race, and class are distributed across spaces differently. These groups use spaces differently.
o Different people live in different places.
o Space channels inequalities and can even amplify their effects, particularly poverty.
o Poorer neighborhoods tend to have less political and social influence than more affluent neighborhoods.
o Undesirable things such as waste treatment facilities tend to be placed in poorer areas.
Residential Segregation
environmental inequalities
global inequalities
residential segregation
Where one lives has a substantial effect on how people interact, cooperate, and advance. Less likely to fall into family occupations and have a greater range of opportunity and diversity in urban locations. Certain attributes stratify neighborhoods and create uneven chances for people who live in them. Suburbanization: the migration pattern of the middle classes to suburban communities. • Tend to be cleaner and have less crime • Can lead to urban decay: a previously functional portion of a city deteriorates and becomes decrepit over time. • Urban renewal: city land is reclaimed and renovated for public or private use. o Fueled by gentrification: when upper and middle class populations begin to purchase and renovate neighborhoods in deteriorated areas, displacing the low-SES population. The lower class is often less able to areas that might offer better opportunities.
suburbanization
the migration pattern of the middle classes to suburban communities.
• Tend to be cleaner and have less crime
• Can lead to urban decay: a previously functional portion of a city deteriorates and becomes decrepit over time.
• Urban renewal: city land is reclaimed and renovated for public or private use.
o Fueled by gentrification: when upper and middle class populations begin to purchase and renovate neighborhoods in deteriorated areas, displacing the low-SES population.
urban renewal
city land is reclaimed and renovated for public or private use.
gentrification
when upper and middle class populations begin to purchase and renovate neighborhoods in deteriorated areas, displacing the low-SES population.
environmental injustice
Poor living conditions and dangerous environmental conditions can result in an increase in illness and disease.
Poorer communities reside closer to environmental pollution and hazards because this is where there is cheaper housing and because companies decide to put these things here because these groups have less political power.
This leads to many adverse health risks.
global inequalities
World system theory: categorizes countries and emphasizes the inequalities of the division of labor at the global level.
• Core nations: focus on higher skills and higher paying productions
• Peripheral nations: lower-skilled productions, exploited by core nations
• Semi-peripheral nations: midway between the two, working toward becoming core nations while having many characteristics of peripheral nations.
Production of cheap goods at suppressed rates for the global market.
• Communities become more and more subject to the ebb and flow of the global market.
Globalization and increased interaction has led to increased inequality between nations.
Global population spike, lack of access to resources and healthcare has led to infectious diseases resulting in higher rates of morbidity and mortality.
world systems theory
categorizes countries and emphasizes the inequalities of the division of labor at the global level.
• Core nations: focus on higher skills and higher paying productions
• Peripheral nations: lower-skilled productions, exploited by core nations
• Semi-peripheral nations: midway between the two, working toward becoming core nations while having many characteristics of peripheral nations.
world system theory: core nations
: focus on higher skills and higher paying productions
world system theory: peripheral nations
lower-skilled productions, exploited by core nations
world system theory: semi-peripheral nations
midway between the two, working toward becoming core nations while having many characteristics of peripheral nations.
incidence
the number of new cases of an illness per population at risk in a given amount of time
o Ex: # new cases of lung cancer per at risk people for the year
POP AT RISK!
prevalence
measure of number of cases of an illness overall (new or chronic) at a given time.
o Total # cases/total population
Can be divided by time but is usually a snapshot
morbidity
the burden or degree of illness associated with a given disease.
mortality
deaths caused by a given disease.
inequities in health
o Poor environmental and social factors negatively impact health.
o Ex: geographic location, Jon Snow and cholera, bad water pump, tracked locations of illnesses and narrowed it down to a particular water pump in England.
o 1980: Professionals have longer life expectancies than working-class people.
o Second sickness: described by Howard Waitzkin, an exacerbation of health outcomes caused by social injustice.
Low-income groups are more likely to have poorer health, be uninsured, and die younger than middle- or upper-class adults.
Poverty, in combo with a culture of inequality, leads to worse health outcomes with the effect running across gender, age, and racial and ethnic boundaries.
• Ex: greater infant mortality rates, greater suicide rates, greater rates of life shortening illnesses.
o Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have the best health profiles.
o African Americans have a worse health profile compared to white Americans.
Latinos or Hispanic Americans and Native Americans have mixed (somewhere in the middle)
o Females have better health profiles than males.
Males are far less likely to seek medical attention than females.
Women have higher morbidity rates.
inequities in healthcare
o Healthcare in the US is not organized and planned by a central governmental system.
o Passing of ACA tried to make healthcare more affordable and available to all, but some physicians still do not accept these methods of insurance.
o Medicare: covers patients over the age of 65, those with end-stage renal disease, and those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
o Medicaid: covers patients who are in significant financial need.
o Physicians do not open practices in low income areas and individuals in the lower class do not seek out medical care until it is too late.
o Minorities and low-income groups face more barriers to care and receive lower quality care when they actually get it.
o There are other characteristics that have a large impact on how patients are treated: being overweight/obese.
Less likely to receive preventative care and fewer screenings.
o Women tend to be favored by the healthcare system.
Women are more likely to be insured.
Seek out care more often.
o Prejudices and homophobia for LGBT men and women exist.
inequities in healthcare
o Healthcare in the US is not organized and planned by a central governmental system.
o Passing of ACA tried to make healthcare more affordable and available to all, but some physicians still do not accept these methods of insurance.
o Medicare: covers patients over the age of 65, those with end-stage renal disease, and those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
o Medicaid: covers patients who are in significant financial need.
o Physicians do not open practices in low income areas and individuals in the lower class do not seek out medical care until it is too late.
o Minorities and low-income groups face more barriers to care and receive lower quality care when they actually get it.
o There are other characteristics that have a large impact on how patients are treated: being overweight/obese.
Less likely to receive preventative care and fewer screenings.
o Women tend to be favored by the healthcare system.
Women are more likely to be insured.
Seek out care more often.
o Prejudices and homophobia for LGBT men and women exist.
second sickness
described by Howard Waitzkin, an exacerbation of health outcomes caused by social injustice.
Low-income groups are more likely to have poorer health, be uninsured, and die younger than middle- or upper-class adults.
Poverty, in combo with a culture of inequality, leads to worse health outcomes with the effect running across gender, age, and racial and ethnic boundaries.
• Ex: greater infant mortality rates, greater suicide rates, greater rates of life shortening illnesses.
health profiles by race
o Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have the best health profiles.
o African Americans have a worse health profile compared to white Americans.
Latinos, Hispanics, and Native Americans have some categories better and some worse than white Americans.
male and female health
o Females have better health profiles than males.
Males are far less likely to seek medical attention than females.
Women have higher morbidity rates though they are less likely to cause mortality.
Differences in male and female health profiles are both biologically and sociologically determined, the latter being the result of risk-taking behavior, hypermasculinity, and dangerous employment.
what did ACA try to do?
Passing of ACA tried to make healthcare more affordable and available to all, but some physicians still do not accept these methods of insurance.
medicare
covers patients over the age of 65, those with end-stage renal disease, and those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
medicaid
covers patients who are in significant financial need.
what is the problem with the United States’ definition of the poverty line
it fails to take into account the different costs of living in certain places.
the denominator for incidence is only _______ not the entire population
population at risk
if you already have the disease then you are no longer at risk.
chronicity
duration of disease
