Question 1

What sort of social mobility often results from losing a job?
A) horizontal
B) upward
C) career
D) vertical

Accepted Answer

Losing a job typically results in vertical social mobility, as it often leads to a downward shift in one's social or economic position.

Question 2

What do sociologists call it when an individual changes his or her career but remains within the same social class?
A) vertical social mobility
B) structural mobility
C) intergenerational mobility
D) horizontal social mobility

Accepted Answer

Horizontal social mobility refers to the movement of an individual from one occupation to another occupation with the same social standing. In this case, the individual may have changed their career but has remained in the same social class.

Question 3

When the children of working-class parents manage to attend college and get a job in a professional field,it is an example of ________ mobility.
A) intragenerational
B) horizontal social
C) a lack of
D) intergenerational

Accepted Answer

Intergenerational mobility refers to the movement or change in social status and class that an individual or a family experiences from one generation to the next. In this case, the children of working-class parents moving up to a professional field after attending college represents intergenerational mobility.

Question 4

A reporter who covers the police beat at a newspaper changes careers.She becomes an editor of nonfiction books and is paid the same salary as she was at the newspaper.What has she experienced?
A) structural mobility
B) intragenerational mobility
C) horizontal social mobility
D) vertical social mobility

Accepted Answer

Horizontal social mobility occurs when an individual moves from one position to another within the same social level or status, which is the case here as the change in jobs did not involve a change in her social hierarchy or salary.

Question 5

The difference between a person's ascribed status and his or her achieved status is measured in terms of his or her:
A) good fortune.
B) skill and personal character.
C) intergenerational mobility.
D) intragenerational mobility.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The difference between a person's ascribed status...

Question 6

Social mobility that occurs over the course of an individual's lifetime is called ________ mobility.
A) life-cycle
B) intragenerational
C) structural
D) intergenerational

Accepted Answer

Intragenerational mobility refers to the social mobility that occurs within an individual's lifetime, typically due to changes in occupation or education level. It is different from intergenerational mobility, which refers to how an individual's social status changes compared to their parents' social status. Life-cycle mobility refers to changes in social status that are expected to occur as a result of aging or other natural life transitions, while structural mobility refers to changes in social status that are due to changes in the overall structure of society, such as economic growth or recession.

Question 7

A society where social mobility is highly restricted by formal or informal rules,like those of a caste system,is called:
A) capitalism.
B) a system of achieved status.
C) a closed system.
D) an open system.

Accepted Answer

A closed system is one where social mobility is highly restricted by formal or informal rules, such as those of a caste system. In a closed system, social status is predetermined at birth and is difficult to change. This is in contrast to an open system, where social mobility is possible and individuals are able to move up or down the social ladder based on their own efforts and abilities.

Question 8

Many workers at auto plants in Michigan lost their jobs when the plants closed.for the vast majority of these workers,this has resulted in:
A) welfare reform.
B) vertical social mobility.
C) horizontal social mobility.
D) intergenerational mobility.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Many workers at auto plants in Michigan...

Question 9

Poverty can be defined in either relative or absolute terms.How does relative deprivation measure poverty?
A) by comparing the standard of living among the poor to the basic necessities of life
B) by comparing the poor to people with low socioeconomic status in other countries
C) by determining if the poor have minimal food and shelter
D) by comparing the poor to more affluent members of society

Accepted Answer

Relative deprivation measures poverty by comparing the poor to more affluent members of society. This means that poverty is determined by the gap between the standard of living of the poor and that of the more affluent members of society. This is a relative measure because it considers the context and social norms of a given society. In contrast, absolute poverty measures poverty based on a fixed standard of living, such as access to basic necessities like food, shelter, and health care.

Question 10

What do sociologists call it when large numbers of people move up or down the social class ladder as a result of changes to society as a whole?
A) social welfare
B) structural mobility
C) horizontal mobility
D) intergenerational mobility

Accepted Answer

Sociologists call it structural mobility when large numbers of people move up or down the social class ladder as a result of changes to society as a whole. Structural mobility is usually caused by changes in the economy, such as new industries emerging or old industries declining, or changes in social policies, such as increased access to education or changes in tax laws. Structural mobility differs from individual mobility, where people move up or down the social class ladder due to their own efforts or circumstances rather than changes in society as a whole.

Question 11

Ascribed status is usually involuntary and often assigned at birth.Achieved status is voluntary and often based on merit,ability,or achievement.What sort of status would you expect to find in a closed system?
A) some ascribed status, but mostly achieved status
B) mostly ascribed status
C) only achieved status
D) an even mixture of both achieved and ascribed status

Accepted Answer

In a closed system, social mobility is limited and positions are predetermined. Therefore, most of the status is ascribed and based on birth or family background.

Question 12

In the United States,the federal poverty line is calculated using food costs,based on the cheapest possible diet that can still provide basic nutrition.What sort of measure of poverty is this?
A) a measure of poverty based on conflict theory
B) a measure of absolute deprivation
C) a measure of relative deprivation
D) a measure of social welfare

Accepted Answer

The federal poverty line based on the cheapest possible diet that can still provide basic nutrition is a measure of absolute deprivation, as it focuses on meeting basic needs and does not consider relative income and consumption levels.

Question 13

Patrick Radden Keefe's The Snakehead describes (mostly)illegal immigrants to America from fujian,a province in China.Many of the immigrants took incredible risks to get to the United States and have a hard time assimilating,but Keefe is very optimistic that their children will assimilate and have a much higher standard of living than their parents.What does Keefe believe the children will experience?
A) intergenerational mobility
B) intragenerational mobility
C) structural mobility
D) immigrant mobility

Accepted Answer

Keefe believes that the children of illegal immigrants from Fujian will experience intergenerational mobility, which means they will have a higher standard of living than their parents and be able to move up the social ladder.

Question 14

Which of the following variables have the greatest impact on crime rates?
A) poverty
B) funding for law enforcement
C) the availability of drugs
D) population density and anomie

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following variables have the...

Question 15

Although we usually think of social mobility as a result of individual effort,during the "dot-com boom" of the late 1990s,many people became instant millionaires.This is an example of:
A) structural mobility.
B) wise investing.
C) savvy technological genius.
D) horizontal mobility.

Accepted Answer

The sudden increase in wealth during the dot-com boom was a result of structural changes in the economy, such as the growth of the tech sector and the rise of the internet, rather than individual effort or merit. This is an example of structural mobility, where changes in the economic or social system result in shifts in social class or status.

Question 16

What sort of jobs can support a middle-class lifestyle in America today?
A) jobs in manufacturing
B) blue collar work
C) jobs associated with skilled trades like carpentry
D) jobs in the service, information, and technology sectors

Accepted Answer

Jobs in the service, information, and technology sectors offer the best potential for supporting a middle-class lifestyle in America today. These jobs typically require some level of education or training and offer opportunities for career advancement and higher salaries. Manufacturing and blue-collar jobs have declined in recent years due to automation and offshoring, and skilled trades like carpentry may not always provide a consistent income or benefits.

Question 17

Although the United States lost many jobs in the recession of the late 2000s,many people are optimistic that the lost jobs will be replaced with others.However,even if the optimists are right,the shift in the economy may permanently alter the class status of many,as the jobs being lost are largely in manufacturing and new jobs are often in information technology,suggesting that the newly unemployed will have trouble competing for newly created jobs.If this is the case,what is it called?
A) structural mobility
B) intergenerational mobility
C) intragenerational mobility
D) absolute deprivation

Accepted Answer

Structural mobility refers to changes in the distribution of jobs due to changes in the structure of the economy. In this case, the shift from manufacturing to information technology is an example of structural change that may permanently alter the class status of many workers. Intergenerational mobility refers to changes in class status between generations, while intragenerational mobility refers to changes in class status within a person's lifetime. Absolute deprivation refers to the inability to meet basic needs like food, shelter, and healthcare regardless of one's class status.

Question 18

Being born into a lower social class means that an individual will be more likely to:
A) feel at risk of being harassed by law enforcement.
B) complete college, due to receiving need-based scholarships.
C) beat criminal charges due to the assistance of a public defender.
D) be healthy, due to access to Medicaid.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that individuals from lower social classes are more likely to experience harsh treatment and harassment from law enforcement. This can lead to a sense of mistrust and increased risk for negative interactions with law enforcement. Access to education, legal representation, and healthcare are also important factors in social mobility, but they are not directly related to the question of feeling at risk of being harassed by law enforcement.

Question 19

The folk-pop singer Jewel is famous for having lived in her van when she first moved to San Diego and started performing in a coffee shop.Soon after she was signed by Atlantic Records,her advance allowed her to rent a house and buy a new car.Of what class-based phenomenon is this an example?
A) socioeconomic status and life chances
B) apartheid
C) the culture of poverty
D) social mobility

Accepted Answer

This is an example of social mobility, as Jewel went from living in her van to being signed by a major record label and acquiring a house and car.

Question 20

Poverty can be defined in either relative or absolute terms.How does absolute deprivation measure poverty?
A) by considering access to food, shelter, clothing, and medical care
B) by comparing the poor to more affluent members of society
C) by asking which groups within a society have power and prestige
D) by comparing the poor to the poor of other historical periods

Accepted Answer

Absolute deprivation measures poverty by considering the basic necessities of life such as access to food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. It does not take into account the comparison with more affluent members of society, the existing power and prestige structures, or poverty in other historical periods.

Quiz 7: Social Class: the Structure of Inequality

What sort of social mobility often results from losing a job?

What do sociologists call it when an individual changes his or her career but remains within the same social class?

When the children of working-class parents manage to attend college and get a job in a professional field,it is an example of ________ mobility.

A reporter who covers the police beat at a newspaper changes careers.She becomes an editor of nonfiction books and is paid the same salary as she was at the newspaper.What has she experienced?

The difference between a person's ascribed status and his or her achieved status is measured in terms of his or her:

Social mobility that occurs over the course of an individual's lifetime is called ________ mobility.

A society where social mobility is highly restricted by formal or informal rules,like those of a caste system,is called:

Many workers at auto plants in Michigan lost their jobs when the plants closed.for the vast majority of these workers,this has resulted in:

Poverty can be defined in either relative or absolute terms.How does relative deprivation measure poverty?

What do sociologists call it when large numbers of people move up or down the social class ladder as a result of changes to society as a whole?

Ascribed status is usually involuntary and often assigned at birth.Achieved status is voluntary and often based on merit,ability,or achievement.What sort of status would you expect to find in a closed system?

In the United States,the federal poverty line is calculated using food costs,based on the cheapest possible diet that can still provide basic nutrition.What sort of measure of poverty is this?

Which of the following variables have the greatest impact on crime rates?

Although we usually think of social mobility as a result of individual effort,during the "dot-com boom" of the late 1990s,many people became instant millionaires.This is an example of:

What sort of jobs can support a middle-class lifestyle in America today?

Being born into a lower social class means that an individual will be more likely to:

The folk-pop singer Jewel is famous for having lived in her van when she first moved to San Diego and started performing in a coffee shop.Soon after she was signed by Atlantic Records,her advance allowed her to rent a house and buy a new car.Of what class-based phenomenon is this an example?

Poverty can be defined in either relative or absolute terms.How does absolute deprivation measure poverty?