Deck 7: Social Class and Classism

Question 1

Which of the following statements is TRUE about social class?

A) Social class may be rigid or formal, depending on the country.
B) Social class may rank people according to their access and ability to manipulate socioeconomic resources.
C) There are many different ways of conceptualizing social class.
D) All of the above are true statements.

Answer 1

All of the above are true statements.

Question 2

It is possible to move between wealth and poverty, but __________ remains more consistent.

A) affect
B) socioeconomic status
C) mood
D) availability of resources

Answer 2

socioeconomic status

Question 3

When beliefs, values, decisions, and relationships are based on perceptions of a lower social class status it is known as

A) socioeconomic statusism.
B) structural classism.
C) internalized classism.
D) class privilege.

Answer 3

internalized classism.

Question 4

A factor that contributes to the relative silence about classism is

A) psychological distancing.
B) poverty attribution.
C) Both of the above.
D) None of the above.

Question 5

In the United States, there is a relatively low degree of

A) class mobility.
B) poverty attribution.
C) classism.
D) psychological distancing.

Question 6

Poverty has NOT been associated with

A) a greater incidence of exposure to violence.
B) a greater likelihood of accessing mental health resources.
C) a higher incidence of mental disorders.
D) more severe symptoms of mental disorders.

Question 7

__________ are overrepresented among the poor in the United States.

A) Women and children
B) Youth and adolescents
C) Single-parent families
D) Men

Question 8

Food insufficiency has been linked with the incidence of __________ in female welfare recipients.

A) malnourishment
B) anorexia nervosa
C) depression
D) anxiety

Question 9

Inequities in property taxes may lead to inequities in

A) quantifiable resources.
B) school facilities.
C) opportunities.
D) experiences of classism.

Question 10

The __________ prohibits discrimination in housing rentals, sales, and mortgage lending.

A) Equal Opportunities Act
B) Fair Housing Act
C) Equal Lenders Act
D) Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)

Question 11

In regard to health insurance, the United States is one of the few developed nations

A) without universal health care.
B) with universal health care.
C) with government funded health care.
D) without government funded health care.

Question 12

Overall life expectancy varies in direct relationship to

A) health.
B) mental health access.
C) income.
D) All of the above.

Question 13

Which of the following does NOT influence health outcomes?

A) Level of satisfaction with SES.
B) Perceptions of our SES.
C) Comparative factors of SES.
D) All of the above influence health outcomes.

Question 14

Class bias may influence therapeutic interventions by

A) assuming that people with pressing resource concerns must solve these problems before receiving any counseling.
B) ignoring resources stressors.
C) infusing counseling with middle class assumptions and values.
D) All of the above.

Question 15

When facing information that contradicts our worldview, we may experience

A) cognitive dissonance.
B) contradicting dissonance.
C) contradicting worldviews.
D) poverty attribution.

Question 16

Which of the following is a way to learn more about theory that integrates class and classism?

A) Master's level theories courses
B) Journal articles
C) Electronic sources
D) All of the above.

Question 17

__________ theory was criticized for emphasizing the empowerment of middle class, White women.

A) Feminist
B) Womanist
C) Relational-Cultural
D) Modern Classism

Question 18

__________ is NOT one of the domains of the Social Class Worldview Model (SCWM).

A) Individual perceptions and attitudes
B) Comparison of self to others
C) Learned cognitions
D) Use of material objects as a reflection of self, lifestyle, and learned social behaviors

Question 19

A professional counselor may investigate local issues of classism by

A) arranging informational interviews with other professionals.
B) checking local papers and legislator websites.
C) Both of the above.
D) None of the above.

Question 20

The __________ provides a very helpful resource for finding local services.

A) American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
B) American Psychiatric Association (ACA)
C) United Way
D) United Classism Association (UCA)

Question 21

A counselor cannot make __________ about the origin, nature, or severity of a client's presenting concern based on SES.

A) assumptions
B) decisions
C) assessment decisions
D) assessments

Question 22

During the comprehensive initial assessment, a socially conscious counselor would assess

A) gender identity development.
B) resource stressors and strengths.
C) the client's cognitive, behavioral, and affective states.
D) All of the above.

Question 23

Assessing __________ will provide an opportunity for professional counselors and clients to openly discuss obvious differences in your respective SES.

A) class-related concerns
B) resource-related concerns
C) Both of the above.
D) None of the above.

Question 24

__________ is a way to advocate at the professional level.

A) Counselor training
B) Research
C) Integrated service
D) All of the above.

Question 25

Ensuring access to sufficient food is an example of

A) attending to basic needs.
B) empowerment.
C) integrated services.
D) food pantry services.

Question 26

Which of the following statements most accurately describes social class in the United States?

A) The United States is a classless society.
B) Class status is determined by merit (i.e., it is earned).
C) The relevance of class status has declined in the last century.
D) Class status affects one's ability to access resources and power.

Question 27

According to the authors, "classism" can best be described as

A) discriminatory behavior toward people who are poor.
B) social barriers that keep people from improving their class status.
C) a belief that one is better than another because one has more resources.
D) discriminatory behavior based on the perceived or actual class status of others.

Question 28

__________ refers to using a position of class privilege to separate oneself from socioeconomic injustice.

A) Structural classism
B) Poverty attribution
C) Cognitive dissonance
D) Psychological distancing

Question 29

The ability to move between social class levels is referred to as

A) class mobility.
B) class migration.
C) structural classism.
D) socioeconomic status.

Question 30

__________ represents a transitional state we may experience as we learn information that conflicts with our personal worldview.

A) Class mobility
B) Poverty attribution
C) Cognitive dissonance
D) Psychological distancing

Question 31

Believing that people are poor because they are lazy is a form of

A) classism.
B) poverty attribution.
C) psychological distancing.
D) All of the above.

Question 32

__________ are most at risk for living in poverty.

A) White rural families
B) Racial minority women and children
C) Adults who did not complete high school
D) Unemployed young adults with college degrees

Question 33

Based on your reading of the chapter, which of the following statements is most likely?

A) Resource deficits are implicated in the development of mental illness.
B) Mental illness leads to unemployment and poverty.
C) Income level and mental health are unrelated.
D) None of the above.

Question 34

The main reason given for funding disparities in public education is

A) unfair income tax rates.
B) difficulty with community fundraising.
C) schools losing funding due to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
D) the lack of federal funding standards and overreliance on local property taxes.

Question 35

The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Which of the following statements is also TRUE when comparing the United States to other developed nations?

A) The United States has one of the lowest adult literacy rates.
B) The United States has one of the highest infant mortality rates.
C) The United States is one of the few developed nations without universal health care.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 36

Which of the following is LEAST likely to link directly with economic privilege?

A) Increased life expectancy
B) Access to higher education
C) Dissatisfaction with class status
D) Access to safe and affordable housing

Question 37

A living wage is best described as

A) the current minimum wage.
B) mandatory health insurance for all minimum wage earners.
C) a minimum wage that is sufficient to support all basic needs.
D) a federal mandate to redistribute income taxes to low wage earners.

Question 38

Which of the following counselor-client pairs is least likely to be influenced by classism?

A) low SES counselor: high SES client
B) high SES counselor: low SES client
C) middle SES counselor: middle SES client
D) All of the above will be influenced by classism.

Question 39

The counseling profession as a whole tends to replicate the values, beliefs, and behaviors of the __________ socioeconomic status group.

A) lower class (poor)
B) working class
C) middle class
D) upper class

Question 40

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the author's discussion of classism and theory?

A) There are no counseling theories that address classism.
B) Some counseling theories are more inclusive of classism than others.
C) It is not necessary to have a counseling theory specifically addressing classism.
D) The only psychological theory that addresses classism is the Modern Classism Theory.

Question 41

According to the author, who is responsible for initiating a discussion of class in a counseling relationship?

A) The client - if it is relevant the client will bring it up.
B) The client - it would be disempowering for the counselor to assume it's an issue.
C) The counselor - stigma and power differences may prevent the client from raising the topic.
D) The counselor - low-income clients may not understand the significance of classism.

Question 42

The most effective way to make resource referrals with clients is to

A) investigate local resources before referring the client.
B) work with client to fully assess the client's needs, ability, and willingness to access resources.
C) Both of the above.
D) None of the above.

Question 43

The author recommended several levels of intervention for addressing class-based oppression. __________ was NOT included as a level of advocacy.

A) Professional level
B) Sociopolitical level
C) Individual/client level
D) All of the above were included.

Question 44

Which of the following would the author recommend as an important first step for a client whose depression is directly related to chronic unmet resource needs (food, housing, employment)?

A) Refer the client to a social worker or case manager.
B) Refer the client to local resources that can address respective needs.
C) Address depressive symptoms so that the client can function better in meeting needs.
D) A comprehensive assessment of client's class-related stressors, strengths, and goals.

Question 45

Counselors can improve their ability to address classism by

A) increasing personal awareness of class-based beliefs, biases and behaviors.
B) assessing and exploring class-related issues and concerns with all clients.
C) addressing class-based oppression through social advocacy.
D) All of the above.

Question 46

_______ refers to unexamined class biases which shape our beliefs about our self and our relative merit in our families, peer groups, and community.

A) Classism
B) Internalized classism
C) Structural classism
D) Psychological distancing

Question 47

______ is having negative biases about, and discriminatory behaviors toward, individuals or groups based on their perceived or actual SES.

A) Classism
B) Internalized classism
C) Structural classism
D) Psychological distancing

Question 48

Social and institutional practices that discriminate based on SES, which may be overt or covert, is a concept known as

A) Classism
B) Internalized classism
C) Structural classism
D) Psychological distancing

Question 49

Describe social class and the different ways of conceptualizing social class.

Question 50

Explain how mental health is related to poverty and the implications poverty has for counseling.

Question 51

Describe how counselors should address classism in counseling.

Question 52

Explain a counselor's role in acquiring self-awareness.

Question 53

List and describe the activities one can do to increase self-awareness.

Question 54

Choose and describe two theories that incorporate class and classism.

Question 55

Describe methods for investigating local issues.

Question 56

Describe the different aspects professional counselors should assess when working with diverse SES clients.

Question 57

Explain the two significant areas related to social class that should be focused on during client assessment.

Question 58

Describe one advocacy intervention for each of the levels of intervening.

Question 59

Describe yourself objectively (descriptors that are observable to others) in terms of class indicators. Class indicators may include, but are not limited to, your style of dress (professional and casual), hairstyle, speaking habits, type of employment and hobbies, recreational activities, housing and neighborhood, mode of transportation, food preferences and eating habits, peer group, and entertainment preferences. How might these class indicators affect your ability to develop relationships with the clients and community members you intend to serve?

Question 60

Describe the community you live in (or where you grew up) in terms of socioeconomic status, class structure, and structural classism. Are you able to describe some parts of the community better than others? What relationship do you see between your own class status and your knowledge of your community?

Question 61

Why might a counselor or counselor-trainee be reluctant to increase his or her awareness of classism? Refer to cognitive dissonance and psychological distancing in your response.

Question 62

Review the poverty risk factors (e.g., food, education, employment, housing, health). Select one risk factor and assess your awareness, knowledge, and skill in addressing this factor with clients. What steps could you take to become more effective in this area?

Question 63

What are some personal and professional barriers you might face when attempting to advocate on class-related issues? What resources might be helpful in addressing these barriers?

Question 64

The author recommends use of a "comprehensive initial assessment" when entering a relationship with any new client. Based on your reading of the chapter, what are three questions or areas you believe are most important to explore with new clients? Explain your choices and the influence you think this additional exploration would have on the counseling process.

Question 65

Schools, colleges, and counseling agencies are rapidly transitioning to electronic record-keeping, communication, and information distribution (e.g., outreach, community education). What are the implications for clients who do not have access to computers or the Internet? What are the implications for counseling professionals in low-income communities who do not have the economic resources to keep up with advancing technology?