Question 1

Which of the following accurately describes the stratification system?
A) The key to understanding stratification is to rely only on income; that is, the more money you have, the higher your status.
B) To achieve a high status, you must have a comparable amount of income, education, and occupational prestige.
C) It is impossible to have a high status without having a high income.
D) Income, education, and occupation often are correlated, but there are notable exceptions.
E) All of the above accurately describe the stratification system.

Accepted Answer

Stratification involves multiple dimensions including income, education, and occupational prestige. While these factors often correlate, there are exceptions, acknowledging that high status can be achieved through various means, not solely through income.

Question 2

A stratification system in which certain people are owned as property and more or less deprived of all rights by law is known as:
A) capitalism
B) caste
C) estates
D) slavery
E) socialism

Accepted Answer

Slavery is a stratification system where people are treated as property and deprived of their rights. The other options do not involve the ownership of people as property. Caste refers to a system of social hierarchy based on birth and occupation, Estates refer to a system of political and social organization in medieval Europe, capitalism and socialism are economic systems.

Question 3

Which of the following is true of ALL systems of social stratification?
A) If a person no longer identifies with the other members of his category, he is no longer classified at that level.
B) A person's life chances are significantly influenced by her position.
C) Ranks tend to fluctuate rapidly and significantly over time.
D) Upward mobility is a norm that is valued in all societies.
E) Wealthy people are always ranked higher than poorer ones.

Accepted Answer

All systems of social stratification result in different levels of access to resources and opportunities, which significantly influence a person's life chances. However, options A, C, D, and E are not universally applicable to all systems of social stratification. Option A assumes that identity is the primary determinant of one's social standing, which is not always the case. Option C makes a sweeping generalization that ranks always change rapidly and significantly, which is not confirmed by empirical evidence. Option D implies that mobility is always valued, but some societies may attach higher value to stability and tradition. And option E assumes that wealth is always the most important factor determining one's rank, which also varies across societies.

Question 4

The money a person receives from a wage or salary or from investments is _______________; the assets an individual owns are _______________.
A) wealth; property
B) wealth; income
C) property; property
D) income; wealth
E) capital; income

Accepted Answer

Income refers to the money a person receives, while wealth refers to the assets a person owns. Therefore, the correct choice is D: income; wealth.

Question 5

In 2011,the top 5% of households in the United States earned _______________ of the total income?
A) 20%
B) 22.3%
C) 45.7%
D) 51.1%
E) 65%

Accepted Answer

The answer of In 2011,the top 5% of households in...

Question 6

Real income for most of the working population in the United States increased over the twentieth century.The most important reason for this is:
A) women's entrance into the paid labor force
B) the reduction in competition from foreign companies
C) the increase in productivity due to technological change
D) the end of child labor
E) the decrease in the size of the working age population

Accepted Answer

The increase in productivity due to technological change allowed for greater efficiency in the workplace, driving up wages and real income for workers. Women's entrance into the paid labor force and the end of child labor certainly played a role, but it was the increase in productivity that was the most important factor. The reduction in competition from foreign companies and the decrease in the size of the working age population do not have a significant impact on real income growth.

Question 7

Why has there been a decline in state-mandated caste systems?
A) As more women were elected to office, the moral issues surrounding castes overrode the political ones.
B) As more countries industrialized, the caste system became economically obsolete.
C) The United Nations passed a resolution condemning caste systems.
D) Countries that sanction the caste system have experienced serious boycotts from other, more enlightened countries.
E) All of the above.

Accepted Answer

As countries industrialized, there was a shift towards merit-based systems and the caste system became economically obsolete. Other factors could have played a role but the decline of the caste system was largely due to economic reasons. The other options given do not fully explain the decline of state-mandated caste systems.

Question 8

The best explanation of the fact that slavery was made illegal throughout the world is because:
A) it is an inefficient economic system
B) slaves were too expensive to buy
C) slaves revolted
D) a postindustrial society required a different economic system
E) none of the above; in truth, slavery is still legal in places such as Iceland and the Canary Islands

Accepted Answer

The answer of The best explanation of the fact that...

Question 9

When sociologists study the existence of structured inequalities in a society,they refer to that structure as:
A) social inequity
B) social disapproval
C) socialism
D) social stratification
E) strategic sociality

Accepted Answer

Social stratification is the term used to describe the structured inequalities that exist in a society, including differences in income, wealth, education, occupation, and social status. It reflects the way society is organized hierarchically, with some individuals and groups occupying positions of greater power, prestige, and privilege than others. Social stratification is often based on factors such as race, gender, class, and age, and it can have significant impacts on individuals' life chances and opportunities.

Question 10

Class systems differ from slavery and castes in all the following ways EXCEPT that:
A) classes are based on personal attributes such as race and religion
B) class systems are stagnant
C) inequality in wealth and income is greater in class systems
D) movement is possible between classes
E) positions in class systems are determined at birth and cannot be changed

Accepted Answer

Movement is possible between classes, unlike in slavery and caste systems where positions are determined at birth and cannot be changed.

Question 11

An example of a caste system is:
A) requiring Jewish families to live in a separate part of European cities, known as a ghetto
B) giving political and economic rights in South Africa only to people who were genetically completely white
C) forcing children to accept their parents' status as their own in India
D) denying all civil rights to blacks in the United States
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

All of the examples provided are examples of caste systems, which are systems of social stratification in which people are born into a specific social class and are unable to move out of it.

Question 12

Mean household income has grown the most since 1974 for which part of the income distribution?
A) all income levels equally.
B) bottom 20%
C) highest 20%
D) middle 60%
E) top 5%

Accepted Answer

The top 5% of households have experienced the largest growth in mean household income since 1974. This is likely due to factors such as globalization and technological advancements that have created more opportunities for high-skilled workers and those in top-paying industries.

Question 13

In which country was caste associated with religious beliefs about afterlife based on broad occupational groupings?
A) the United States
B) South Africa
C) Saudi Arabia
D) Russia
E) India

Accepted Answer

Caste is most commonly associated with religious beliefs in India, where it is based on broad occupational groupings and traditionally tied to the Hindu concept of reincarnation and the afterlife.

Question 14

Which of the following conceptualizes the idea that your probability of economic success is largely dependent on your background?
A) life chances
B) life course
C) caste
D) reincarnation
E) relations of production

Accepted Answer

The concept of life chances suggests that an individual's probability of economic success or failure is largely dependent on their social background, including factors such as their family's income, education level, race, and social class. This concept was first introduced by sociologist Max Weber and emphasizes the ways in which social inequality can shape an individual's life trajectory. The other options (B, C, D, E) are not directly related to this concept.

Question 15

During the twentieth century,the real income of blue-collar workers in Western societies _______________ overall,although it has _______________ in the past 20 years.
A) stayed the same; dropped significantly
B) increased significantly; dropped
C) increased significantly; increased only slightly
D) decreased significantly; increased
E) decreased slightly; increased significantly

Accepted Answer

During the twentieth century, the real income of blue-collar workers in Western societies increased significantly due to industrial growth and economic development. However, in the past 20 years, there has been a trend of stagnation or decline in real income for these workers due to factors like globalization and technological changes.

Question 16

In which type of society is the term class most often used to analyze stratification?
A) hunting and gathering
B) industrialized
C) feudal
D) caste
E) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The term class is most often used to analyze stratification in industrialized societies, where social and economic statuses are primarily based on one's occupation and income. Class distinctions are not as prominent or applicable in hunting and gathering societies, where resources are shared equally, or in feudal or caste societies, where one's status is determined by birth and not by their occupation or income.

Question 17

Which of the following best explains the relationship between wealth and income?
A) Although income is influenced by race, education, and age, wealth is independent of these variables.
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) Income disparities between rich and poor have increased in the past three decades, whereas wealth disparities have decreased during the same time.
E) Education has a strong connection to income but a weak relationship to wealth.

Accepted Answer

Wealth and income are related in that people's ability to accumulate wealth is often limited by the same factors that limit their income. These factors may include race, education, age, and access to financial resources. While inheritance can play a role in wealth accumulation, it is not the only factor. It is also worth noting that income disparities have increased in recent decades, while wealth disparities have decreased, suggesting that the relationship between the two is complex and multifaceted. Education can be important in both income and wealth accumulation, but the relationship may be stronger for income than for wealth.

Question 18

Individuals and groups have unequal access to societal rewards based on their position within a stratified society,which is called:
A) class system power
B) status power
C) structured inequalities status
D) class system structured inequalities
E) stratification wealth

Accepted Answer

The term "class system" refers to a system of social stratification where individuals and groups are classified based on their economic position and access to resources. The term "structured" implies that these inequalities are built into the social structure of society and are not simply based on individual achievement or merit. Therefore, choice D) best describes this concept. Choices A) and B) are not accurate as they only refer to one aspect of social power and do not encompass the broader concept of social stratification. Choice C) is incorrect as "status" inequalities only refer to differences in social standing or prestige, not necessarily economic or resource access. Choice E) is incorrect as it is too narrow and only refers to one specific aspect of stratification (wealth), not the entire system of social stratification.

Question 19

Sociologists call a large group of people who occupy a similar economic position and have similar economic resources that influence the type of lifestyle they are able to lead in society:
A) slaves
B) peons
C) estate
D) class
E) caste

Accepted Answer

The term "class" refers to a group of people who are in a similar economic position and have similar economic resources that affect the kind of lifestyle they are able to lead in society. This can include factors such as income, education, occupation, and assets. Class is a key concept in sociological analysis and is often used to understand social stratification and inequality. Choices A, B, C, and E are not accurate descriptions of this concept.

Question 20

In the twentieth century,which country had a caste system based on race?
A) India
B) the United States
C) South Africa
D) a and b only
E) b and c only

Accepted Answer

The United States and South Africa had systems that could be described as caste systems based on race, with the Jim Crow laws in the U.S. and apartheid in South Africa, respectively. India's caste system is based on social stratification rather than race.

Quiz 8: Stratification, class, and Inequality

Which of the following accurately describes the stratification system?

A stratification system in which certain people are owned as property and more or less deprived of all rights by law is known as:

Which of the following is true of ALL systems of social stratification?

The money a person receives from a wage or salary or from investments is _; the assets an individual owns are _.

In 2011,the top 5% of households in the United States earned _______________ of the total income?

Real income for most of the working population in the United States increased over the twentieth century.The most important reason for this is:

Why has there been a decline in state-mandated caste systems?

The best explanation of the fact that slavery was made illegal throughout the world is because:

When sociologists study the existence of structured inequalities in a society,they refer to that structure as:

Class systems differ from slavery and castes in all the following ways EXCEPT that:

An example of a caste system is:

Mean household income has grown the most since 1974 for which part of the income distribution?

In which country was caste associated with religious beliefs about afterlife based on broad occupational groupings?

Which of the following conceptualizes the idea that your probability of economic success is largely dependent on your background?

During the twentieth century,the real income of blue-collar workers in Western societies _ overall,although it has _ in the past 20 years.

In which type of society is the term class most often used to analyze stratification?

Which of the following best explains the relationship between wealth and income?

Individuals and groups have unequal access to societal rewards based on their position within a stratified society,which is called:

Sociologists call a large group of people who occupy a similar economic position and have similar economic resources that influence the type of lifestyle they are able to lead in society:

In the twentieth century,which country had a caste system based on race?