Question 1

A woman helps her elderly neighbor by running weekly errands for her. The neighbor helps her by keeping an eye on her house while she is at work. This is an example of symbolic exchange.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of symbolic exchange, as both parties are exchanging something that has symbolic value to them (assistance and security, respectively) rather than a direct monetary or material exchange.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT an argument the text presents as a reason that poverty persists?

Accepted Answer

The text does not present "lack of individual motivation" as a reason for the persistence of poverty, focusing instead on systemic and structural issues.

Question 3

The three dimensions of social stratification are social class, income, and power.

Accepted Answer

The three dimensions of social stratification are class, status, and power. Social class relates to one's economic position, status refers to the social honor or prestige that a particular group is accorded by other members of a society, and power relates to the ability to achieve aims or further the interests one holds even against resistance from others. Income is often a component or consequence of class but is not considered a separate dimension of social stratification.

Question 4

Mike owns a collection business and is very strict with his employees. He sees his employees in a very subservient way and expects them to adhere to all his rules. This would be an example of an inter/actionist theory as it pertains to social stratification.

Accepted Answer

Interactionist theory focuses on the interactions between individuals and groups in society, and how these interactions shape social stratification. In this case, Mike's strict treatment of his employees and his view of them as subservient would be an example of interactionist theory, as it shows how his interactions with his employees reinforce the social stratification between them.

Question 5

Recent research suggests that people on both the low and the high levels of the stratification system greatly overestimate the amount of upward mobility experienced by people in the United States.

Accepted Answer

Recent research has found that people tend to overestimate upward mobility, regardless of their position in the social hierarchy. This means that both those at the bottom and those at the top believe that there is more mobility than there actually is.

Question 6

Which of the following factors is associated with the feminization of poverty?

Accepted Answer

Women having lower average earnings than men is a significant factor contributing to the feminization of poverty, as it affects their economic stability and increases the likelihood of living in poverty.

Question 7

Which of the following relates to the concept of income?

Accepted Answer

Rent on real estate is a form of income, as it represents payment for the use of a property.

Question 8

A second-grade teacher who fills in as a fourth-grade teacher the following year is an example of horizontal mobility.

Accepted Answer

Horizontal mobility refers to a change in position or role within the same social level or occupational category, such as a teacher moving from one grade level to another within the same school.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT a major area of global inequality according to the text?

Accepted Answer

Global transportation inequalities are not mentioned in the text as a major area of global inequality.

Question 10

Government efforts in the wake of the recession (e.g., bailing out banks and investment companies) greatly aided the lower class, but did little or nothing for the middle class.

Accepted Answer

Government efforts, such as bailouts and stimulus packages, were primarily aimed at stabilizing the financial system and economy, which indirectly benefited both the middle and lower classes by preventing further economic collapse and job losses.

Question 11

Cindi is a bus driver who eventually becomes a special education teacher. This is an example of structural mobility.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Cindi is a bus driver who eventually...

Question 12

A hospital pays higher salaries to doctors who specialize in multiple areas. This is an example of the conflict theory as it relates to social stratification.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A hospital pays higher salaries to doctors...

Question 13

The OECD specifies that foreign aid must meet which of the following standards?

Accepted Answer

Foreign aid, according to the OECD, should have concessional terms, which often means an interest rate at least 25 percent below the market rate.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a way that women have been disadvantaged by occupational gender segregation?

Accepted Answer

Women are often discouraged from entering professions considered "male" occupations, not "female" ones, which is a way they are disadvantaged by occupational gender segregation.

Question 15

New York trash collectors sometimes earn a higher income than local business owners. This would be an example of status inconsistency.

Accepted Answer

Status inconsistency refers to a situation where an individual has different levels of status (salary, education, occupation) that do not fit together. Therefore, if a trash collector earns more than a local business owner, it would be an example of status inconsistency.

Question 16

Deindustrialization is related to the increase in income inequality in the United States.

Accepted Answer

Deindustrialization led to the decline in well-paying manufacturing jobs, which disproportionately affected certain regions and communities. This, in turn, contributed to the widening income gap between the wealthy and working-class Americans.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is NOT true for health in the Global South compared with the Global North?

Accepted Answer

The Global South does not receive a disproportionate share of medical care; instead, it often has limited access to healthcare resources compared to the Global North.

Question 18

Which of the following is a major reason for the decline in the middle class between 1967 and 2013?

Accepted Answer

The decline in unionized jobs, particularly in manufacturing, led to reduced bargaining power for workers, resulting in lower wages and benefits, contributing to the shrinking middle class.

Question 19

The bottom billion face ______ at higher rates than other countries.

Accepted Answer

The bottom billion, referring to the poorest people in the world, often face lower life expectancy due to factors like inadequate healthcare, poor nutrition, and lack of access to clean water and sanitation.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a stage in Walt Rostow's modernization theory?

Accepted Answer

The production stage is not part of Rostow's stages. Rostow's model includes the traditional society, preconditions for takeoff, takeoff, drive to maturity, and high mass consumption.

Quiz 7: Social Stratification in the United States and Globally