Question 1

Jennifer Lopez is a very wealthy television star,singer,and dancer,yet she has very little power in the political world.These differences exemplify which of these?

Accepted Answer

Status inconsistency refers to a situation where an individual holds different statuses that are not compatible with each other. In the case of Jennifer Lopez, she holds high statuses in the entertainment industry but has little power in the political world, which creates a mismatch or inconsistency in her status.

Question 2

Research shows that people in the U.S.______ the amount of upward mobility.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that people in the U.S. often overestimate the level of upward mobility, believing it to be more common and achievable than statistics and studies actually suggest.

Question 3

According to Thomas Piketty's book Capital in the Twenty-First Century,which is more important,income or wealth?

Accepted Answer

According to Piketty, wealth is more important than income in understanding economic inequality because wealth accumulates over time and is passed down through generations, resulting in a concentration of wealth among a small group of individuals. On the other hand, income can fluctuate and is more evenly distributed among the population. Therefore, focusing solely on income inequality may not fully capture the extent of economic inequality in society.

Question 4

Which of these is defined as the ability to get others to do what you want them to do?

Accepted Answer

Power is defined as the ability to get others to do what you want them to do. Status refers to one's position in society, social class refers to one's socioeconomic status, and wealth refers to one's financial resources. None of these are synonymous with the ability to influence others.

Question 5

Joe,the CEO of a major corporation,earns a salary of $500,000.His position affords him a great deal of respect and he is an active member of the community in which he resides.Joe is an example of which of these?

Accepted Answer

Joe's high salary and position as CEO align with the respect he receives from the community, indicating status consistency. Status stratification refers to the hierarchy of social positions based on factors like wealth or education, while status inconsistency refers to when an individual holds multiple contradictory social positions. Status incompatibility is not a recognized sociological concept.

Question 6

According to Thomas Piketty,which of these is the only way to decrease wealth inequality?

Accepted Answer

According to Piketty, a global tax on wealth is the only way to decrease wealth inequality, as it would prevent wealthy individuals from simply moving their assets to countries with lower tax rates. A state tax on wealth or a federal tax on wealth may not be effective if wealthy individuals can easily relocate to another state or country to avoid the tax. An inheritance tax on wealth may only have a limited impact on reducing inequality, as it only affects wealth transferred between generations and not the accumulation of wealth during an individual's lifetime.

Question 7

In the U.S.and many other countries which of these is the basis of stratification?

Accepted Answer

The basis of stratification in the U.S. and many other countries is primarily the money economy, as economic resources and wealth largely determine social class and status.

Question 8

The income gap between the top 1% of earners in the U.S.and the bottom 20% of the population has ______ since 1979.

Accepted Answer

The income gap between the top 1% and the bottom 20% has increased since 1979.

Question 9

The reality that the cost of college in the U.S.is a significant impediment for poor and middle-class students exemplifies which of these?

Accepted Answer

The reality that the cost of college is a significant impediment for poor and middle-class students exemplifies the high stratification in the U.S. This is because access to higher education is strongly correlated with social class, and the high cost of college reinforces and perpetuates this social inequality.

Question 10

Which of these is an exchange where both the process,itself,and the humans who are involved in it are equally valued?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic exchange refers to an exchange where both the process (symbolic communication) and the humans involved in it are equally valued. It is not solely focused on the exchange of goods and services like in a money economy or economic exchange. Similarly, value economy is a concept where value is placed on non-material objects like relationships, experiences, and culture, but it may not necessarily involve an equal value placed on the participants in the exchange. Therefore, symbolic exchange is the best choice for this question.

Question 11

Which social theorist is credited with identifying the three dimensions of social stratification?

Accepted Answer

Max Weber is credited with identifying the three dimensions of social stratification, which are class, status, and power. Marx primarily focused on class as the key determinant of social stratification, while Durkheim and Goffman did not directly identify specific dimensions of social stratification.

Question 12

Karl Marx believed that social class was defined by which of these?

Accepted Answer

Karl Marx believed that social class was defined by the ownership of the means of production, meaning those who owned businesses and controlled the production of goods held power and wealth, while those who sold their labor to the owners were the working class with little power or wealth.

Question 13

Which of these is TRUE of middle-class decline?

Accepted Answer

The statement that wages have not kept up with the cost of living and thus have led to middle class decline is true. This has resulted in many middle-class families struggling to make ends meet and experiencing a decline in their economic status. The other options are either inaccurate or not supported by evidence.

Question 14

Which of these are the three dimensions of social stratification?

Accepted Answer

The three dimensions of social stratification are class (determined by wealth, income, and occupation), status (determined by prestige, honor, and respect), and power (determined by political influence and authority). Option A is incorrect as it only includes class categories. Option B is partially correct as power is one of the dimensions, but elite and mobility are not. Option D is incorrect as symbolism and ascription are not dimensions of social stratification.

Question 15

Which of these is associated with recent increases in income inequality?

Accepted Answer

Technological advances have led to automation, allowing for the replacement of low-skilled labor with machines and software, causing a decrease in wages for those who perform routine tasks. At the same time, technological advances have also created high-skilled, high-paying jobs, increasing the income gap between skilled and unskilled workers.

Question 16

Owen makes $25,000 a year.He has just inherited $100,000 dollars.Owen owes 25,000 and has 25,000 in savings.What is his wealth?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Owen makes $25,000 a year.He has just...

Question 17

How are wealth and income linked?

Accepted Answer

Wealth and income are linked because wealth can produce sources of income. For example, owning property or investments can generate rental income or dividends. Similarly, a wealthy person may have more opportunities to invest in businesses or other income-generating ventures.

Question 18

Which of these refers to the loss of high-paying manufacturing jobs and the rise of low-paying service jobs?

Accepted Answer

Deindustrialization refers to the decline in industrial production within a region or country, resulting in a loss of high-paying manufacturing jobs and often the rise of low-paying service jobs.

Question 19

Bill has worked as a Walmart cashier for 5 years and makes $28,000 annually,while Jane has worked as a customer service representative at Target for 4 years,making $32,000 annually.Bill and Jane appear to share which of these?

Accepted Answer

Bill and Jane both have jobs in retail, with similar annual incomes, which suggests they belong to the same social class, defined by their economic status and job types.

Question 20

The top 10% of the U.S.owns ______ of the nation's wealth,while the bottom 50% own ______ of the nation's wealth.

Accepted Answer

The top 10% of the U.S. population owns a disproportionately large share of the nation's wealth, estimated at around 76%, while the bottom 50% owns a significantly smaller share, estimated at around 2%. This reflects the significant wealth inequality present in the country.

Quiz 8: Social Stratification in the United States