Test Bank for Essentials of Sociology 7th by Giddens

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CHAPTER 7 Stratification, Class, and Inequality

CONCEPT MAP

I. What Is Social Stratification?

A. Slavery
B. Caste Systems
C. Class
i. Are Class Boundaries Weakening?
D. Theories of Stratification in Modern Societies
i. Marx: Means of Production and the Analysis of Class
ii. Weber: Class, Status, and Power
iii. Davis and Moore: The Functions of Stratification
II. How Is Social Class Defined in the United States?
A. Income
B. Wealth
C. Education
D. Occupation
E. A Picture of the U.S. Class Structure
i. The Upper Class
ii. The Middle Class
iii. The Working Class
iv. The Lower Class
v. The “Underclass”
III. What Are the Causes and Consequences of Social Inequality in the United States?
A. Ethnic Minorities versus White Americans
B. Social Mobility
i. Opportunities for Mobility: Who Gets Ahead?
ii. Downward Mobility
IV. How Does Poverty Affect Individuals?
A. Measuring Poverty
B. Who Are the Poor?
i. The Working Poor
ii. Poverty, Race, and Ethnicity
iii. The Feminization of Poverty
iv. Children in Poverty
v. The Elderly in Poverty
C. Explaining Poverty: The Sociological Debate
D. Social Exclusion
i. Homeless Persons
V. How Does Social Inequality Affect Your Life?

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. In systems of stratification, people are typically ranked by

a. personality. c. intelligence.
b. social categories. d. social capital.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: What Is Social Stratification? (I)
MSC: Remembering

2. According to the textbook, what is one of the reasons that slavery does not exist in most societies around
the world today?
 a. It is an inefficient economic system.
b. Slaves are too expensive to buy.
c. The Civil War outlawed it.
d. Around the world, slavery has always been considered immoral.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Slavery (I.A)
MSC: Remembering

3. Today people are taken against their will and forced to work as bricklayers in Pakistan or as sex workers
in Thailand. According to the textbook, these examples are best described as
a. modern-day slavery.
b. a caste system based on occupation.
c. cheap labor in a capitalist system.
d. the worst occupations in a class system.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Slavery (I.A)
MSC: Applying

4. A stratification system in which certain people are owned as property is known as

a. capitalism. c. class.
b. caste. d. slavery.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Slavery (I.A)
MSC: Remembering

5. Which of the following is an example of a caste system?

a. forcing rural women in Thailand into sex work
b. the racial wealth gap in the United States
c. forcing children to accept their parents' status as their own in India
d. high rates of child poverty in Slovenia
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Caste Systems (I.B)
MSC: Applying

6. Caste systems like the one in India require that individuals marry within their social group. This is
referred to as
a. social reproduction. c. social exclusion.
b. endogamy. d. monogamy.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Caste Systems (I.B)
MSC: Remembering

7. We can conclude that one of the main differences between a society based on caste versus one based on
class is that
a. boundaries between groups are not prevalent in systems based on class.
b. caste societies are spreading to countries around the world.
c. social mobility is more prevalent in class-based societies.
d. globalization will eventually do away with class positions.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Class (I.C) MSC: Analyzing

8. Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty and raised by a single mother, yet today she is one of the richest
women in America. According to the textbook, the social position we are born into affects our life
chances, but our class position is also
a. based on caste. c. in some part achieved.
b. based on looks. d. determined by affirmative action.
 ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: Class (I.C) MSC: Applying

9. Scholars believe that ______ has encouraged a shift to class-based systems in countries such as India
that have been traditionally caste-based systems.
a. morality c. religion
b. globalization d. a high divorce rate
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Are Class Boundaries Weakening? (I.C.i)
MSC: Remembering

10. According to Karl Marx, the working class in industrialized countries would remain poor and live near
subsistence level. Marx was right about the persistence of poverty in industrialized countries, but he was
wrong in thinking that
a. there would be very few poor people in most industrialized countries.
b. most people would own the means of production collectively in capitalist countries.
c. the income of most of the population would remain extremely low.
d. industrial capitalism would decrease the wealth and income gap.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Marx: Means of Production and Analysis (I.D.i)
MSC: Remembering

11. Karl Marx called those who own the means of production ______ and those who make their living by
selling their own labor power for a wage ______.
a. the bourgeoisie; the proletariat c. merchants; consumers
b. producers; consumers d. the working class; capitalists
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Marx: Means of Production and Analysis (I.D.i)
MSC: Remembering

12. Workers picking strawberries can pick 100 baskets an hour, but the value of 20 baskets is all it costs the
employer to pay them their hourly wages. According to Karl Marx, the income the employer collects
from the extra baskets is
a. cultural capital. c. endogamy.
b. surplus value. d. wealth.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Marx: Means of Production and Analysis (I.D.i)
MSC: Applying

13. One of the main differences between Marx's and Weber's understanding of social class is that
a. Marx emphasized one's life chances in his understanding of social class.
b. Weber recognized that social classes also differ with respect to their power and status.
c. Marx put more emphasis on how race and gender intersected with class.
d. Weber argued that social discrimination can lead to class inequality.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Weber: Class, Status, and Power (I.D.ii)
MSC: Analyzing

14. Andrew is a twenty-something, currently unemployed Jewish male from a wealthy background. Louis is
a thirty-year-old Puerto Rican man who currently works in retail. In addition to class, which other
difference might Max Weber point to in attempting to understand their respective social positions?
a. status distinctions c. ethnic distinctions
b. functionalist distinctions d. age distinctions
ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: Weber: Class, Status, and Power (I.D.ii)
MSC: Applying
15. The social honor or prestige that other members of society accord to individuals is referred to as
a. status. c. class.
b. power. d. surplus value.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Weber: Class, Status, and Power (I.D.ii)
MSC: Remembering

16. What does Max Weber mean by a “pariah group”?

a. a group whose presence is a threat to the social order
b. a group that is both admired and feared
c. a negative-status group that suffers from loss of social opportunity
d. a disadvantaged group that is pitted and afforded special opportunities
ANS: C DIF: Easy
REF: Weber: Class, Status, and Power (I.D.ii) | InQuizitive MSC: Remembering

17. Dr. Smith is an open-heart surgeon who was trained at a top-tier medical school. Which of the following
theorists would be most likely to argue that Dr. Smith’s high pay reflects the needs of society for
surgeons and that surgeons are less replaceable than many other lower-paying occupations?
a. Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore c. Karl Marx
b. Max Weber d. Charles Murray
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: Davis and Moore: The Functions of Stratification (I.D.iii)
MSC: Applying

18. Davis and Moore's explanation of class stratification differs from that of Marx and Weber because
a. they tend to focus more on the role of inheritance in attaining social status.
b. they argue that blue-collar occupations deserve more prestige in our society.
c. they argue that rewards for one's social position are based upon the needs of society.
d. they pay more attention to the need for the redistribution of resources to make society more
equal and stable.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate
REF: Davis and Moore: The Functions of Stratification (I.D.iii)
MSC: Analyzing

19. What functionalist explanation for social stratification do Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore offer?
a. Stratification has the benefit of matching the best-qualified workers to the most important
jobs.
b. Stratification is the inevitable result of allowing wealth to be transferred from parents to
children.
c. Stratification introduces the possibility of a conflict between the capitalists and the working
class.
d. Stratification is a natural side effect of the ebb and flow of human conflict and cooperation.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: Davis and Moore: The Functions of Stratification (I.D.iii) | InQuizitive
MSC: Understanding

20. From 1977 to 2016, the richest 20 percent saw its income rise ______, while the poorest 20 percent saw
its income rise by ______.
a. 67 percent; 8 percent c. 100 percent; 0 percent
b. 15 percent; 60 percent d. 75 percent; 95 percent
 ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: Income (II.A)
MSC: Understanding

21. The money a person gets from a wage, salary, or investments is ______; the assets an individual owns
are ______.
a. wealth; property c. wealth; income
b. income; wealth d. income; inherited
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Income (II.A)
MSC: Remembering

22. Suheir Shedd is a university professor. Which of the following would constitute her wealth?
a. the cultural capital in her network c. the money she makes in a year
b. all the assets she owns d. the estimated earnings over her life
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Wealth (II.B)
MSC: Applying

23. Wealth and income are both important determinants of social class. Which of the following best
characterizes the relationship between wealth and income in the United States?
a. Income disparities between rich and poor have increased in the past three decades, whereas
wealth disparities have decreased during the same time.
b. Wealthy people almost always inherit their money; thus, there is no relationship between
wealth and income.
c. The same factors that limit people's incomes also limit their ability to accumulate wealth.
d. While race, education, and age influence income, wealth is independent of these variables.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Wealth (II.B)
MSC: Understanding

24. According to the textbook, what is one conclusion we can draw about how social class is defined in the
United States?
a. Racial disparities in wealth can be explained solely by family advantages.
b. Most American sociologists can agree on the boundaries between social classes.
c. Famous people have the highest occupational prestige.
d. One's educational attainment is one of the strongest predictors of one's occupation, income,
and wealth later in life.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: Education (II.C)
MSC: Evaluating

25. According to the textbook, what has been the relationship between higher education and social
stratification in recent years?
a. College education has become much more difficult, causing students to drop out.
b. College education has become more accessible, causing more students to enroll.
c. The importance and value of a college education in the job market have increased.
d. Colleges have become less selective.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Education (II.C)
MSC: Understanding

26. Studies in which people are asked to rate jobs in terms of "prestige" show some differences in ratings by
age. Which person would a millennial rate higher on occupational prestige than older Americans?
a. Mary Dolan, a doctor c. Colin Kaepernick, a professional athlete
b. June Brewer, a sociologist d. Jerry Valdez, a police officer
 ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: Occupation (II.D)
MSC: Applying

27. Dr. Ramirez is a sociology professor, and while he makes much less money than doctors and lawyers, he
is viewed as having relatively high prestige because of
a. his professional clothing. c. his education.
b. his work hours. d. his publications.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: Occupation (II.D)
MSC: Applying

28. Which of the following is a true statement about social class?

a. In a single social class, lifestyles and personal characteristics are extremely similar.
b. Social class is a problematic concept because members of even a single social class do not
share distinctly similar, life-defining experiences.
c. There are sharply defined boundaries between the classes.
d. There is wide agreement among sociologists on exactly where the boundaries between
classes should fall.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: A Picture of the U.S. Class Structure (II.E)
MSC: Understanding

29. According to the textbook, one conclusion we can draw about the upper class in the United States is that
a. it is made up of the wealthiest 20 percent of the population.
b. it has a distinctive lifestyle and is politically influential.
c. it does not include people who get their wealth from investments.
d. it is easily accessible to all Americans with a college education.
ANS: B DIF: Difficult REF: The Upper Class (II.E.i)
MSC: Evaluating

30. The super-rich in the United States were able to accumulate vast amounts of wealth partly because
globalization enabled them to
a. use low-wage labor in other countries.
b. sell products to consumers in the United States.
c. make investments locally.
d. produce their products in one place.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: The Upper Class (II.E.i)
MSC: Understanding

31. Among the superrich, some people are considered “old money” and others are considered “new wealth.”
What is the difference?
a. “Old money” refers to people who made their fortunes in traditional manufacturing
industries, while “new wealth” refers to people who were information technology
innovators.
b. “Old money” refers to people who are socially conservative and support conservative
causes, while “new wealth” refers to people who are socially progressive and support liberal
causes.
c. “Old money” refers to people who come from families that have been in the United States
for several generations, while “new money” refers to people who are first- or
second-generation immigrants.
d. “Old money” refers to people who own wealth passed down to them by earlier family
generations, while “new wealth” refers to people who made their money as entrepreneurs.
 ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: The Upper Class (II.E.i) | InQuizitive
MSC: Understanding

32. According to the textbook, members of the lower middle class today
a. work at primarily blue-collar jobs.
b. make up about 90 percent of American households.
c. are rarely politically active beyond exercising their right to vote.
d. make over $200,000 annually.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: The Middle Class (II.E.ii)
MSC: Understanding

33. Which of the following individuals is most likely to identify as a member of the lower middle class?
a. professor c. school teacher
b. doctor d. upper-level manager
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: The Middle Class (II.E.ii)
MSC: Understanding

34. Eddie is a factory worker. Eddie's husband, Dustin, works part time as a sales clerk. Their combined
income is just enough to pay their mortgage and make ends meet. Eddie and Dustin are considered
a. upper middle class. c. working class.
b. lower middle class. d. lower class.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: The Working Class (II.E.iii)
MSC: Applying

35. People in blue-collar occupations, such as plumbers, and pink-collar occupations, such as hotel workers,
make up the
a. upper middle class. c. working class.
b. lower middle class. d. lower class.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: The Working Class (II.E.iii)
MSC: Understanding

36. Working-class children are most likely to do which of the following after graduating from high school?
a. travel around Europe c. attend a two-year college
b. attend a four-year college d. immediately start working
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: The Working Class (II.E.iii)
MSC: Understanding

37. Identify which of the following is one of the main causes of the rising economic inequality in the United
States over the past few decades.
a. economic globalization
b. high and rising inflation
c. increased international conflict
d. reduction in global trading
ANS: A DIF: Difficult REF: The Working Class (II.E.iii) | InQuizitive
MSC: Understanding

38. According to the textbook, members of the lower class today

a. make up roughly 50 percent of American households.
b. have household income typically lower than $20,000.
c. own their own homes.
 d. are less likely to be nonwhite than other social classes.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: The Lower Class (II.E.iv)
MSC: Understanding

39. According to the textbook, how active are members of the lower class in politics?
a. They often have significant influence on American politics.
b. They often are active in local politics.
c. They are rarely politically active beyond exercising their right to vote.
d. They do not participate in politics, and they seldom vote.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: The Lower Class (II.E.iv)
MSC: Remembering

40. In the U.S. class system, the poorest of the poor, who are structurally disadvantaged and are least likely
to move out of their class position, are called the
a. untouchables. c. Dalits.
b. lower class. d. underclass.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: The “Underclass” (II.E.v)
MSC: Remembering

41. Today, the gap between rich and poor in the United States is the largest it has been since
a. 1947, when the United States started to measure the gap.
b. 1970, when the United States started to outsource jobs.
c. 2000, after the economic boom of the 1990s.
d. None of these choices are correct; the gap has been getting smaller.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: What Are the Causes and Consequences of Social Inequality in the United States? (III)
MSC: Remembering

42. Which of the following best explains why Latino household income has recently worsened?
a. The intensifying of the culture of poverty among Latinos discourages achievement and
saving money.
b. Recent immigrants from Mexico and Central America are in low-wage jobs.
c. The unemployment rate among Latinos is increasing.
d. The divorce rate among Latinos is increasing.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Ethnic Minorities versus White Americans (III.A)
MSC: Understanding

43. Which of the following is an example of social mobility?

a. Jasper, who grew up in a lower-class neighborhood and became a wealthy doctor
b. Antonio, who moved from New York City to a suburb
c. Smita, who does not identify with her Brahmin caste background
d. Tia, who was raised as a man but identifies as a woman
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Social Mobility (III.B)
MSC: Applying

44. Intergenerational mobility is best described as when

a. a person achieves a different class position than the one he or she thought they would have.
b. a person maintains the same class position as his or her parents or grandparents.
c. a person has a different class position from that of his or her parents or grandparents.
d. a person achieves a different class position from his or her siblings.
 ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: Social Mobility (III.B)
MSC: Understanding

45. When sociologists examine how far an individual moves up or down the socioeconomic scale in his or
her lifetime, they are studying
a. absolute poverty. c. life chances.
b. social reproduction. d. intragenerational mobility.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Social Mobility (III.B)
MSC: Understanding

46. According to Peter Blau and Otis Dudley Duncan, the key factor behind occupational status is
a. ambition.
b. genetics.
c. education.
d. luck.
ANS: C DIF: Easy
REF: Opportunities for Mobility: Who Gets Ahead? (III.B.i) MSC: Remembering

47. According to William Sewell and Robert Hauser, the key factor behind occupational status is
a. educational and career aspirations.
b. genetics.
c. power.
d. luck.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: Opportunities for Mobility: Who Gets Ahead? (III.B.i) MSC: Remembering

48. Which of the following is an example of what Pierre Bourdieu refers to as cultural capital?
a. the ability to pay for cultural events and resources such as art museums, opera companies,
and symphony orchestras
b. parents paying for school tutoring
c. parents reading to their children and encouraging them to do well in school
d. having an uncle who works for Goldman Sachs
ANS: C DIF: Moderate
REF: Opportunities for Mobility: Who Gets Ahead? (III.B.i) MSC: Applying

49. According to Pierre Bourdieu, working-class parents are just as interested in their children's education as
middle- and upper-class parents, but they lack the _______ to help their children experience social
mobility.
a. dependency culture c. surplus value
b. cultural capital d. structural continuity
ANS: B DIF: Easy
REF: Opportunities for Mobility: Who Gets Ahead? (III.B.i) MSC: Understanding

50. French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu emphasizes the importance of “cultural capital” in determining a
child’s later social class. Identify the example of cultural capital.
a. safe transportation to and from school
b. adequate nutrition and rest
c. social awareness and emotional support
d. having parents who help with homework
 ANS: D DIF: Moderate
REF: Opportunities for Mobility: Who Gets Ahead? (III.B.i) | InQuizitive
MSC: Understanding

51. Which of the following is an example of downward mobility?

a. Danisha, who was just hired at Wells Fargo bank
b. George, who stopped receiving welfare payments because he had reached his lifetime limit
c. Harel, who started to care for his ill parents
d. Jane, who was raised in a middle-class professional household and now works as a clerk in a
grocery store full time
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: Downward Mobility (III.B.ii)
MSC: Applying

52. 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. c. downward mobility.
b. relative poverty. d. upward mobility.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: How Does Poverty Affect Individuals? (IV)
MSC: Applying

53. When a person does not have adequate resources to maintain his or her health, such as enough food to
eat, the person is said to be in
a. absolute poverty. c. downward mobility.
b. relative poverty. d. upward mobility.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: How Does Poverty Affect Individuals? (IV)
MSC: Understanding

54. Absolute poverty means, essentially, not having enough to eat. What does relative poverty mean?
a. being worse off than one was before
b. lacking the means to improve one’s situation
c. lacking access to modern amenities
d. being worse off than most people in one’s society
ANS: D DIF: Moderate
REF: How Does Poverty Affect Individuals? (IV) | InQuizitive MSC: Understanding

55. How does the government determine the poverty line?

a. It calculates a strict, no-frills budget based on cost estimates for different family sizes.
b. It multiplies the cost of an average household's rent by three.
c. It calculates the average cost of living in each of four regions of the United States and
divides that number by the average cost of rent in those places.
d. Because the cost of living varies across the country, it calculates the cost of living in each
region and determines a poverty line for each U.S. region.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Measuring Poverty (IV.A)
MSC: Understanding

56. What is meant by the phrase feminization of poverty?

a. the fact that women are more likely not to marry until they find a rich man
b. an increase in the proportion of the poor who are female
c. the notion that women are not as likely to pursue education or other skill development and
 end up in lower-paying jobs
d. the idea that women do not work as hard as men and are therefore more likely to be poor
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: The Feminization of Poverty (IV.B.iii)
MSC: Understanding

57. What is the single biggest reason why an increasing proportion of those in poverty are women?
a. Single women are more likely to be raising small children than single men.
b. Women are facing increasing discrimination in the job market.
c. Fewer women than men have earned their high school diplomas.
d. In many cultural groups within the United States, women are discouraged from seeking
employment.
ANS: A DIF: Easy
REF: The Feminization of Poverty (IV.B.iii) | InQuizitive MSC: Understanding

58. Which period saw increasing rates of child poverty?

a. 1960s
b. late 1970s and 1980s
c. 1990s
d. 2010 to 2016
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: Children in Poverty (IV.B.iv)
MSC: Remembering

59. Although official estimates show that relatively few elderly people live in poverty, these statistics may
be misleading because
a. they do not consider the large number of elderly people who go hungry.
b. they do not consider the large number of elderly people who are homeless.
c. they do not consider the vast gender, race, and marital status differences of older adults.
d. they do not consider the high cost of rent.
ANS: C DIF: Easy REF: The Elderly in Poverty (IV.B.v)
MSC: Understanding

60. Social Security accounts for about ______ of the income of the typical retiree.
a. 13 percent c. 53 percent
b. 33 percent d. 73 percent
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: The Elderly in Poverty (IV.B.v)
MSC: Remembering

61. Those who believe that poverty results from structural factors beyond the control of individuals would
see which of the following as a source of poverty?
a. unequal distribution of educational resources
b. universal health care
c. decreasing income inequality
d. immorality of the poor
ANS: A DIF: Difficult
REF: Explaining Poverty: The Sociological Debate (IV.C) MSC: Analyzing

62. Sarah believes her neighbors are poor because they have been socialized into a set of values, beliefs, and
norms that result in behavior that leads to poverty. Sarah supports which of the following theories of
poverty?
a. culture of poverty c. blame the system
 b. structural poverty d. feminization of poverty
ANS: A DIF: Moderate
REF: Explaining Poverty: The Sociological Debate (IV.C) MSC: Applying

63. The outcome of multiple deprivations that prevent individuals or groups from participating fully in the
economic, social, and political life of the society in which they live is called
a. social exclusion. c. culture of poverty.
b. dependency culture. d. absolute poverty.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Social Exclusion (IV.D.i)
MSC: Remembering

64. According to a Pew Research poll conducted in 2015, which household income category is MOST likely
to answer that they had recovered “hardly at all” from the economic recession that began in 2008?
a. less than $30,000
b. $30,000–$74,999
c. $75,000–$99,000
d. $100,000 or more
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: How Does Social Inequality Affect Your Life? (V)
MSC: Remembering

SHORT ANSWER

1. In two or three sentences, compare and contrast caste and class as systems of stratification.

ANS:
To answer this question, students should know how to describe each type of system of stratification. A
caste system is a social system in which one's social status—based on race, parental religion, or
caste—is given for life, and all individuals must remain at the social level of their birth throughout life.
In caste systems, there is no social mobility because intermarriage among castes is generally forbidden
and castes are segregated from each other in social, economic, and political spheres. Class systems are
fluid, and unlike the other types of strata, classes are not established by legal or religious provisions.
Class positions are in part achieved, although race and gender matter, and are often economically based.
There is a much greater chance for social mobility in class societies, but factors that individuals do not
have control over, such as race and gender, can often impede their social mobility. The class system best
describes the United States because there is social mobility within the United States. However, factors
out of the control of individuals, such as race and class, often determine their access to economic
resources, which are the foundation of social mobility in a class system.

DIF: Moderate REF: What Is Social Stratification? (I) MSC: Analyzing

2. According to the textbook, what three main characteristics do social systems of stratification share?
Provide an example of each. Your answer should be one paragraph in length.

ANS:
 To answer this question, students should know the characteristics common to all systems of social
stratification. One is that the rankings apply to social categories of people who share a common
characteristic, such as gender or ethnicity. An example is that women may be ranked differently from
men, white people differently from black, and wealthy people differently from poor. The categories are
the meaningful aspects of the ranking. Another characteristic is that people's life experiences and
opportunities depend heavily on how their social category is ranked. For example, being male or female,
black or white, and upper class or working class makes a big difference in terms of one's life
chances—often as big a difference as personal effort or good fortune. The third characteristic is that the
ranks of different social categories tend to change very slowly over time. In U.S. society, for example,
only in the past forty years have women begun to achieve economic equality with men. Similarly, only
since the 1970s have significant numbers of African Americans begun to obtain economic and political
equality with whites—even though slavery was abolished nearly a century and a half ago and
discrimination was declared illegal in the 1950s and 1960s. Specific examples for each characteristic can
vary.

DIF: Moderate REF: What Is Social Stratification? (I) MSC: Analyzing

3. Whose explanation of social stratification do you think best describes the United States today: Karl
Marx's, Max Weber's, or Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore's? Justify your answer in a short
paragraph.

ANS:
For students to provide a convincing argument regarding why the United States fits into one of these
models, they should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the theorist they chose. For Marx, the
term class refers to people who stand in a common relationship to the means of production—the
means by which they gain a livelihood. Marx believed there were two main classes: capitalists, or those
who own the means of production, and those who earn their living by selling their labor to
capitalists—the working class. The relationship between classes, according to Marx, is an exploitative
one. Marx saw the economic system as the basis for stratification in society. Weber agreed that the
economic system was important, but he felt that it was not only how people were related to the means of
production that mattered but also the skills they had to market themselves. Weber also believed that
noneconomic factors—such as status and prestige—mattered and could be positive or negative for a
person. In other words, someone such as a movie actor could have a high economic class position but
low social status. Both Marx and Weber recognized that the system of stratification, whether it was
derived from economic or social status, was based on power relationships. Davis and Moore differed
from Marx and Weber in that they argued that stratification has benefits for society. They claimed that
certain positions or roles in society, such as brain surgeons, are functionally more important than others,
and these positions require special skills for their performance. However, only a limited number of
individuals in any society have the talents or experience appropriate to these positions. To attract the
most qualified people, rewards such as money, power, and prestige need to be offered. Davis and Moore
determined that because the benefits of different positions in any society must be unequal, all societies
must be stratified.

DIF: Difficult REF: Theories of Stratification in Modern Societies (I.D)

MSC: Evaluating

4. Answer the following questions in a few sentences. What is the difference between income and wealth?
How are income and wealth related?

ANS:
 To answer these questions, students must begin by defining the terms income and wealth. Income refers
to wages and salaries earned from paid occupations, plus unearned money (or interest) from
investments. Wealth refers to all assets individuals own: cash; savings and checking accounts;
investments in stocks, bonds, and real estate properties; and so on. While most people earn their income
from their work, the wealthy often derive the bulk of theirs from interest on their investments, some of
them inherited. Some scholars argue that wealth—not income—is the real indicator of social class.
Income can be based not only on one's earnings from work but also from wealth. Sociologists argue that
wealth is more important than income in determining one's social position because wealth accumulates
over generations and can become the starting point for the next generation. In fact, economists estimate
that more than half of the wealth that a person accumulates in a lifetime can be traced to that person's
progenitors.

DIF: Moderate REF: How is Social Class Defined in the United States (II)
MSC: Analyzing

5. Answer the following question in three to five sentences. How has the distribution of income in the
United States changed over the past thirty years? Apply one of the stratification theories discussed in the
chapter to explain the reason for this change.

ANS:
Students should begin by explaining that income inequality reveals a clear case of the haves and
have-nots. In 2016, the top 5 percent of all households in the United States received 22.5 percent of total
income, the top 20 percent obtained 51.5 percent, and the bottom 20 percent received only 3.1
percent. Between 1977 and 2016, income inequality increased dramatically. The average household
earnings (calculated in 2016 dollars)—meaning the combined incomes of all persons living in a single
household—of the bottom 20 percent of people in the United States was essentially unchanged from
$12,036 in 1977 to $12,943 in 2016. During the same period, the richest 20 percent saw their incomes
grow by 67 percent, while for the richest 5 percent of the population, income rose by more than 91
percent. Students can apply any of the theories in the chapter to explain the inequality in income: Karl
Marx, Max Weber, Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore, culture of poverty, or structural explanations.

DIF: Difficult REF: Income (II.A) MSC: Applying

6. In three to four sentences, why do you think when Americans are asked to identify their social class the
majority claim to be middle class?

ANS:
Answers will vary but students should mention that the reason is partly the American cultural belief that
the United States is relatively free of class distinctions. Also, few people want to be identified as being
too rich or too poor. Further, most Americans seem to think that others are not very different from their
immediate family, friends, and coworkers. Because people rarely interact with those outside of their
social class, they tend to see themselves as like “most other people,” whom they then regard as being
“middle class.”

DIF: Moderate REF: The Middle Class (II.E.ii) MSC: Understanding

7. In a short paragraph, answer the following questions: What are the differences in average income and
wealth between whites, African Americans, and Latinos? What are the sociological explanations for
why these gaps exist?

ANS:
 To answer this question, students should begin by explaining the differences and then a few of the
reasons that these differences exist. According to the textbook, there are substantial differences in
income based on race and ethnicity. Black and Latino household income, for example, averages between
60 and 70 percent that of whites. Since 1972, the Black–white income ratio has remained essentially
unchanged, while the income of Hispanics has fallen relative to whites. One of the main reasons for the
inequality is that minorities in the United States are more likely to hold the lowest-paying jobs. For
Latinos, however, the inequality has worsened, because recent immigrants from rural areas in Mexico
and Central America find themselves working at low-wage jobs. For blacks, there is a slight
improvement over previous years because a growing number of blacks have gone to college and moved
into middle-class occupations. However, the wealth gap between blacks and whites is even greater than
the income gap. In 2016, white families had a median net worth of $171,000—nearly ten times the
median net worth of Black families. One explanation for this is that blacks in the United States have
encountered many barriers to acquiring wealth throughout history. After the Civil War ended slavery in
1865, legal discrimination (such as mandatory segregation in the South and separate schools) tied the
majority of blacks to the lowest rungs of the economic ladder. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made racial
discrimination illegal; nonetheless, discrimination has remained, and although some blacks have moved
into middle-class occupations, many have remained poor or in low-wage jobs where the opportunities
for accumulating wealth are nonexistent. Students' answers will vary but should include a discussion of
occupational segregation and discrimination.

DIF: Difficult REF: Ethnic Minorities versus White Americans (III.A)

MSC: Analyzing

8. Do you think you will experience intragenerational mobility in your lifetime? In two to four sentences,
consider why or why not. Be sure to mention at least one sociological explanation of mobility in your
answer.

ANS:
Students might mention the two studies on the relationship between parents' background and an
individual's social mobility. The first one, by Peter Blau and Otis Dudley Duncan, argues that a child's
educational attainment is influenced by family social status, and this, in turn, affects the child's social
position later in life. Second, Pierre Bourdieu's study emphasizes the importance of family background
to social status, but his emphasis is on the cultural advantages that parents can provide to their children.
Bourdieu argued that among the factors responsible for social status, the most important is the
transmission of cultural capital, or the cultural advantages that coming from a good home confer.
Wealthier families are able to afford to send their children to better schools, an economic advantage that
benefits the children's social status as adults. Parents from the upper and middle classes are mostly
highly educated themselves and tend to be more involved in their children's education—reading to them,
helping with homework, purchasing books and learning materials, and encouraging their progress.
Bourdieu noted that working-class parents are concerned about their children's education, but they lack
the economic and cultural capital to make a difference. After explaining these studies, students should
explain how they think their own parents' educational backgrounds will affect their social mobility.

DIF: Difficult REF: Social Mobility (III.B) MSC: Evaluating

9. In one to two sentences, explain how the official definition of poverty is calculated. Based on what you
read in the text, what are some of the problems with this way of calculating poverty today?

ANS:
 The U.S. government calculates the poverty level based on cost estimates for a strict, no-frills budget for
families of different sizes. Some critics believe it overestimates the amount of poverty. They point out
that the current standard fails to take into account noncash forms of income available to the poor, such as
food stamps, Medicare, Medicaid, and public housing subsidies, as well as under-the-table pay that is
obtained from work at odd jobs and is concealed from the government. Other critics counter that the
government's formula greatly underestimates the amount of poverty because it overemphasizes the
proportion of a family budget spent on food and severely underestimates the share spent on housing.
According to some estimates, approximately 70 percent of U.S. families whose income is less than
$15,000 a year (about what would be earned under the federal minimum wage) are spending more than
half of their income on housing. Still others observe that this formula dramatically underestimates the
proportion of older adults (age sixty-five and older) who live in poverty, because they spend a relatively
small proportion of their income on food but face high health-care costs.

DIF: Moderate REF: Measuring Poverty (IV.A) MSC: Analyzing

10. In two to three sentences, describe the working poor. Using the discussion in your textbook, what is one
explanation for why those who are working are still in poverty?

ANS:
To answer this question, students must start by explaining who the working poor are. The working poor
are people who work at least twenty-seven weeks a year but whose earnings are not high enough to lift
them above poverty. Most poor people, contrary to popular belief, do not receive welfare payments,
because they earn too much to qualify. Only 5 percent of all low-income families with a full-time,
full-year worker receive welfare benefits, and over half rely on public health insurance rather than
employer-sponsored insurance. The working poor are disproportionately nonwhite and immigrant. One
of the explanations for why those who are working may still remain in poverty is the federal minimum
wage. Set on July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour, although individual
states can set higher minimum wages than the federal standard. Although the federal minimum wage has
increased over the years since it was created in 1965, it has failed to keep up with inflation. This means
that people who work may not earn enough to take care of their basic needs.

DIF: Difficult REF: The Working Poor (IV.B.i) MSC: Analyzing

11. In three to four sentences, consider why sociologists say we are seeing the feminization of poverty.

ANS:
Students may start by defining the feminization of poverty, which describes an increase in the proportion
of the poor who are female. Growing rates of divorce, separation, and single-parent families have placed
women at a particular disadvantage because it is extremely difficult for unskilled or semiskilled,
low-income, poorly educated women to raise children by themselves while they hold jobs that could
raise them out of poverty. As a result, in 2016, 36 percent of all single-parent families with children
headed by women were poor, compared with only 7 percent of married couples with children. The
feminization of poverty is particularly acute among families headed by Hispanic women. Forty-one
percent of all female-headed Hispanic families with children lived in poverty in 2016. A similar
proportion—39 percent—of female-headed African American families with children also live in
poverty, both considerably higher than either white (30 percent) or Asian (30 percent) female-headed
households. One of the reasons that there is a high rate of poverty among single mothers is that a single
woman attempting to raise children alone is caught in a vicious cycle. If she has a job, she must find
someone to take care of her children because she cannot afford to hire a babysitter or pay for day care.
From her standpoint, she will take in more money if she accepts welfare payments from the government
and tries to find illegal part-time jobs that pay cash not reported to the government rather than find a
regular full-time job paying minimum wage. Even though welfare will not get her out of poverty, a
regular job means she will lose her welfare, and she and her family may be even worse off economically.
Test Bank for Essentials of Sociology 7th by Giddens

DIF: Moderate REF: The Feminization of Poverty (IV.B.iii)

MSC: Analyzing

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