Social Stratification

Question 1

Define income

Answer 1

Economic gain attained by wages, salaries, and income transfers (ex. gov’t benefits)

Question 2

Define wealth

Answer 2

Accumulated assets of goods, such as buildings, lands, farms, etc.

Question 3

What is net worth?

Answer 3

The difference between an individual’s debts and assets

Question 4

What is poverty according to Christopher Sarlo?

Answer 4

“Stomach stretching poverty”, without middle-class amenities (TV, coffee, etc.), believes we exaggerate the level of poverty, and that the state should be a limited resource

Question 5

Define absolute poverty

Answer 5

An inability to attain basic necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter)

Question 6

Define relative poverty

Answer 6

Inability to secure and average standard of living

Question 7

What does the Basic Needs Measures measure?

Answer 7

It is an indicator of absolute poverty, can be sensitive to cost of living

Question 8

What does LICO stand for and measure?

Answer 8

Low Income Cut Off Point and relative poverty (extra: which determines poverty cannot be eliminated)

Question 9

What are the 7 consequences of relative poverty?

Answer 9

Delayed vocal development, poor health and hygiene, poor nutrition, absenteeism and low scholastic achievement, behaviour and mental problems, low housing standards, and a greater likelihood of being poor in adulthood

Question 10

Which groups are most at risk of poverty?

Answer 10

Single parents, those 25 years old or younger, seniors, women, people of colour, and disabled people

Question 11

Explain Milgram’s experiment

Answer 11

Occurred in 1960s, attempted to explain why German’s allowed Nazi control; a teacher (the patient) “electrocutes” a student (part of experiment) under the watch of the experimenter (authority figure), resulted in most people going to “fatal” shock due to pressure from authority

Question 12

What is the “Genovice effect”?

Answer 12

A woman was murdered outside an apartment building, 38 witnesses, but not one did anything; “diffused responsibility”

Question 13

Explain the Standford experiment

Answer 13

Occurred in 1971; group of boys was split into prisoners and guards, the latter of which was given free-reign to control the prisoners, quickly lost control of experiment as guards became vindictive

Question 14

Explain Abu Ghraib

Answer 14

The dehumanization of prisoners (specifically Iraqis), guards were informed to get confessions with vague instructions, “soften them up”, guards were threatened (told they were responsible) to encourage them

Question 15

Compare open systems to closed systems

Answer 15

In an open system, an individual is able to change their class, this is not possible in a closed system

Question 16

Define ascribed status

Answer 16

A status that an individual is born with and which rarely changes (ex. sex, skin colour)

Question 17

Define achieved status

Answer 17

A status that can change due to an individual’s control over it

Question 18

Explain the 4 aspects of structural functionalism

Answer 18

(extra: Davis and Moore)
1) Society is help together by consensus, not based on conflict, 2) inequality is functional, 3) eliminating inequality would be harmful, and 4) inequality will continue because it’s functional and necessary

Question 19

What are some critiques of Davis and Moore’s approach?

Answer 19

Unclear if “inequality” is that of opportunity or outcome, possible lack of applicability to modern society (“bootstrap approach”)

Question 20

What is Marx’s conflict theory approach to poverty?

Answer 20

Belief in 2 groups, “haves” and “have-nots”, person’s relation to means of production dictate their social position, proletariat is exploited and alienated, bourgeoisie takes labourers’ surplus value

Question 21

Define “law of accumulation”

Answer 21

(Part of conflict theory) In which the bourgeoisie obtaining more wealth and the proletariat losing money results in societal collapse

Question 22

What is Erik Ohlin Wright’s conflict theory approach to poverty?

Answer 22

Believed in more than 2 groups: 1) control of means of production (bourgeoisie/capitalist), 2) control labour of others (managerial), 3) purchase labour of others (small business), and 4) sale of one’s labour (proletariat/working)

Question 23

Wright’s theory developed due to what critique?

Answer 23

Marx did not consider economic growth; petite bourgeoisie (small businesses) and limpen proletariat (“mega poor”)

Question 24

What is Weber’s conflict theory approach to poverty?

Answer 24

More factors dictate stratification, analyzed multiple dimensions (class, status, political party, etc.), and the idea that bureaucrats will increasingly control society

Question 25

Explain liberal feminism

Answer 25

“1st wave” in 1900s, focused on rights to own property, right to vote, run for office, and alcholism

Question 26

Explain radical feminism

Answer 26

“2nd wave” in 1960s, focused on women-based institutions or whole society to reconstruct its equality

Question 27

Explain socialist feminism

Answer 27

“2nd wave”, focused on making women equal in reality, ties to dual system theory

Question 28

Explain postmodern feminism

Answer 28

“3rd wave” in modern times, focused on idea that gender is made-up, analysis of forces that constitute being a woman

Question 29

Explain symbiotic interactionism as it pertains to poverty

Answer 29

Focuses on micro-level concerns, analysis of experience of being impoverished