Question 1

An estimated 30 percent of the U.S. population is __________, which includes occupations such as semiskilled machine operators in factories and people in the service sector, such as clerks and salespeople.

Accepted Answer

The working class, as described in the question, includes occupations such as semiskilled machine operators in factories and people in the service sector, such as clerks and salespeople. This group typically earns hourly wages and may not have advanced degrees or highly specialized skills.

Question 2

Members of the __________ have earned most of their money during their own lifetime. This class includes entrepreneurs, presidents of major corporations, sports or entertainment celebrities, and top-level professionals.

Accepted Answer

The lower-upper class consists of individuals who have earned their wealth through their own efforts, such as entrepreneurs and celebrities, rather than inheriting it.

Question 3

About __________ of the U.S. population is included in the underclass.

Accepted Answer

The underclass in the U.S. is typically estimated to be about 3 to 5 percent of the population, which includes individuals who are persistently unemployed and live in poverty.

Question 4

About 20 percent of the U.S. population lives from just above to just below the poverty line. These people typically hold unskilled jobs, seasonal migrant jobs in agriculture, and lower-paid factory and service jobs and are termed the __________.

Accepted Answer

The term "working poor" refers to people who have low-paying jobs and struggle to make ends meet, often living just above or just below the poverty line. They typically work in unskilled or seasonal jobs in agriculture, factories, or the service industry. The term "underclass" is sometimes used to describe people who are stuck in poverty and have little or no access to resources or opportunity to improve their situation. While the working poor may be part of the larger working class, they are specifically distinguished by their low wages and financial struggles. The middle class refers to people who have higher-paying jobs and a more comfortable standard of living.

Question 5

A combination of three factors qualifies people for the __________ class: university degrees, authority and independence on the job, and high income.

Accepted Answer

The combination of university degrees, authority and independence on the job, and high income qualifies people for the upper-middle class. The upper-upper class is typically defined by inherited wealth and power, while the middle-middle and lower-middle classes have less income and education than the upper-middle.

Question 6

In the model of American social classes based on Weber's theory, the __________ is made up of prominent families that have held great wealth for several generations.

Accepted Answer

According to Weber's theory, the "upper-upper" class is made up of families who have held great wealth for generations, while the "lower-upper" class is made up of those who have recently acquired wealth. The "new money" category is not used in this particular model, and the "upper-middle" class is composed of professionals and managerial workers rather than families with inherited wealth.

Question 7

Weber called the class consisting of skilled, semiskilled, and unskilled workers the __________.

Accepted Answer

Weber defined the working class as the class consisting of skilled, semiskilled, and unskilled workers who earn a wage for their labor.

Question 8

The model of the American class system based on the work of __________ is based on three elements: education, occupation of family head, and family income.

Accepted Answer

The model of the American class system based on the work of Max Weber is known as the Weberian model of social class. It is based on three elements: education, occupation of family head, and family income. Weber believed that social class was determined by a combination of these factors, rather than just one of them. Therefore, the best choice is C.

Question 9

Sociologists often use the term __________ to refer to a classification that reflects a combination of factors such as income, occupation, and education.

Accepted Answer

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a classification that encompasses various factors including income, education, and occupation. This term is commonly used by sociologists to examine patterns of social inequality and stratification in society. Power status (A) refers to an individual or group's ability to exert influence or control over others, prestige status (C) relates to the respect and admiration people receive from others, and wealth status (D) pertains specifically to an individual's monetary assets. While these are all related to SES, they do not fully capture the breadth of factors that contribute to this classification.

Question 10

According to sociologist Max Weber's system of stratification, __________ is the ability of people or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition from others.

Accepted Answer

According to Max Weber, power is the ability of people or groups to achieve their goals despite opposition from others. Wealth refers to an individual's net worth, prestige refers to the level of respect one is accorded by others, and status refers to one's social position based on factors such as education, occupation, and income.

Question 11

Social critic and journalist Barbara Ehrenreich demonstrated that people in the __________ use strategies like help from relatives and continually changing residences in order to survive.

Accepted Answer

Barbara Ehrenreich, in her book "Nickel and Dimed," explores the struggles of the working poor, demonstrating how they use strategies such as help from relatives and continually changing residences to survive.

Question 12

The upper-middle class is comprised of highly educated professionals, such as physicians, attorneys, stockbrokers, and corporate managers, which make up about __________ of the population.

Accepted Answer

According to most sociological definitions, the upper-middle class makes up around 10-15% of the population. Choice C is the closest to this range, making it the best choice. Choices A and B are too low, while choice D is too high.

Question 13

The dimension of Weber's system of stratification that helps determine one's class consists of the respect or regard that a person is given by others, and is called __________.

Accepted Answer

Weber's dimension of stratification that helps determine one's class is called prestige, which is the respect or regard that a person is given by others based on their occupation, lifestyle, and social status. This is different from wealth and power, which are also factors in Weber's system, but do not necessarily determine one's class in the same way as prestige.

Question 14

Working single mothers and their children and African Americans are overrepresented among the __________.

Accepted Answer

The working poor refers to those who have jobs but their income is still below the poverty line. Working single mothers and their children and African Americans are more likely to fall into this category due to various factors such as lower wages, lack of affordable childcare, and discrimination in hiring and promotions.

Question 15

The minimum wage_____________________________.

Accepted Answer

The federal government sets a minimum wage, but individual states are free to adopt a higher rate if they choose to do so. Therefore, while there is a federal minimum wage, there are also state-specific minimum wages that may differ.

Question 16

The term pink-collar refers to_____________________________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The term pink-collar refers to_____________________________.
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Question 17

According to the social class model developed by Gilbert and Kahl, and based on the theory of Weber, the upper (capitalist) class of the United States includes about __________ of the population.

Accepted Answer

According to Gilbert and Kahl's social class model, the upper class in the United States includes about 1% of the population.

Question 18

Of the two categories of people who work for wages, Weber called the white-collar workers, public officials, managers, and professionals the __________.

Accepted Answer

Weber called white-collar workers, public officials, managers, and professionals the middle class. The working class refers to manual laborers who work in factories or other industries. The entrepreneurial class refers to individuals who own and operate their own businesses. The upper class refers to individuals who have significant wealth and power, often inherited.

Question 19

The term __________ refers to those who are poor, are seldom employed, and experience long-term deprivation.

Accepted Answer

The term "underclass" refers to those who are poor, are seldom employed, and experience long-term deprivation. The working class refers to those who are employed in blue-collar jobs, while the middle class refers to those who are financially stable and have a higher education and income. The working poor refers to those who are employed but still live in poverty.

Question 20

Occupations such as medical technicians, teachers, and nurses pertain to the __________, which makes up an estimated 30 percent of the U.S. population.

Accepted Answer

Occupations such as medical technicians, teachers, and nurses are typically considered to be part of the middle class, which is generally defined as those who have a comfortable standard of living but may not have significant wealth or power. The middle class in the United States is estimated to make up around 30 percent of the population. The other options, upper class, upper-upper class, and upper-middle class, generally refer to those with more wealth, status and privilege than the average middle-class worker.

Quiz 7: Class and Stratification in the United States