Question 1

Based on demographic transition theory, why do preindustrial societies experience very low overall population growth?

Accepted Answer

Preindustrial societies experience very low overall population growth because they have both high birth rates and high death rates. The high birth rates are often a response to the high death rates, particularly infant mortality, as families have more children to ensure that some survive to adulthood. However, the high death rates, due to factors like disease, lack of medical knowledge, and poor living conditions, balance out the high birth rates, leading to low overall population growth.

Question 2

What is the primary reason behind the global population explosion?

Accepted Answer

The primary reason behind the global population explosion is scientific advances, particularly in medicine and agriculture, which have significantly reduced mortality rates and increased life expectancy, leading to rapid population growth.

Question 3

Which area of the world is experiencing the highest death rate?

Accepted Answer

Europe has the highest death rate, primarily due to its older population compared to other regions. Aging populations tend to have higher mortality rates.

Question 4

Technological development, particularly in the medical field, contributed to population explosion by

Accepted Answer

Technological development in the medical field has led to improvements in healthcare and preventive measures, resulting in a significant increase in life expectancy and a reduction in infant mortality rates. These factors, in turn, have contributed to the population explosion by allowing more people to live longer and healthier lives. Improved fertility treatments may have also contributed, but it is not the primary factor in population explosion.

Question 5

By 2088, the world's population is expected to be

Accepted Answer

By 2088, the world's population is expected to be 9 billion.

Question 6

An aging population brings a variety of social problems. Which issue related to the aging population in the United States is most significant?

Accepted Answer

The issue of too few young people supporting too many retirees is the most significant because it relates to the sustainability of social security and other retirement programs, as well as the overall economic health of the country. As the number of retirees who require support increases, the burden on younger generations to fund these programs also grows. This can lead to issues such as lower economic growth and higher taxation, causing significant challenges for future generations.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes the current and projected impact of immigration on population growth in the United States and other wealthy nations?

Accepted Answer

Immigration has a significant impact on population growth in the United States and other wealthy nations both currently and projected for the future. In the U.S., immigrants and their descendants are projected to account for nearly 90% of population growth by 2065, according to Pew Research Center projections. Similarly, population growth in countries like Canada, Australia, and Germany is heavily reliant on immigration. Therefore, the impact of immigration on population growth is significant and expected to continue.

Question 8

Which of the following describes the population growth rate in European countries?

Accepted Answer

Most European countries have a negative growth rate, meaning that the number of deaths and emigration is higher than the number of births and immigration. This has led to aging populations and concerns about economic and social sustainability.

Question 9

Demographic transition theory suggests that societies progress through four demographic stages, beginning with high birth and death rates and culminating at ________ population growth.

Accepted Answer

Demographic transition theory posits that societies evolve through stages where initially both birth and death rates are high, then birth rates remain high while death rates fall, followed by a decrease in birth rates, and finally culminating in a stage where both birth and death rates are low, leading to zero or near-zero population growth.

Question 10

The "graying of America" has had which of the following effects on the Social Security system in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The "graying of America" refers to the aging population and its impact on various societal structures, including the Social Security system. This demographic shift has led to changes such as increased eligibility age and ongoing concerns about the system's solvency, reflecting the broader challenges of supporting a larger retired population with a relatively smaller working-age population contributing to the system.

Question 11

Unsustainable population growth is threatening the planet. This statement is consistent with which population theory?

Accepted Answer

The statement "Unsustainable population growth is threatening the planet" aligns with the neo-Malthusian population theory, which holds that population growth will eventually outstrip resources leading to various environmental and social problems.

Question 12

How is social structure in advanced countries related to small families?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How is social structure in advanced countries...

Question 13

Which theory argues that population growth is directly related to levels of affluence and adoption of new technology?

Accepted Answer

The theory that argues that population growth is directly related to levels of affluence and adoption of new technology is the demographic transition theory. This theory suggests that as a society goes through economic development, a decline in fertility rates occurs due to changes in social and economic factors, including improvements in healthcare, education, and economic prosperity.

Question 14

Besides death and birth rates, what other factor is essential in assessing population growth?

Accepted Answer

Migration, specifically net migration (the difference between the number of people entering and leaving a population) is essential in assessing population growth. It can either contribute to population growth or mitigate the effects of a declining population. The other factors mentioned may have an indirect effect on population growth, but do not directly measure it.

Question 15

Which of the following best describes Rosa Parks's role in the Montgomery bus boycott?

Accepted Answer

Rosa Parks's refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus was a deliberate action by a trained civil rights movement member. She was already actively involved with the NAACP and had attended the Highlander Folk School, which was a training center for activists working on labor and civil rights issues.

Question 16

Not all countries experience the same population trends. Great differences exist among countries in population growth, infant mortality rates, average lifespan, etc. This inequality is called

Accepted Answer

The term used to describe this inequality in population trends among different countries is "the demographic divide". A is incorrect because the population pyramid refers to the graphical representation of a population's age and gender structure. B and C are not commonly used terms in demography.

Question 17

How is social structure in agrarian societies related to large families?

Accepted Answer

In agrarian societies, large families are often necessary to provide the labor needed for farming and managing agricultural tasks.

Question 18

According to demographic transition theory, societies that embraced industrialization were able to reduce overall birth and death rates. The primary reason behind this reduction was

Accepted Answer

With industrialization came improvements in knowledge about sanitation and disease, as well as advances in medical technology, which led to lower mortality rates. As a result, families no longer needed to have as many children to ensure some would survive into adulthood, leading to a decrease in birth rates. Increased affluence and the shift from extended to nuclear families may have played a role in some cases, but they were not the primary reason behind the reduction in birth and death rates. The introduction of birth control came later in the demographic transition process and was a result of declining birth rates, rather than the cause.

Question 19

What is the primary factor in rates of population growth?

Accepted Answer

The level of economic development is the primary factor in rates of population growth. As countries become more economically developed, their population tends to stabilize and even decline, due to factors such as improved access to education and healthcare, increased use of birth control, and changing cultural attitudes towards family size. In contrast, countries with lower levels of economic development tend to have higher rates of population growth due to factors such as limited access to family planning resources and a greater reliance on large families for economic support. Religious beliefs and cultural values can also play a role, but they are secondary factors compared to economic development.

Question 20

What does Richard Flacks mean by "making history"?

Accepted Answer

Richard Flacks refers to "making history" as having the power to influence the organization of society, emphasizing the role of individuals and groups in shaping social structures and historical outcomes.

Quiz 17: Social Change: Globalization, Population, and Social Movements