Stratification Flashcards
1
Q
In a meritocracy, we would expect that which of the following would have little or no effect on how far students will go and how well students will perform in school?
A
their social class background and other ascribed characteristics
2
Q
The traditional Indian caste system, the feudal social system of medieval Europe, and the Jim Crow era segregation in the US South are all examples of a(n) ____ stratification system.
A
closed
3
Q
A ____ is a system in which a person’s social mobility is based on personal merit and individual talents.
A
meritocracy
4
Q
The ability, or inability, to change one’s place within the social classes in a society is called ____.
A
social mobility
5
Q
A social class system is one in which ____
A
ascribed status and personal achievement combine in a way that allows for some social mobility
6
Q
In many rust belt cities in the Midwest, as factories closed down in the 1980s, many people saw declines in their standard of living and had to look for jobs in other industries, often with lower pay and benefits. This is an example of ____.
A
structural social mobility
7
Q
Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic principles of stratification?
A
stratification systems are based on the objective merit of individuals
8
Q
Social stratification is ____.
A
the system by which society categorizes people, and ranks them in a hierarchy
9
Q
Germain has a master’s degree in economics and comes from an upper-middle class family but has instead joined a farmers market coop. He doesn’t earn much money, but is otherwise happy. This is an example of what sociologists would call ____.
A
status inconsistency
10
Q
Ideology both helps us understand why inequality never goes away AND it can also help us understand why societies are unequal in the first place. (T/F)
A
false
11
Q
German sociologist Ralf Dahrendorf argued that by the late twentieth century, class conflict had changed in important ways that Marx had not anticipated. Which of the following is NOT one of the ways in which class has conflict changed since Marx’s time?
A
U.S. economic success is an example of capitalist ideas
12
Q
A system in which everyone has an equal chance of succeeding economically based on their hard work and skills is called a ____.
A
meritocracy
13
Q
Sociologists define “ideology” as ____.
A
a set of cultural beliefs and values that justify a particular way of organizing a society
14
Q
In a meritocracy, we would expect that which of the following would have little effect on how far students will go and how well students will perform in school?
A
their social background and ascribed characteristics
15
Q
Marking our place (or our desired place) in the social hierarchy by our choices in the music we listen to, the type of clothing we wear, or other lifestyle choices is called ____
A
conspicuous consumption
16
Q
A structural-functional perspective on stratification, the Davis-Moore thesis argues that ____.
A
society assigns greater economic and social rewards to jobs that are most important in society
17
Q
While all three paradigms recognize and study social inequality, ____ emphasizes the consequences of inequality.
A
social conflict theory
18
Q
While all three paradigms recognize and study social inequality, ____ looks closely at how the way an individual speaks, dresses, and interacts with people in their day-to-day lives reflects an individual’s social position.
A
symbolic interactionism
19
Q
Although income and occupational prestige are distinct (one measures economic wealth, the other social status), the two tend to overlap. (T/F)
A
true
20
Q
American political scientists Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page studied the relationship between the political views of those in different incomes. They found that ____.
A
political views that passed reflected rich Americans while middle income people’s political views did not reflect those
21
Q
Which of the following best describes the relationship between income and wealth inequality?
A
Across US households, wealth inequality is much HIGHER than income inequality.
22
Q
Which of the following statements about income and wealth inequality is NOT true?
A
single people have more wealth than married people
23
Q
As of last year, the median household income in the US was about ____.
A
$56k
24
Q
When economists split the population into quintiles, they divide up the population into five equal groups of 20% of the population. The richest 20% of households in the US earn more than ____.
A
$117k
25
The practice of "redlining" was a common way to make it difficult for African-American families to buy homes in "white" neighborhoods. Although redlining was made illegal in 1968, how does this help explain the wealth gap between African-Americans and white households today?
home is a great wealth asset and AA homes are not worth as much b/c they were forced to buy homes in bad areas
26
What is the difference between "income" and "wealth"?
Income is money earned from work or investments; wealth is the total value of money plus other assets, like real estate, stocks, and bonds.
27
When economists split the population into quintiles, they divide up the population into five equal groups of 20% of the population. The poorest 20% of households in the US earn less than ____.
$22.8k
28
A characteristic of "periphery" countries in Immauel Wallerstein's "capitalist world economy" model is that ____.
they provide labor and raw materials exploited by more industrialized ("core") countries
29
Modernization theory argues that poor countries are poor because ____.
those societies cling to traditional culture instead of embracing technological and cultural change
30
A "dependency theory" argument that explains why Mississippi and Alabama are among the poorest in the US would look like this:
Mississippi and Alabama focused on commodity exports (like cotton) in the 1800s. Exporting cotton and importing finished manufactured textiles produced a trade deficit that, over time, left those states poorer.
31
In Walter Rostow's "four-stages of development" model, the "take-off" stage is when ____.
people begin to use individual talents to produce things beyond necessities, creating markets for trade; at the same time, the culture become more individualistic and status is increasingly tied to wealth
32
How does the Columbian Exchange help explain why many countries in Latin America are poor?
In the Columbian Exchange, European countries gained access to agricultural goods and raw materials that jump-started their economic growth, allowing them to industrialize much earlier
33
According to Immanuel Wallerstein's "capitalist world economy" model, countries like Japan, the US, and Germany are part of the ____.
core
34
For most of human history ____
poverty was the norm for everyone; there was little difference between countries
35
Sam has decided to stay home and care for the children while Barbara works for a local cleaning service. Barbara earns a little less than $24,000 a year cleaning offices. Based on this information, what can we say about Sam and Barbara's family?
Barbara and Sam probably fall below the poverty line and qualify for public assistance
36
In the US, the upper class (about 1-2% of the population) includes "new money" entrepreneurs and others who acquired their wealth through hard work, but also "old money" people who simply inherited their wealth. (T/F)
true
37
Omar graduates from college and starts a job as an accountant. The starting salary is $53,000 per year. Based on this, Omar would be a considered a member of what social class in the US?
average middle class
38
The US sets a "poverty level" that determines eligibility for assistance programs. Currently a family of four would have to earn less than ____ to qualify as below the poverty line.
about $25k
39
Bobby graduates from college and starts a job as an elementary school teacher. The starting salary is $35,000 per year. Based on this, Bobby would be a considered a member of what social class in the US?
lower middle class
40
How much annual income do you have to earn to qualify as among the richest 1-2% of the US population?
250k
41
The term "relative poverty" is used to describe ____.
lack of resources compared to others who have more (in that society)
42
Max Weber defined a social class as ____.
a group that's fairly similar in terms of income, education, power, and prestige in society
43
Which of the following best describes how the symbolic interactionist paradigm views sexuality?
Sexuality is primarily socially constructed based on "sexual scripts" people perform.
44
Which of the following best describes how the conflict theory paradigm views sexuality?
The regulation of sexuality creates and/or reinforces sexual inequalities in society.
45
The term "sex" refers to ____.
a biological category that distinguishes between male and female
46
People identified as "intersex" are ____.
born with sex characteristics (genitalia) that don't fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies
47
The term "heteronormativity" describes ___.
there's only two genders and sex can only go on between the opposites
48
A person can be described as "cisgendered" if ____.
their biological sex characteristics match their gender identity
49
A person's "gender expression" refers to ____.
the way a person "performs" their gender in social interactions
50
A person's "gender identity" refers to ____.
a person's internal, deeply held sense of their own gender
51
Which of the following best describes how the structural-functionalism paradigm views sexuality?
Sex is important for social reproduction, so it's organized by society to meet those functions.
52
The term "gender" refers to ____.
a set of social and psychological characteristics that a society considers proper for its males and females
53
A person's sexual orientation refers to ____.
a relatively enduring physical or romantic attraction to another person, of your own or the other sex, or both
54
Which of the following plays little or no role in determining our sexual preferences and behaviors?
The kind of diet we eat or level of exercise
55
The so-called "Kinsey scale" of sexuality measures ____.
a person's sexual orientation, ranging from "exclusively homosexual" to "exclusively heterosexual"
56
Having had a sexual encounter with someone of the same sex automatically means you are "gay" or homosexual. (T/F)
false
57
Sex can serve a social function of helping build intimacy within a relationship. (T/F)
true
58
Alfred Kinsey's studies of human sexuality in the 1940s discovered that ____.
people's range of sexual experiences was much more varied than most people believed
59
Sex is necessary for social reproduction. (T/F)
true
60
How did Alfred Kinsey study human sexuality?
He used surveys and other empirical methods to study the subject scientifically.
61
Which of the following is a reason many working women find themselves working a "second shift," according to Arlie Hochschild?
Husbands are more likely to spend time after work relaxing, leaving their wives responsible for housekeeping and childrearing duties.
62
The term "gender stratification" refers to ___.
the unequal distribution of wealth, power, and privilege across genders
63
The term "pink collar" jobs refers to ____.
jobs with higher concentration of women, such as nursing, teaching, and housekeeping
64
The term "patriarchal dividends" refers to ___.
the social benefits that men accumulate simply because they are men
65
The gender wage gap is a myth; today men and women tend to earn the same pay for equal work. (T/F)
false
66
During the 1950s, women were expected to stay at home and take care of their husbands' and children's needs. These socially constructed ideas are referred to as ____.
emphasized femininity
67
Jobs with higher concentration of women tend to have lower prestige and lower pay. (T/F)
true
68
The social expectations of what it means to be a male (tall, young, athletic, etc.) are called ___.
hegemonic masculinity
69
Can a man be a feminist?
yes
70
According to Talcott Parsons, girls are taught ____ that prepare them to care for families.
expressive qualities
71
The term "patriarchy" describes ____.
men have more power
72
Symbolic interactionists describe "gender roles" as ____.
how society defines how women and men should think and behave
73
If someone describes themselves as a "feminist," it means that they ____.
support social equality for all genders and oppose sexism
74
A feminist who focuses on expanding the rights and opportunities for women by removing cultural and/or legal barriers to women's equality, such as implementing policies to prevent workplace discrimination or improving reproductive freedom is a ____.
liberal feminist
75
According to Simone de Beauvoir, which of the following are examples of how society pressures women to conform to the standards of "feminine" beauty?
1. social media depict certain figures
2. daily regiments to maintain figure support that women are objects
76
Talcott Parsons, a structural functionalist, argued that gender socialization was a way to ____.
teach boys and girls the complementary roles needed to maintain stable family units
77
Which of the following best describes the way the symbolic interactionist paradigm views gender?
Gender is primarily socially constructed based on "gender scripts" people perform.
78
Which of the following is NOT a criticism of the structural-functional perspective on gender developed by Talcott Parsons?
It did not describe the functions that maintained stable families.
79
Pink has always been a color associated with femininity, and blue has always been a color associated with masculinity. (T/F)
false
80
Hair removal practices and trends have been consistent across time and different cultures. (T/F)
false
81
In 1927, when Time magazine did a survey of what different department stores recommend as suitable colors for boys’ and girls’ clothing, they found that ____.
about half of the large department stores recommended pink for boys and blue for girls
82
Gender-specific baby clothing and products first became widely available ____.
in 1980s
83
Until the early 1900s, most infants in the US and Britain ____.
wore white clothes (no gender specific)
84
The two short videos on gender colors (pink/blue) and the history of women's shaving suggest that ____.
gender norms are a product of social learning and change over time
85
Which of the following statements is true about the cultural practice of women shaving their legs?
- In the 1940s, women who shaved their legs often drew a line on their legs to mimic stockings
- The shortage of nylon during World War 2 prompted many women to shave their legs
- 1915s is when first razor marketed toward women
86
____ is defined on the basis of some real or presumed cultural characteristic, such as language or relgion.
ethnicity
87
Which box do people of Middle Eastern descent check off (belong to) on the US Census form?
white
88
The lines between racial and ethnic groups are ____.
vague and unclear
89
Sociologists use the term "minority" to define ____.
any category of people, who are distinguished by their physical and/or cultural difference, that a society sets apart and subordinates
90
____ is based on some real or presumed physical or biological characteristics, such as skin or hair color
race
91
The term "race" is used to ____.
categorize people people who share biological traits that a society thinks are important
92
Which of the following is NOT a "race" as defined by the US Census?
Hispanic or Latino
93
Demographers estimate that the US will be a majority-minority country by 2040. This is because ____.
Whites will no longer be the majority, but neither will any other group
94
John is very proud of his Italian and French background. Therefore, it can be said that John is very proud of his ____.
ethnicity
95
Which of the following individual would NOT qualify as "Hispanic"?
Jean-Paul, an immigrant from Haiti
96
"Race" as a concept operates the same way across time and different cultures. (T/F)
false
97
Which of the following is/are important differences between indentured servants and slaves in colonial America?
- Indentured service was a contractual agreement with fixed terms; slavery was for life
- Many (if not all) indentured servants came to America voluntarily
- Slaves were not considered 'human"
- Slavery was hereditary
98
Which of the following statements about "race" as a concept is supported by historical evidence?
The emergence of ideas about "race" and racial differences emerged AFTER slavery was already expanding in colonial America
99
Prior to the early 1900s, the term "white" was reserved for which of the following groups?
Anglo-Saxons (from England)
100
The earliest uses of the term "race" referred to ____.
a category of kinship or group affiliation, typically for members of the same household or who shared a common ancestor
101
The concept "ethnicity" is defined as ____.
a group of people have a shared cultural origin
102
The concepts "race" and "ethnicity" have nothing in common. (T/F)
false
103
In the 1863 New York City draft riots, poor whites (largely Irish immigrants) rioted against the draft law that offered draft exception for anyone who could pay $300. Who did they target their anger against?
They attacked African-Americans, who were ineligible for the draft because they weren't considered citizens
104
Members of Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities share culture (symbols, ways of speaking, norms & values, etc.). Sociologically, campus "Greeks" belong to a ____.
subculture
105
Since "ethnicity" defines any group with a shared culture, anything can be an ethnicity. (T/F)
false
106
Which of the following is true about ethnicity?
Some ethnic groups are better able to assimilate into the majority culture than others
107
When Latinos and African-Americans are portrayed in violent video games as criminals and members of gangs, this is an example of ____.
stereotypes
108
When immigrants come to the US, many of them feel compelled to give up their native language in order to learn English. This is an example of ____.
assimilation
109
The income and wealth gap between white and black households is evidence of ____.
institutional racism
110
Mary is a waitress who refuses to wait on black customers. This is an example of ____.
discrimination
111
Prejudice is a(n) ____, whereas discrimination is a(n) ____.
attitude; action
112
Often, we have subconscious attitudes or beliefs about other ethnicities or races that guides shapes our behavior without us noticing. This is called ____.
implicit bias
113
The fact that people of different races tend to be highly concentrated into "their" neighborhoods, even in large cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, illustrates the prevalence of ____ in our country.
de facto segregation
114
The theory that explains racism as a response or defense mechanism by people who are frustrated or face economic anxiety is called ____.
scapegoat theory
115
The term "racism" can be used to describe ____.
beliefs, thoughts, and actions based on the assumption that one race is innately superior (or inferior) to another
116
They also always have a worship service that includes their Buddhist and atheist members. This is an example of ____ in action.
pluralism
117
According to Ezra Klein, the core of current political divisions seems to revolve around the question of ____.
how we feel about America's increasing cultural diversity
118
The state of California has already experienced the kind of demographic shift the country faces in the near future. The tipping point seems to have been in the year 2000. The historical experience of California shows that ____.
near the peak of the demographic shift, racial tensions become important factor shaping deep political polarization
119
What does county-level election data tells us about how Donald Trump did in 2016 compared to Barack Obama in 2008?
Trump did best in counties where immigration caused rapid demographic shifts
120
Political science experiments such as the one comparing Barack Obama's dog and Ted Kennedy's dog suggest that President Obama was a deeply polarizing figure primarily because ____.
of his personal characteristics (his race), not his policies
121
According to the discussion in the video "The Fractured Politics of a Browning America," exposure to reminders of increasing cultural diversity in America tends to make people more comfortable and tolerant. (T/F)
false
122
In the mid-1840s, the Irish who immigrated to America did so primarily because ____.
they were fleeing oppressive British colonialism and a famine
123
When the Irish first arrived in the United States, they were generally viewed as ____.
an infestation, or a plague
124
In the 1840s, Irish immigrants faced many obstacles that made assimilation into American culture difficult. An important one was the inability to speak English. (T/F)
false
125
Many Americans were hostile towards Irish (and other Catholic) immigrants because they believed these were part of a large conspiracy to overthrow the US government and impose papal rule (a theocracy based on Catholic doctrine). (T/F)
true
126
Anxiety over the high number of Irish (and other Catholic) immigrants prompted the formation of the so-called American Party, a political party dedicated to opposing immigration and protecting the cultural, economic, and political power of "native-born" Americans. (T/F)
true
127
As Irish immigrants (and their descendants) moved up the social ladder in the 1890s, ____.
nativists shifted their prejudice and hostility to new immigrant groups, especially Chinese and East European immigrants
128
After the Civil War, Mississippi Delta plantation owners could no longer rely on free slave labor. Chinese immigrant workers were an appealing alternative because they were cheap, disposable, and politically voiceless. (T/F)
true
129
The small, but significant Chinese community in the Mississippi Delta dates back ____.
more than 100 years
130
Why were Chinese grocery stores important in the Delta during segregation?
they were willing to sell to black
131
Between 1882 (when the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed) and 1943 (when it was partly repealed), all Chinese immigration to the US was banned. Why did Mississippi Delta plantation owners want to hire "illegal" Chinese immigrants to work in the cotton fields?
you can pay them less and they can't complain
132
Many Mississippi Delta Chinese frequently encounter people who are surprised that they speak English (with a Delta accent) and assume they are recent immigrants. Thinking sociologically, why does this happen?
Our cultural assumptions about what it means to be "American" privileges "whiteness" and ignores the multiracial fabric of American society
133
The first Chinese immigrants came to Mississippi originally ____.
to work in the cotton fields in the late 1800s
134
Why did Chinese grocers live in the back of the store, along with their families?
Because the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prevented ethnic Chinese from owning property
135
Which of the following is not a so-called "push" factor that drives international migration.
greater economic opportunity
136
From an economic perspective, which policy response to immigration would boost GDP (gross domestic product) and strengthen our economy the most?
full legalization
137
Public opinion surveys show that the share of Americans with positive views about immigrants and immigration ____.
is steadily rising, particularly among younger Americans
138
Overall, economists tend to agree that immigrants ____.
are good for economy
139
Which of the following is NOT one of the economic benefits of extending legal status to undocumented workers?
The wages of undocumented workers would decrease, making it easier to hire native-born workers.
140
According to the "immigration surplus" economic model ____.
population growth from immigrants increases demands for goods and services, which can lead to higher wages and more hiring
141
The term "undocumented immigrant" applies to ____.
people without legal residency status
142
The economist John Kennan estimates that if immigration restrictions were eliminated worldwide, ____.
world labor supply would double, leading to economic growth and higher wages
143
In 1889, George Ravenstein argued that the most important thing that drove immigration was ____.
economic opportunity
144
Jennifer Richardson, a political psychologist who studies how people respond to social change discusses research that shows that, when confronted with data on the growing Hispanic population, ____.
Asian-Americans and Whites became more conservative
145
Some reasons why Americans were hostile towards Irish immigrants throughout the 1800s were:
- A deep-seated prejudice against Catholicism
- A belief that the Irish drank too much alcohol and had loose morals
- A belief that Irish immigrants stole jobs from native-born Americans
- A belief that Irish and other Catholic immigrants would impose their religion on the rest of the population
146
Why is the following argument flawed:
"In the past, immigrants from countries like Ireland, Italy, and Poland were also discriminated against. Over time, they and their descendants were able to assimilate into American culture and become successful. Therefore, complaints by other ethnic or racial minorities are invalid. They should just work harder, like Irish, Italian, and Polish immigrants did."
- It relies on the misconception that definitions of race and ethnicity are stable
- The ability for groups to assimilate largely relies on broader cultural shifts, which are based on negotiations based on who has social power
147
Regardless of how we feel about it as a concept, race plays an important role in our daily lives, such as ____.
- in the places people live
- in the way people interact with each other
- in the stereotypes people face
148
In which of the following ways did the European Enlightenment affect our understand of "race"?
- Some philosophers claimed that some people lacked "history" and "culture" and were simply obstacles to progress
- The push within scientific communities to categorize the natural world using "reason" into elaborate typologies extended to humans as well
149
Which of the following statements is true about the cultural practice of women shaving their legs?
- In the 1940s, women who shaved their legs often drew a line on their legs to mimic stockings
- The first razor marketed specifically for women was in 1915
- The shortage of nylon during World War 2 prompted many women to shave their legs
150
Evangelical Protestants and Catholics are more likely to belong to the middle and upper class. (T/F)
false
151
Typically, upper class Americans tend to be ____, when compared to working class Americans.
fiscally conservative but socially progressive (or "liberal")
152
Annette Lareau's study of parenting styles found that ____.
working class parents tended to emphasize obedience and discipline, while middle class parents tended to encourage autonomy by talking through decisions
153
Health indicators and life expectancy vary by social class, with lower-income individuals more likely to have poor health and shorter life expectancies. Why?
- Poor people tend to live in neighborhoods with lower access to fresh and/or healthy foods.
- Working class jobs tend to be more stressful and/or dangerous.
- Poor people have limited access to health care.
154
How does income segregation help explain why public education is not the "great equalizer" that many policymakers often hope?
Public schools tend to be neighborhood schools. Since most public school funding comes from local property taxes, high-income neighborhoods and communities tend to have much higher funding for education. That means that children from middle and upper class backgrounds tend to go to much better public schools than children from working class backgrounds.
155
There's a tendency for people of different religious affiliations to belong to different social classes. (T/F)
true
156
The tendency for families of similar income levels to live in similar neighborhoods is called ____.
income segregation
157
Think back to the comic strip "On A Plate," which offered snapshots of two people: Paula (born to working class parents) and Richard (born to upper-middle-class parents). Which of the following best describes Richard's success later in life.
Richard studied hard at school, but he also had numerous advantages that made it easier for him to focus on his education
158
Joe teaches his son to cook, because he is aware that his son will need these skills when he moves out next week. This is an example of ____.
anticipatory socialization
159
Think back to the comic strip "On A Plate," which showed snapshots of the lives of two people: Paula (born to working class parents) and Richard (born to upper-middle-class parents). What are some of the reasons why Paula struggled in school?
- Paula's parents couldn't afford to choose a better school for their child
- Paula's parents worked long hours, and weren't able to help her with her homework
- Paula's parents weren't able to provide toys and books, which delayed Paula's intellectual development
160
Blake's parents were both middle class (a high school principal and a tax accountant). He decided to skip college and pursue a career in real estate. Since getting his real estate license, he has been a successful agent in his city and lives in similar middle class neighborhood as his parents. Blake's story is an example of ____.
horizontal mobility
161
Sociologists Karl Alexander and Doris Entwisle studied 800 first-graders in Baltimore. They found that ____.
the effects of growing up in poverty cast long shadows over their lives, and tended to affect the life outcomes of individuals well into adulthood
162
Raul started working in the local mill right out of high school, and would be considered working class. In his late 20s, he decided to go to pursue a different path. He went to college as a part-time student, and graduated with a chemical engineering degree. Now he works at pharmaceutical research lab. Raul's story is an example of ____.
intragenerational mobility
163
The term "relative mobility" describes ____.
how an individual moves up or down in social position compared to the rest of society
164
Which of the following is NOT a trend in social mobility in the US?
married couples have lower social mobility than single
165
The term "intergenerational mobility" describes ____.
the movement in social positions within a family across generations
166
Which of the following is NOT a trend in social mobility in the US during the most recent years?
There's increasing growth in income among the working and middle classes, which is narrowing the income inequality in the US.
167
Lakesha's mother works as a school teacher, and considers herself lower middle class. Lakesha went to college, got a law degree, and now works at a prestigious law firm in Atlanta. Lakesha's story is an example of ____.
intergenerational mobility
168
The term "intragenerational mobility" describes ____.
how a person moves up or down the social ladder during their lifetime
169
