Question 1

Legitimating rationales are widely accepted beliefs that something is "right and reasonable."

Accepted Answer

Legitimating rationales are indeed widely accepted beliefs or justifications that make certain actions or systems appear appropriate and justified within a social context.

Question 2

In a caste system, people's statuses are mostly achieved.

Accepted Answer

In a caste system, people's statuses are mostly ascribed, meaning they are determined by birth and not by personal achievements.

Question 3

According to Marx, the means of production is the defining characteristic of any society.

Accepted Answer

Marx believed that the means of production, which includes the tools, factories, land, and investment capital used to produce wealth, is the foundation of a society's economic structure and influences its social and political structures.

Question 4

According to Weber, occupation is the primary determinant of one's social position.

Accepted Answer

Weber believed that social position is determined by a combination of class, status, and power, not just occupation.

Question 5

When sociologists discuss SES they are referring to "Serious Extraneous Status"factors.

Accepted Answer

SES stands for "Socioeconomic Status," which refers to an individual's or group's economic and social position in relation to others, based on income, education, and occupation.

Question 6

The caste system of India is a good example of what sociologists call a "closed system"of stratification.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The caste system of India is a...

Question 7

Vertical mobility refers to mobility within a single strata.

Accepted Answer

Vertical mobility refers to the movement between different social strata or levels, such as moving from a lower to a higher social class or vice versa.

Question 8

In a closed system, boundaries between strata are impermeable.

Accepted Answer

In a closed system, the boundaries are designed to prevent the exchange of matter with the surroundings, making them impermeable.

Question 9

Within a closed system, exogamy is encouraged by formal law and informal norms.

Accepted Answer

Exogamy, or marrying outside one's social group, is typically discouraged in closed systems, which often promote endogamy to maintain social boundaries and cohesion.

Question 10

Researchers have found that parents' social class has an effect on kids' health and education, but not with their work lives as adults.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that parents' social class can influence various aspects of their children's lives, including their work lives as adults, due to factors like access to resources, networks, and opportunities.

Question 11

Rich people are more likely than poor people to be victims of crime.

Accepted Answer

Wealthier individuals often have more resources to invest in security measures and live in safer neighborhoods, reducing their likelihood of being crime victims compared to poorer individuals.

Question 12

Most people in the United States tend to end up in a better social stratum than their parents occupied.

Accepted Answer

Social mobility in the United States has been relatively low, with many people remaining in the same social stratum as their parents or experiencing only slight changes.

Question 13

According to the culture of poverty thesis, poor kids tend to internalize values and attitudes that keep them from taking real advantage of their many opportunities to succeed.

Accepted Answer

The culture of poverty thesis suggests that poverty is perpetuated by a set of cultural values and behaviors that are passed down through generations, which can hinder individuals from capitalizing on opportunities for success.

Question 14

Kozol's study of school found that while schools in poor neighborhoods tend to look rundown, the quality of education they provide is nearly equivalent to that provided by schools in wealthy neighborhoods.

Accepted Answer

Kozol's study highlighted significant disparities in the quality of education between schools in poor neighborhoods and those in wealthy neighborhoods, often due to differences in funding and resources.

Question 15

According to sociological researchers who adhere to structural explanations of poverty, the primary determinant of who gets ahead in society is who works the hardest.

Accepted Answer

Structural explanations of poverty emphasize systemic factors such as economic structures, social institutions, and policies, rather than individual effort, as primary determinants of social mobility.

Question 16

Katherine Newman and Chancy Lennon found that well paying jobs are hard to come by in the ghetto so that people fall back on low paying jobs (such as those found in the fast food industry) which are everywhere widely available to those who are willing to do such jobs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Katherine Newman and Chancy Lennon found that...

Question 17

Structural mobility refers to mobility that occurs owing to changes in such things as industry, the rate of immigration, and other social factors.

Accepted Answer

Structural mobility refers to changes in social status due to shifts in the economy or societal structures, such as changes in industry or immigration rates.

Question 18

The Matthew effect explains why some students do best on objective tests rather than subjective ones.

Accepted Answer

The Matthew effect refers to the phenomenon where "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer," often used to describe how initial advantages can lead to further advantages, not specifically about test performance.

Question 19

Kozol's comparison of schools in poor and wealthy neighborhood supports Horace Mann's (1796-1859) theory that schools are the "great equalizers"
in US society.

Accepted Answer

Kozol's comparison highlights disparities in educational resources and opportunities, contradicting Mann's idea of schools as equalizers.

Question 20

A basic principle of both sociology and economics is that every persons' dollars have the same value in the market place.

Accepted Answer

The premise is incorrect. In both sociology and economics, it is recognized that the value of a person's dollar may vary depending on factors such as their income, wealth, and social status.

Quiz 8: Stratification and Inequality, Inequality and Achievement: Social Class, and Inequality and Ascription: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender