Question 1

The owner of a major league baseball team can fire employees for not winning a pennant,have the city build him a new ballpark,and prevent organizations that compete against his own team from airing advertisements during the team's televised games.In Max Weber's view,this owner would most likely be considered as having

Accepted Answer

Max Weber defined power as the ability to achieve one's goals or objectives, even against the will of others. The owner of the baseball team in this scenario has the power to make decisions that impact the success of the team, the city's investment in a new ballpark, and the advertising that occurs during televised games. Therefore, the owner is most likely considered to have power according to Weber's definition.

Question 2

The objective method of assessing social class assigns individuals to classes on the basis of

Accepted Answer

The objective method of assessing social class uses measurable criteria such as occupation, education, income, and place of residence to categorize individuals into different social classes. This method does not rely on self-assessment or assessments by others, nor does it solely consider the neighborhood in which one lives.

Question 3

Which sociological perspective argues that competition for scarce resources results in significant political,economic,and social inequality?

Accepted Answer

The conflict perspective emphasizes the role of power in society and how competing interests result in inequality. It argues that those with more power use it to maintain their advantage and that society is not harmonious, but rather shaped by constant struggles over resources and power.

Question 4

Max Weber uses the term class to refer to people who share a similar level of

Accepted Answer

According to Weber, class is determined by a person's wealth and income, rather than their culture, power, or esteem.

Question 5

Status group refers to

Accepted Answer

Status group refers to people who share the same prestige or lifestyle, independent of their class position. This concept was introduced by Max Weber, who argued that a person's social status can be influenced by their education, occupation, and lifestyle, rather than just their economic class. This means that people in different economic classes can belong to the same status group if they share similar prestige or lifestyle.

Question 6

Which of the following terms did Karl Marx use to refer to an attitude held by members of a class that does not accurately reflect the class's objective position?

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx used the term "false consciousness" to refer to the attitude held by members of a class that does not accurately reflect their objective position. This means that individuals in a particular class may not realize their true situation and instead have a distorted understanding of their own interests and the interests of their class.

Question 7

Karl Marx used the term proletariat to refer to the

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx used the term proletariat to refer to the working class who were wage laborers and did not own the means of production. He saw them as being exploited by the capitalist class who owned the means of production.

Question 8

What term did Thorstein Veblen use to refer to the behavior of those at the top of the social hierarchy when they engage in such activities as jetting off to a remote destination for dinner?

Accepted Answer

Thorstein Veblen used the term "conspicuous leisure" to refer to the behavior of those at the top of the social hierarchy when they engage in such activities as jetting off to a remote destination for dinner, which is meant to signal their status and wealth to others.

Question 9

Karl Marx used the concept of class consciousness to refer to

Accepted Answer

Marx used class consciousness to describe the awareness and understanding among members of a particular class regarding their shared interests and the need for collective action to achieve social change. This consciousness is not just an attitude or reputation, but rather a sense of identity and solidarity among members of a class that can drive them to political action.

Question 10

Max Weber defined ________ as the ability to exercise one's will over others.

Accepted Answer

Max Weber defined power as the ability to exercise one's will over others. Control refers to the ability to direct or manage something, while status and class refer to social rankings and positions within a society.

Question 11

In Karl Marx's view,social relations during any period of history depend on who controls the

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx believed that social relations were determined by who had control over the primary mode of economic production. He argued that the ruling class in society, who controlled the means of production, used this control to maintain their power and exploit the working classes. Therefore, Marx saw economic relations as the key factor in shaping society.

Question 12

One shortcoming of Karl Marx's work is that he failed to anticipate the

Accepted Answer

While Marx recognized that the ruling class used propaganda and ideology to maintain their power, he failed to anticipate the extent to which political liberties and relative prosperity could contribute to a false consciousness among the working class, making them less likely to revolt against their exploitation.

Question 13

Gerhard Lenski argues that social inequality may have once served the overall purposes of society,but the degree of social and economic inequality that now exists far exceeds the need to provide for goods and services.This facet of Lenski's analysis is consistent with which perspective?

Accepted Answer

The conflict perspective suggests that social inequality exists because those in power want to maintain their advantages over others. Lenski's argument that social inequality is no longer necessary for providing goods and services aligns with this perspective.

Question 14

Every evening at a neighborhood bar,the clientele-which consists of construction workers,police officers,plumbers,and factory workers-watches sports events on the big screen television set and play pool.The people who hang out in this bar are an example of a

Accepted Answer

The people who hang out in this bar share a common interest in watching sports and playing pool, but they come from various occupations and social backgrounds. They are not defined by their class or caste, but by their status as regular patrons of the bar. They may have informal roles and hierarchies within the group, but they do not hold power over one another. Therefore, they represent a status group.

Question 15

Thorstein Veblen suggested persons at the top of the social hierarchy convert wealth into conspicuous consumption,while the behavior of the lower classes is often subjected to ridicule.Veblen's views are from the

Accepted Answer

The answer of Thorstein Veblen suggested persons at the top...

Question 16

Which of the following did Max Weber suggest were analytically distinct components of stratification?

Accepted Answer

Max Weber suggested that class, status, and power were analytically distinct components of stratification. Class refers to the economic dimensions of inequality, status refers to social honor or prestige, and power refers to the ability to control others' behavior, even if against their will.

Question 17

In Karl Marx's view,a worker who identifies with the wealthy and believes that she can achieve great wealth through hard work is likely to have developed a

Accepted Answer

According to Marx, false consciousness is when a working class individual becomes convinced that their interests align with those of the bourgeoisie, and they do not recognize the inherent exploitation within the capitalist system. In this scenario, the worker believes that with hard work, they can achieve great wealth, which is a common narrative perpetuated by the ruling class to maintain the status quo. Thus, the worker has developed false consciousness.

Question 18

Which sociological perspective would be most likely to argue that most talented people would not go to school for many years to become biochemists if they could make as much money and gain as much respect working as elevator operators?

Accepted Answer

The functionalist perspective is most likely to argue this because it focuses on how different parts of society are structured to maintain its stability and functionality. It suggests that certain roles must offer higher rewards to attract the most talented individuals to fill them, ensuring that crucial functions, like those performed by biochemists, are carried out effectively.

Question 19

In Max Weber's view,

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Max Weber's view,
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Question 20

Purchasing goods not to survive,but to flaunt one's superior wealth and social standing is known as

Accepted Answer

Conspicuous consumption refers to the practice of purchasing luxury goods and services with the primary goal of flaunting one's wealth and social status. This behavior is often associated with conspicuous consumption theory, which argues that individuals engage in this behavior to signal their financial standing and social class to others.

Quiz 8: Stratification and Social Mobility in the United States