At the beginning of her sophomore year of high school, Janis's family cannot afford to buy her new clothes and shoes or enough supplies for school. Janis feels poor compared to her classmates who can afford these things. Janis is experiencing:
A) absolute poverty.
B) relative poverty.
C) downward mobility.
D) exchange mobility.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Janis is experiencing relative poverty, which is defined as a situation where an individual or family lacks the resources and income to maintain the average standard of living in their society. Janis feels poor compared to her classmates who can afford new clothes and shoes, which are seen as a typical standard in her society. However, she may not necessarily be experiencing absolute poverty, which is a more extreme form of poverty in which an individual or family lacks the basic necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and healthcare. Downward mobility and exchange mobility are not appropriate in this context, as they relate to social mobility (i.e. movement up or down different positions in society) rather than poverty.

At the Beginning of Her Sophomore Year of High School