Test Bank for Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, 10th Edition Diana Kendall

Test Bank for Sociology in Our Times: The

Essentials, 10th Edition Diana Kendall

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True / False

1. A person’s ability to succeed and his or her position in the class structure is determined largely by the stratification
system of the society.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 201
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

2. Social mobility is always upward and between generations.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Social mobility may be upward or downward and may occur for a person within
that person’s lifetime, as well as between generations.

3. Theoretically, a class system is more open than a caste system.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

4. Max Weber was in complete disagreement with Karl Marx about the nature of class.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Weber agreed with Marx that economic factors are important in determining
individual and group behavior.

5. Weber believed that modern bureaucracies are so strong that even a workers’ revolution would not lessen social
inequality.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

6. In Weber’s conception of class there is a complete correlation among the three dimensions of power, prestige, and
wealth.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Weber saw wealth, prestige, and power as separate continuums. A person could be
high on one and low on another.

7. Congress has not passed an increase in the federal minimum wage in 20 years.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified
Rejoinder: In 2009, Congress passed a bill increasing the minimum wage to $7.25.

8. Although the federal minimum wage is set by the federal government, individual states are free to adopt a higher
minimum wage rate if they desire.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

9. Contemporary Marxist theorists agree with Marx’s classification of social class in terms of whether or not one owns the
means of production.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 213
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Contemporary Marxist Erik Wright argues that the classification of the capitalist
class as the owners of the means of production is too broad. Small business owners have little
in common with wealthy capitalists; managers may share the interests of capitalists.

10. In Wright’s Marxian model of social classes, the capitalist class is made up of families with large amounts of inherited
wealth.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: In Wright’s model, the capitalist class consists of those individuals with inherited
wealth, who own major corporations, or who are top executives with extensive stock
holdings.

11. Neither the Weberian nor the Marxian model of class in the United States describes the nature and extent of social
inequality within the United States.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 215
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

12. Among high-income nations, the United States has the greatest amount of income inequality.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 216
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

13. Most people in the United States have their wealth invested in income-generating property.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 217
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Only the wealth of a relatively small number of elites in the United States is
invested in income-producing property.

14. During the economic crisis of 2007–2009, household median wealth declined for people of all races equally.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 218
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: People of color experience a disproportionate decline in wealth because they
either didn’t own a home or were foreclosed.

15. Virtually anyone can be poor, and poverty is randomly distributed throughout the population of the United States.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 219
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Poverty is not randomly distributed throughout the population. Some categories of
people, such as people of color, children, and women, are disproportionately represented
among the poor.

16. In the United States, people over the age of 65 are the most likely to be poor.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 222
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: In the past, the elderly were the most likely to be poor. Today, due to Social
Security, which is considered by some the most effective antipoverty program, seniors are the
least likely age group to experience poverty.

17. The child poverty rate in the United States is higher than in any other industrialized country.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 222
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

18. Women’s lower socioeconomic status is the primary explanation for poverty in the United States today.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 223
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Although women are disproportionately represented among the poor and there is
an obvious link between gender and poverty, this does not explain poverty in the United
States. Many households headed by women were poor prior to the event that resulted in a
single-woman head of household.

19. Sociologists are in agreement that poverty is always harmful to society.

a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
REFERENCES: 226
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New
Rejoinder: Functionalist sociologists argue that social inequality is an inevitable and essential
part of any society. They believe it supports a division of labor and ensures that the most
talented people will be the best-trained and the most highly rewarded.

20. The current economic situation makes it difficult to predict the future of stratification within the United States.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
REFERENCES: 228
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

Multiple Choice

21. __________ is the sociological term for the hierarchical arrangement of large social groups based on the control of
basic resources.
a. Bureaucracy
b. Ethnocentrism
c. Social stratification
d. Social layering
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 201
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

22. Sociologist Max Weber’s term __________ refers to the extent to which individuals have access to important societal
resources such as food, clothing, shelter, education, and health care.
a. life chances
b. cultural opportunity
c. social stratification
d. social prospects
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 201
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

23. According to the text, one of the most important characteristics of systems of stratification is their degree of
__________.
a. authenticity
b. fairness
c. flexibility
d. visibility
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

24. The sociological term for the movement of individuals or groups from one level in a stratification system to another is
__________.
a. life chances
b. stratification
c. social mobility
d. meritocracy
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

25. __________ mobility is the social movement experienced by family members from one generation to the next.
 a. Intergenerational
b. Structural
c. Intragenerational
d. Exchange
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

26. When Carlos’s grandfather migrated to the United States, he had completed six years of schooling and was an
agricultural worker in California. Carlos’s father completed high school and worked for twenty years as a clerk in a large
state agency. Through the efforts of his father and grandfather, Carlos was able to graduate from college and medical
school, and he now has a thriving medical practice in southern California. Carlos’s family exemplifies __________
mobility.
a. intragenerational
b. exchange
c. intergenerational
d. structural
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Pickup

27. Camryn started her career as a high-tech factory worker and, through increased experience and taking specialized
courses in her field, became an entrepreneur and started her own highly successful business. Camryn’s advancement is
an example of __________ mobility.
a. exchange
b. intergenerational
c. structural
d. intragenerational
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Pickup

28. One of the most important characteristics of systems of stratification is their degree of flexibility. In a closed system of
stratification __________.
a. people's positions are set by achieved statuses
b. there is little or no social mobility
c. the boundaries between levels in the hierarchies of social stratification are relatively fluid
d. many opportunities exist for people who are willing to work hard
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 202
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

29. __________ mobility refers to the social movement of individuals within their own lifetime.
a. Intergenerational
b. Structural
c. Intragenerational
d. Exchange
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 203
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

30. __________ is an extreme form of stratification in which some people are owned by others. It is a closed system in
which people are treated as property and have little or no control over their lives.
a. League
b. Slavery
c. Class
d. Caste
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 203
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

31. Slavery in the United States ___________.

a. was not defined by law and custom prior to the Revolutionary War
b. was a temporary status for most slaves
c. was challenged by some slaves through acts of resistance and sabotage
d. is a thing of the past and no longer an issue
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 203
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

32. The U.S. State Department estimates that about __________ foreigners are brought to the United States and
enslaved annually.
a. 2,500
b. 9,500
 c. 11,500
d. 17,500
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

33. Caste systems and slavery are both __________.

a. systems where status is determined at birth
b. systems where persons are considered property
c. open systems of stratification
d. based on achieved, not ascribed, status
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

34. Vestiges of a caste system exist today in __________.

a. India and South Africa
b. Australia
c. Southeast Asia and the Philippines
d. many countries in South America
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

35. A difference between the caste system in India and the caste system in South Africa is that in India caste was based
in part on __________.
a. religious identification
b. racial classification
c. occupation
d. wealth
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

36. A difference between the caste system in India and the caste system in South Africa is that in South Africa caste was
based largely on __________.
a. religious identification
b. racial classification
c. occupation
d. wealth
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

37. Until the 1990s, white South Africans controlled the government, the police, and the military by enforcing __________,
the term used in South Africa for “the separation of the races."
a. alienation
b. apartheid
c. stratification
d. classification
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

38. In a caste system, people are allowed to marry only within their own group. This is termed __________.
a. endogamous
b. exogamous
c. polygamous
d. homogamous
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 204
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

39. The open stratification system based on the ownership and control of resources, as well as the type of work people
do, is termed __________.
a. caste
b. slavery
c. estate
d. class
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

40. In a class system_____________________________.

a. status is based on access to and ownership of resources
b. the boundaries are more distinct than in a caste system
c. one’s status is entirely ascribed
d. mobility is as closed as a caste system
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

41. __________ occurs when people experience a gain or loss in position and/or income that does not produce a change
in their place in the class structure.
a. Horizontal mobility
b. Situational mobility
c. Vertical mobility
d. Structural mobility
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

42. A factory worker is promoted to the position of foreman in the factory. She receives a small increase in pay. This
person has experienced __________ mobility.
a. situational
b. vertical
c. horizontal
d. structural
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

43. __________ occurs when people experience movement either up or down the class structure.
a. Lateral mobility
b. Vertical mobility
c. Situational mobility
d. Horizontal mobility
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

44. Becky's mother is an architect and her father is a college professor. Becky left home at age 16 to live with her
boyfriend. When their relationship ended, Becky no longer communicated with her parents and did not return to high
school. After working briefly at a fast food restaurant, Becky resorted to asking passersby at a local shopping area for
money. Becky's story illustrates the concept of __________.
a. vertical mobility
b. horizontal mobility
c. structural mobility
d. collateral mobility
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 205
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

45. Both Karl Marx and Max Weber identified ___________ as an important determinant of social inequality and social
change.
a. religion
b. class
c. gender
d. race
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

46. Marx used the term __________ for those who own the means of production—the land and capital necessary for
factories and mines.
a. entrepreneurs
b. proletariat
c. rentiers
d. bourgeoisie
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

47. Marx used the term __________ to refer to those who must sell their labor to the owners in order to earn enough
money to survive.
a. proletariat
 b. rentiers
c. bourgeoisie
d. entrepreneurs
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

48. Sociologist Karl Marx believed that the workers are exploited as capitalists maximize their profit by paying the
workers less than the resale values of what they produce. Marx believed that this resulted in a feeling of powerlessness
and estrangement that he called __________.
a. anomie
b. alienation
c. stratification
d. verstehen
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

49. Marx used the term __________ for the feeling of powerlessness and estrangement from other people and from
oneself that he suggested resulted from continually being exploited.
a. accommodation
b. meritocracy
c. assimilation
d. alienation
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

50. Marx described workers as alienated for a variety of reasons, including that __________.
a. workers are alienated from the goods they produce because they use their creativity and labor to produce
them but do not own them
b. workers are alienated from their work because they are forced to do it for survival
c. workers are alienated from other workers because they live in different areas of the city
d. workers are alienated from God because they do not have time to worship
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

51. According to Marx, the capitalist class maintains its position at the top of the class structure by control of the society’s
__________, which is composed of the government, schools, churches, and other social institutions.
a. substructure
b. superstructure
c. ecostructure
d. infrastructure
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

52. Marx predicted that when workers realized that capitalists were the source of their oppression, they would overthrow
the capitalists and take over the government, creating a(n) __________ society.
a. class
b. caste
c. egalitarian
d. stratified
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

53. Workers have not overthrown capitalism as Marx had predicted because __________.
a. many workers have experienced a rising standard of living
b. workers have lost legal protections in the form of rights and benefits
c. individual capitalists still own and control factories and other means of production
d. fewer people are engaged in the economy
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

54. Marx’s theory had important insights into capitalist societies; for example,________________.
a. the economic basis of class systems
b. despite economic differences, classes share values and beliefs
c. different classes work together for the well-being of a society
d. values and beliefs are more important than the material wealth one holds
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

55. Whereas Marx defined class in purely economic terms, sociologist __________ developed a multidimensional
approach to social stratification that reflects the interplay among wealth, prestige, and power.
 a. Karl Marx
b. Emile Durkheim
c. Herbert Spencer
d. Max Weber
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

56. Whereas Marx defined class in purely economic terms, Max Weber developed a multidimensional approach to social
stratification that reflects the interplay among wealth, prestige, and __________.
a. income
b. power
c. occupation
d. race/ethnicity
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

57. __________ is the value of all of a person’s or family’s economic assets, including income, personal property, and
income-producing property.
a. Power
b. Wealth
c. Prestige
d. Class
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

58. Weber defined social class using ___________ as a major contributor.

a. religion
b. ethnicity
c. race
d. power
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

59. Sociologist Max Weber placed categories of people who have a similar level of wealth and income in the same class.
He referred to the privileged commercial class of wealthy bankers, ship owners, professionals, and merchants who
possess similar financial resources as __________.
a. entrepreneurs
b. rentiers
c. independents
d. consumers
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

60. Weber used the term __________ for the category of wealthy individuals who live off their investments and do not
have to work.
a. entrepreneurs
b. rentiers
c. independents
d. consumers
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

61. Of the two categories of people who work for wages, Weber called the white-collar workers, public officials, managers,
and professionals the __________.
a. entrepreneurial class
b. working class
c. upper class
d. middle class
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

62. Weber called the class consisting of skilled, semiskilled, and unskilled workers the __________.
a. entrepreneurial class
b. working class
c. upper class
d. middle class
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

63. The dimension of Weber’s system of stratification that helps determine one’s class consists of the respect or regard
that a person is given by others, and is called __________.
a. wealth
b. power
c. status
d. prestige
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

64. According to sociologist Max Weber’s system of stratification, __________ is the ability of people or groups to achieve
their goals despite opposition from others.
a. wealth
b. power
c. status
d. prestige
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 209
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

65. Sociologists often use the term __________ to refer to a classification that reflects a combination of factors such as
income, occupation, and education.
a. power status
b. socioeconomic status
c. prestige status
d. wealth status
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 209
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

66. The model of the American class system based on the work of __________ is based on three elements: education,
occupation of family head, and family income.
 a. C. Wright Mills
b. Karl Marx
c. Max Weber
d. George Simmel
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 210
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

67. According to the social class model developed by Gilbert and Kahl, and based on the theory of Weber, the upper
(capitalist) class of the United States includes about __________ of the population.
a. 1 percent
b. 3 percent
c. 8 percent
d. 12 percent
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 210
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

68. In the model of American social classes based on Weber’s theory, the __________ is made up of prominent families
that have held great wealth for several generations.
a. lower-upper
b. new money
c. upper-upper
d. upper-middle
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 210
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

69. Members of the __________ have earned most of their money during their own lifetime. This class includes
entrepreneurs, presidents of major corporations, sports or entertainment celebrities, and top-level professionals.
a. middle-upper class
b. upper-upper class
c. upper-middle class
d. lower-upper class
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 210
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

70. The upper-middle class is comprised of highly educated professionals, such as physicians, attorneys, stockbrokers,
and corporate managers, which make up about __________ of the population.
a. 3 percent
b. 8 percent
c. 14 percent
d. 30 percent
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

71. A combination of three factors qualifies people for the __________ class: university degrees, authority and
independence on the job, and high income.
a. upper-upper
b. middle-middle
c. lower-middle
d. upper-middle
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

72. Occupations such as medical technicians, teachers, and nurses pertain to the __________, which makes up an
estimated 30 percent of the U.S. population.
a. middle class
b. upper class
c. upper-upper class
d. upper-middle class
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

73. An estimated 30 percent of the U.S. population is __________, which includes occupations such as semiskilled
machine operators in factories and people in the service sector, such as clerks and salespeople.
a. upper-middle class
b. working class
c. middle class
d. working poor
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified
74. The term pink-collar refers to_____________________________.
a. women workers, regardless of their type of profession or occupation
b. women in working-class positions, including machine operators and factory workers
c. semiskilled positions that are low paying, are not manual labor, and are primarily held by women
d. any type of occupation or position in which emotional labor is the dominant feature
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

75. About 20 percent of the U.S. population lives from just above to just below the poverty line. These people typically
hold unskilled jobs, seasonal migrant jobs in agriculture, and lower-paid factory and service jobs and are termed the
__________.
a. working class
b. underclass
c. middle class
d. working poor
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

76. Social critic and journalist Barbara Ehrenreich demonstrated that people in the __________ use strategies like help
from relatives and continually changing residences in order to survive.
a. working class
b. underclass
c. middle class
d. working poor
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

77. Working single mothers and their children and African Americans are overrepresented among the __________.
a. middle class
b. working poor
c. upper class
d. working class
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 211
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified
78. The minimum wage_____________________________.
a. is determined by the federal government for all states
b. is set by the federal government, but individual states may adopt a higher rate
c. is suggested by the federal government, but individual states are free to adopt one that is higher or lower
d. is set on a state-by-state basis with no involvement of the federal government
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

79. The term __________ refers to those who are poor, are seldom employed, and experience long-term deprivation.
a. working class
b. underclass
c. middle class
d. working poor
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

80. About __________ of the U.S. population is included in the underclass.

a. 1 to 2 percent
b. 3 to 5 percent
c. 8 to 10 percent
d. 15 percent
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

81. Contemporary Marxian (or conflict) theorists examine class in terms of __________.
a. the ownership or nonownership of the means of production
b. wealth inequality
c. people’s relationships with others in the production process
d. a multidimensional approach of wealth, prestige, and power
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

82. When analyzing social class, __________ are most likely to consider the degree of control that workers have over the
decision-making process and their ability to plan and implement their own work.
 a. postmodern theorists
b. functionalist theorists
c. symbolic interactionist theorists
d. conflict theorists
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

83. According to Forbes magazine, the richest people in the world are Mexican entrepreneur Carlos Slim Helu, Bill Gates
(co-founder of Microsoft Corporation), and investor Warren Buffet. In Wright’s Marxian model these men would be
members of the __________ class.
a. managerial
b. capitalist
c. small-business
d. working
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

84. Of the richest 20 people in the world, how many are women?
a. 3
b. 4
c. 6
d. 8
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

85. In Wright's Marxian model, persons who have substantial control over production and over workers but do not
participate in key corporate decisions such as how to invest profit are the __________.
a. capitalist class
b. small-business class
c. working class
d. managerial class
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

86. In the Marxian model of Erik Wright, business owners and craftspeople that may hire a small number of employees
but largely do their own work would be considered __________ class.
a. small-business
b. capitalist
c. working
d. managerial
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

87. In Wright's Marxian model, the __________ is made up of a number of subgroups, including blue-collar workers, some
of whom are highly skilled and well-paid and others of whom are unskilled and poorly paid.
a. small-business class
b. capitalist class
c. working class
d. managerial class
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

88. Skilled blue-collar workers, which include electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, and unskilled blue-collar workers
which include janitors and gardeners, are all members of the __________, according to the Marxian model of class.

a. working
b. managerial
c. small-business
d. capitalist
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

89. __________ is the term for economic gain derived from wages, salaries, income transfers (government aid), and
ownership of property.
a. Wealth
b. Prestige
c. Power
d. Income
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 215
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup
90. In 2009, the wealthiest 20 percent of households in the United States received approximately __________ percent of
the total income pie.
a. 25
b. 50
c. 75
d. 90
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 216
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

91. In 2012, the poorest 20 percent of households in the United States received approximately __________ of the total
income pie.
a. 3 percent
b. 9 percent
c. 12 percent
d. 17 percent
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 216
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

92. In 2012, the top 5 percent of households in the United States received more than 20 percent of all income—an
amount greater than that received by the bottom __________ of all households.
a. 25 percent
b. 40 percent
c. 65 percent
d. 75 percent
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 216
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

93. The term __________ include(s) property such as buildings, land, farms, houses, factories, and cars, as well as other
assets such as bank accounts, corporate stocks, bonds, and insurance policies.
a. income
b. benefits
c. wealth
d. endowments
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 217
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

94. Wealth in the United States________________________.

a. is computed by subtracting assets from debt
b. is most likely invested in income-producing property
c. is more evenly distributed than income
d. is nonexistent for nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 217
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

95. Poor people in the United States______________________________.

a. have longer life expectancies

b. have children that are at much greater risk of dying during their first year of life
c. receive more preventive medical and dental checkups than do members of the middle class because of
welfare benefits
d. are at greater risk for heart disease and cancer than more affluent persons
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 217
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

96. For many of the working poor, medical insurance is out of the question. In 2010, approximately __________ of people
in the United States were without health insurance coverage.

a. 1 percent
b. 7 percent
c. 16 percent
d. 25 percent
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 219
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

97. The Department of Agriculture uses the term __________ for people whose access to adequate food is limited by lack
of money and other resources.

a. food insecure
b. hunger
c. malnutrition
d. impoverished
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 219
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

98. __________ theorists view education as the “elevator” to social mobility. They see education as providing all students
with opportunities, and they argue that students’ abilities are now more important than their class, race, or gender in
determining success.
a. Postmodern
b. Conflict
c. Functionalist
d. Symbolic interactionist
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 220
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

99. __________ theorists stress that schools are agencies for perpetuating social inequality because parents with limited
income are not able to provide the same educational opportunities for their children as are families with greater financial
resources.

a. Conflict
b. Symbolic interactionist
c. Postmodern
d. Functionalist
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 220
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

100. Today, great disparities exist in the distribution of educational resources. Because funding for education comes
primarily from __________, school districts in wealthy suburban areas generally pay higher teachers’ salaries, have
newer buildings, and provide state-of-the-art equipment.
a. federal government taxes
b. local property taxes
c. state taxes
d. a combination of state and federal taxes
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 220
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

101. The U.S. Social Security Administration has established an official poverty line. The poverty line is computed by
_______________________________.
a. correlating wealth and the cost-of-living index
b. determining the cost of a minimally nutritious diet (short-term) and multiplying this figure by 3 to allow for
nonfood costs.
c. estimating the annual cost of living and dividing by 12.
d. surveys to determine how much people spend on housing, food, and other necessities.
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 221
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

102. The U.S. poverty rate in 2012 was __________.

a. 2 percent
b. 8 percent
c. 11 percent
d. 15 percent
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 221
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

103. __________ poverty refers to the condition in which people do not have the means to secure the most basic
necessities of life.
a. Absolute
b. Relative
c. Official
d. Subjective
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 222
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

104. __________ is the most likely to have life-threatening consequences, such as when a homeless person freezes to
death on a park bench.
a. Subjective poverty
b. Relative poverty
c. Absolute poverty
d. Official poverty
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 222
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

105. __________ poverty exists when people may be able to afford basic necessities but are still unable to maintain an
average standard of living.

a. Absolute
b. Relative
c. Official
d. Objective
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 222
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

106. Which age group (of all races) has the highest percentage living in poverty?
a. 0–18 years
b. 18–34 years
c. 35–64 years
d. over age 65
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 222
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

107. In the late 1970s, sociologist Diana Pearce coined the term __________to refer to the trend in which women are
disproportionately represented among individuals living in poverty.
a. the feminization of poverty
b. matriarchal poverty
c. pink‑collar poverty
d. gendered poverty
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 223
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

108. Which of these racial/ethnic groups has the highest rate of poverty?
a. Whites
 b. African Americans
c. Asian Americans
d. Hispanics
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 224
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

109. Social inequality and poverty have both economic and structural sources. According to your text, in the United States
a great deal of poverty is due to __________.
a. people's unwillingness to work
b. governmental programs, such as welfare, that have kept families dependent over several generations
c. high unemployment and the low wages paid for many jobs
d. people's desire for immediate gratification and overuse of credit cards
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 224
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: Modified

110. Corporations have been disinvesting in the United States, displacing millions of people from their jobs. Economists
refer to this displacement as the __________ of America.
a. deinstitutionalization
b. deindustrialization
c. disengagement
d. abandonment
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 224
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

111. Computers and other technologies perform a great deal of work today, reducing the need for workers with special
expertise. As a result, high-paying positions have been replaced with low-paying positions. This process has been termed
__________.
a. deinstitutionalization
b. deindustrialization
c. disengagement
d. deskilling
ANSWER: d
REFERENCES: 224
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

112. In addition to unemployment, structural problems contribute to __________, where people work at jobs that do not
pay a living wage and lack security.
a. underemployment
b. subemployment
c. minor employment
d. marginal employment
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 224
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

113. Davis and Moore, two functionalists, believe that stratification results in __________.
a. a capitalist system
b. socialism
c. a meritocracy
d. worker revolution
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 226
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

114. From the perspective of __________, social inequality is not only inevitable; it is an essential part of any healthy
society.
a. functionalism
b. conflict theory
c. symbolic interactionism
d. differential association
ANSWER: a
REFERENCES: 226
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

115. Meredith studies how waiters are treated by diners at a country club in order to learn about the daily structure of
inequality and how these patterns are enacted and replicated. Meredith is a __________.
a. functionalist
b. conflict theorist
c. symbolic interactionist
d. feminist
ANSWER: c
REFERENCES: 227
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: New

116. When __________ behavior occurs between nonequals, it confirms the inequality of the relationship.
a. front-stage
b. deference
c. stratification
d. meritocracy
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 227
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

117. The United States is currently experiencing the greatest economic setback since_______________.
a. the Revolutionary War
b. the Great Depression
c. World War II
d. the 1980s savings and loan scandals
ANSWER: b
REFERENCES: 228
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Factual
NOTES: New

Subjective Short Answer

118. Describe what is meant by the American Dream.

ANSWER: The American Dream is the belief that if people work hard and play by the rules, they will
have a chance to get ahead. Moreover, each generation will be able to have a higher
standard of living than that of its parents. The American Dream is based on the assumption
that people in the United States have equality of opportunity regardless of their race, creed,
color, national origin, gender, or religion. For some people the American Dream means
having a secure job, owning a home, and ensuring a good education for their children. To
others, it is the promise that anyone may rise from poverty to wealth (from “rags to riches”) if
he or she works hard enough.
REFERENCES: 200
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

119. Describe the difference between open and closed systems of stratification and give an example of each.
ANSWER: Around the globe, one of the most important characteristics of systems of
 stratification is their degree of flexibility. Sociologists distinguish among such systems based
on the extent to which they are open or closed. In an open system, the boundaries between
levels in the hierarchies are more flexible and may be influenced (positively or negatively) by
people’s achieved statuses. Open systems are assumed to have some degree of social
mobility. Social mobility is the movement of individuals or groups from one level in a
stratification system to another. This movement can be either upward or downward. Class is
an example of an open system (to some extent). In a closed system, the boundaries between
levels in the hierarchies of social stratification are rigid, and people’s positions are set by
ascribed status. Open and closed systems are ideal-type constructs; no actual stratification
system is completely open or closed. Caste is a closed system of stratification.

REFERENCES: 202–203
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

120. Explain the concept of alienation and describe how workers are alienated in a capitalist mode of production,
according to Marx.
ANSWER: Marx’s concept of alienation refers to feelings of powerlessness and estrangement from
others and from oneself. Marx believed workers in a capitalist system are alienated from the
things they produce, which require their labor and creativity but which they cannot own. They
are alienated from their work because they are forced into it in order to survive. Workers are
alienated from themselves because they lack control over their activities. They are also
alienated from other workers, who also must sell their labor as a commodity.
REFERENCES: 206–207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

121. Explain sociologist Karl Marx’s perspective on class position and class relationships.
ANSWER: According to sociologist Karl Marx, class position and the extent of our income and wealth
are determined by our work situation, or our relationship to the means of production. Marx
stated that capitalistic societies consist of two classes—the capitalists and the workers. The
capitalist class (bourgeoisie) consists of those who own the means of production—the land
and capital necessary for factories and mines. The working class (proletariat) consists of
those who must sell their labor to the owners in order to earn enough money to survive.
According to Marx, class relationships involve inequality and exploitation. The workers are
exploited as capitalists maximize their profits by paying workers less than the resale value of
what they produce but do not own. This continual exploitation results in the workers’
alienation—a feeling of powerlessness and estrangement from other people and from
oneself. Marx predicted that the exploitation of workers by the capitalist class would
ultimately lead to class conflict—the struggle between the capitalist class and the working
class. According to Marx, when the workers realized that capitalists were the source of their
oppression, they would overthrow the capitalists and their agents of social control, which
would lead to the end of capitalism. The workers would then take over the government and
create a more egalitarian society.
REFERENCES: 206–207
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-2 - Explain Karl Marx’s views on social class and stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

122. Outline sociologist Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social stratification and explain how people are
ranked on all three dimensions.
ANSWER: According to sociologist Max Weber, no single factor (such as economic divisions between
capitalists and workers) was sufficient for defining the location of categories of people within
the class structure. Weber stated that the access that people have to important societal
resources (such as economic, social, and political power) is crucial in determining life
chances. Weber developed a multidimensional approach to social stratification that reflects
the interplay among wealth, prestige, and power. Wealth is the value of all of a person’s or
family’s economic assets, including income, personal property, and income-producing
property. Weber placed categories of people who have a similar level of wealth and income
in the same class. He identified a privileged commercial class of entrepreneurs—wealthy
bankers, ship owners, professionals, and merchants who possess similar financial resources.
He also described a class of rentiers—wealthy individuals who live off their investments and
do not have to work. Weber divided those who work for wages into two classes: the middle
class and the working class. The middle class consists of white-collar workers, public
officials, managers, and professionals. The working class consists of skilled, semiskilled, and
unskilled workers. The second dimension of Weber’s system of stratification is prestige—the
respect or regard with which a person or status position is regarded by others. Fame,
respect, honor, and esteem are the most common forms of prestige. A person who has a
high level of prestige is assumed to receive deferential and respectful treatment from others.
Weber suggested that individuals who share a common level of social prestige belong to the
same status group regardless of their level of wealth. They tend to socialize with one another,
marry within their own group of social equals, spend their leisure time together, and
safeguard their status by restricting outsiders’ opportunities to join their ranks. The other
dimension of Weber’s system is power—the ability of people or groups to achieve their goals
despite opposition from others. The powerful can shape society in accordance with their own
interests and direct the actions of others. Weber stated that wealth, prestige, and power are
separate continuums on which people can be ranked from high to low. Individuals may be
high on one dimension and low on another. In Weber’s multidimensional approach, people
are ranked on all three dimensions.
REFERENCES: 207–208
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-3 - Discuss Max Weber’s multidimensional approach to social
stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

123. Compare the functionalist and conflict theory perspectives on education in relation to inequality in the United States.
ANSWER: Educational opportunities and life chances are directly linked. Some functionalist theorists
view education as the “elevator” to social mobility. Improvements in the educational
achievement levels (measured in number of years of school completed) of the poor, people
of color, and white women have been cited as evidence that students’ abilities are now more
important than their class, race, or gender. From this perspective, inequality in education is
declining and students have an opportunity to achieve upward mobility through achievements
at school. Functionalists generally see the education system as flexible, allowing most
students the opportunity to attend college if they apply themselves to their studies. In
contrast, most conflict theorists stress that schools are agencies for reproducing the capitalist
class system and perpetuating inequality in society. From this perspective, education
perpetuates poverty. Parents with limited income are not able to provide the same
educational opportunities for their children as are families with greater financial resources.
Today, great disparities exist in the distribution of educational resources. Because funding for
education primarily comes from local property taxes, school districts in suburban areas
generally pay higher teachers’ salaries, have newer buildings, and provide state-of-the-art
equipment. By contrast, schools in poorer areas have a limited funding base.
REFERENCES: 210–214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

124. Describe Erik Wright’s model of the U.S. class structure based on the theory of Marx.
ANSWER: Sociologist Erik Wright outlined four criteria for placement in the class structure: (1)
ownership of the means of production, (2) purchase of the labor of others (employing others),
(3) control of the labor of others (supervising others on the job), and (4) sale of one’s own
labor (being employed by someone else). Wright assumes that these criteria can be used to
determine the class placement of all workers, regardless of race/ethnicity in a capitalist
society. Wright identified four classes: (1) The capitalist class—this class holds most of the
wealth and power in society through ownership of capital—banks, corporations, factories, etc.
The “ruling elites” or “ruling class” within this category hold political power and are often
elected or appointed to influential political positions. The capitalist class is composed of
individuals who have inherited fortunes, own major corporations, or are top corporate
executives with extensive stock holdings of control of company investments. The major
sources of income for the capitalist class are profits, interest, and very high salaries.
Members of this class make important decisions about the workplace, including which
products and services to make available to consumers and how many workers to hire or fire.
(2) The managerial class—people in this class have substantial control over the means of
production and over workers. However, these upper-level managers, supervisors, and
professionals typically do not participate in key corporate decisions such as how to invest
profits. Top professionals may control the structure of their own work; however, they typically
do not own the means of production and may not have supervisory authority over more than
a few people. Members of the managerial class occupy a contradictory class location
between the capitalist and working classes. (3) The small-business class consists of small-
business owners and craftspeople that may hire a small number of employees but largely do
their own work. It is the small-business class that we find many people’s hopes of achieving
the American Dream. Recent economic trends, including corporate downsizing,
telecommuting, and the movement of jobs to other countries, have encouraged more people
to think about starting their own business. As a result, more people today are self-employed
or own a small business than at any time in the past. (4) The working class is made up of a
number of subgroups, one of which is blue-collar workers, some of whom are highly skilled
and well paid and others of whom are unskilled and poorly paid. Skilled blue-collar workers
include electricians and plumbers; unskilled blue-collar workers include janitors and
gardeners. White-collar workers are another subgroup of the working class; they include
secretaries, other clerical workers, and sales workers. These workers are at the bottom of the
class structure in terms of domination and control in the workplace. The working class
contains about half of all employees in the United States.
REFERENCES: 213–214
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

125. Define the difference between income and wealth.

ANSWER: Income is economic gain from wages, income transfers, or ownership of property. Income is
received periodically as returns on work or investments. Wealth refers to assets that one
holds. Wealth is determined by subtracting all debt and converting the resulting assets into
cash.
REFERENCES: 215–216
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-5 - Distinguish between income inequality and wealth inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

126. Describe the consequences of social inequality, poverty in particular, within the United States.
ANSWER: People who are wealthy, well educated, and who have high-paying jobs are much more likely
to be healthy than are poor people. As people’s economic status increases, so does their
health status. The poor have shorter life expectancies and are at greater risk for chronic
illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, as well as infectious diseases such as
tuberculosis. Children born into poor families are at much greater risk of dying during their
first year of life. Most of the poor do not receive preventive medical and dental check-ups;
many do not receive adequate medical care after they experience illness or injury. Many
 high-poverty areas lack an adequate supply of doctors and medical facilities. Some “charity”
clinics and hospitals may provide indigent patients (those who cannot pay) with minimal
emergency care but make them feel stigmatized in the process. For many of the working
poor, medical insurance is out of the question. Many lower-paying jobs are often the most
dangerous and have the greatest health hazards. Analysts suggest that people with higher
income and wealth tend to smoke less, exercise more, maintain a healthy body weight, and
eat nutritious meals. As a category, more-affluent persons tend to be less depressed and
face less psychological stress, conditions that tend to be directly proportional to income,
education, and job status. Good health is basic to good life chances; in turn, adequate
nutrition is essential for good health. Hunger is related to class position and income
inequality. Between 33 and 50 percent of all children living in poverty consume significantly
less than the federally recommended guidelines for caloric and nutritional intake. Lack of
adequate nutrition has been linked to children’s problems in school.
REFERENCES: 218–221
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

127. Define the official poverty line and differentiate between absolute poverty and relative poverty.
ANSWER: The U.S. Social Security Administration has established an official poverty line, which is
based on what is considered to be the minimum amount of money required for living at a
subsistence level. The poverty line is computed by determining the cost of a minimally
nutritious diet (a low-cost food budget on which a family could survive nutritionally on a short-
term, emergency basis) and multiplying this figure by 3 to allow for nonfood costs. Absolute
poverty exists when people do not have the means to secure the most basic necessities of
life. Absolute poverty often has life-threatening consequences, such as when a homeless
person freezes to death on a park bench. By comparison, relative poverty exists when people
may be able to afford basic necessities but are still unable to maintain an average standard
of living.
REFERENCES: 220
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Pickup

128. Briefly describe the characteristics of the poor in the United States, in terms of age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
ANSWER: Poverty in the United States is highly concentrated according to age, gender, and
race/ethnicity. Age—today, children are at a much greater risk of living in poverty than are
older persons. The age category most vulnerable to poverty today, is the very young. One
out of every three persons below the poverty line is under 18 years of age. The precarious
position of African American and Latino/a children is even more striking. Children as a group
are poorer now than they were at the beginning of the 1980s, whether they live in one- or
two-parent families. The majority of these children live in two-parent families in which one or
both parents are employed. However, children in single-parent households headed by
women have a much greater likelihood of living in poverty. Gender—about two-thirds of all
adults living in poverty are women. The feminization of poverty refers to the trend in which
women are disproportionately represented among individuals living in poverty. Women have
a higher risk of being poor because they bear the major economic and emotional burdens of
raising children when they are single heads of households but typically earn less than men.
Race/ethnicity—people of color are disproportionately represented among the poor.
REFERENCES: 222–225
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Applied
NOTES: Modified

Essay

129. Describe and compare the three types of systems of stratification.

ANSWER: Will vary
REFERENCES: 202–206
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-1 - Define social stratification and distinguish among three major systems
of stratification.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

130. Describe the model of the social class structure in the United States from a Weberian perspective.
ANSWER: Will vary
REFERENCES: 210–212
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: New

131. Erik Wright has written on Marx’s view of social stratification. Discuss his criticisms of Marx. List and briefly
define/explain his (i.e., Wright’s) model of stratification based on the work of Marx.
ANSWER: Will vary
REFERENCES: 213–215
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-4 - List and note the key characteristics of U.S. social classes.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

132. You have recently been appointed to the United States Commission Against Poverty. Discuss what specific reforms
and strategies (assume that you have a blank check at your disposal) you would attempt to implement in order to reduce
or alleviate poverty in America. Explain the reasons for the strategies that you suggest.
ANSWER: Will vary
REFERENCES: 218–226
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-6 - Describe three important consequences of inequality in the United
States.
SIOT.KEND.16.7-7 - Identify the characteristics of poor persons in the United States based
on age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified

133. Discuss the major aspects of the functional, conflict, and symbolic interactionist perspectives as they relate to social
stratification. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of each.
ANSWER: Will vary
REFERENCES: 226–228
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SIOT.KEND.16.7-8 - Compare and contrast functionalist, conflict, and symbolic
interactionist perspectives on social inequality.
TOPICS: Conceptual
NOTES: Modified
Test Bank for Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, 10th Edition Diana Kendall

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