Question 1

Working-class children are most likely to do which of the following after graduating from high school?
A) travel around Europe
B) attend a four-year college
C) attend a two-year college
D) immediately start working

Accepted Answer

The answer of Working-class children are most likely to do...

Question 2

Eddie is a factory worker who makes about $32,000 a year.Eddie's husband,Dustin,works part-time as a dental assistant and makes about $15,000.Their combined income is just enough to pay their mortgage and make ends meet.Eddie and Dustin are considered:
A) lower middle class
B) upper middle class
C) old middle class
D) working class

Accepted Answer

The answer of Eddie is a factory worker who makes...

Question 3

Today,the gap between rich and poor in the United States is the largest it has been since:
A) 1929,after the stock market crash
B) 1970,when the United States started to outsource jobs
C) 1947,when the United States started to measure the gap
D) Never; the gap has been getting smaller

Accepted Answer

The answer of Today,the gap between rich and poor in...

Question 4

Workers in dead-end jobs that pay low wages are most likely found in the:
A) lower class
B) working class
C) lower middle class
D) upper middle class

Accepted Answer

The lower class is typically associated with individuals who have low income, limited education, and work in low-wage jobs with limited opportunities for advancement. Dead-end jobs that pay low wages are most likely to be found in this class.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

Intergenerational mobility refers to changes in social class or status between generations, specifically when a person has a different class position from that of his or her parents or grandparents. Option A describes individual expectations, Option B describes static reproduction, and Option D describes intra-family mobility.

Question 6

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) social capital
B) cultural capital
C) tuition capital
D) educational capital

Accepted Answer

Bourdieu's theory of cultural capital suggests that social class differences in educational achievement are due to cultural differences in upbringing. Middle- and upper-class parents possess cultural capital that allows them to impart academic knowledge and values to their children, providing them with an advantage in school. Working-class parents may have the same interest in education, but they lack the cultural capital necessary to help their children succeed academically and experience social mobility.

Question 7

While the average income of __________ households has been increasing,that of __________ households has been declining in the past decade.
A) black and Latino; white
B) lower class; middle class
C) white; black and Latino
D) Latino; black

Accepted Answer

According to multiple studies and reports, the income of white households has been increasing while that of black and Latino households has been declining or stagnating in the past decade. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. Option A and D are incorrect as they suggest that only minority groups are experiencing declining incomes. Option B is incorrect as it is too broad and does not specify which particular groups are experiencing income changes.

Question 8

People in blue-collar occupations,such as plumbers and hotel workers,make up the:
A) lower middle class
B) working class
C) old middle class
D) new middle class

Accepted Answer

Blue-collar occupations are typically associated with manual labor and generally fall under the working class category. The lower middle class typically includes clerical or semi-professional occupations, while the old and new middle class typically includes more professional and managerial occupations.

Question 9

Which of the following is an example of what Pierre Bourdieu refers to as cultural capital?
A) the ability to pay for cultural events,such as art museums,opera companies,and symphony orchestras that charge for admission
B) parents paying for school tutoring
C) parents reading to their children and encouraging them to do well in school
D) learning more than one language

Accepted Answer

Cultural capital refers to non-financial social assets that promote social mobility. Parents reading to their children and encouraging them to do well in school is an example of cultural capital because it involves the transmission of knowledge, skills, and educational values.

Question 10

Inequality and the gap between rich and poor have been steadily growing in the United States.The richest 20 percent has __________ of the total income,while the poorest 20 percent has __________ of the total income.
A) 51 percent; 3.2 percent
B) 3.2 percent; 51 percent
C) 25 percent; 25 percent
D) 33 percent; 34.3 percent

Accepted Answer

According to the information provided, the richest 20 percent has more of the total income than the poorest 20 percent, indicating a significant income gap. Choice A presents the most extreme difference in income share between the two groups, with the richest 20 percent having 51 percent of the total income and the poorest 20 percent having only 3.2 percent. This highlights the significant income inequality in the United States. Choices B and C do not reflect the growing income gap mentioned in the prompt, and choice D presents a more balanced income distribution than is likely given the current trend of increasing income inequality.

Question 11

The lower class has a higher percentage of __________ than any other class in the United States.
A) bilingual speakers
B) educators
C) men
D) nonwhites

Accepted Answer

Data shows that nonwhites are more likely to be part of the lower class than any other racial or ethnic group in the US. Therefore, they make up a higher percentage of the lower class compared to other classes. This is not true for the other choices given in the question.

Question 12

Who among the following is most likely to experience intergenerational mobility?
A) the child of a high school teacher
B) the child of two university professors
C) the child of the CEO of a large corporation
D) the child of a school janitor

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who among the following is most likely...

Question 13

Which of the following occupations is LEAST likely to be held by a lower-middle-class individual?
A) police officer
B) nurse
C) school teacher
D) upper-level manager

Accepted Answer

Upper-level manager positions tend to require higher levels of education and experience, making it less likely for someone from the lower-middle-class to hold such a position. Police officers, nurses, and school teachers usually do not require the same level of education and may be more accessible to individuals from lower-middle-class backgrounds.

Question 14

A farmer with a high school diploma who makes $115,000 a year,lives in a large home,and drives an expensive car is most likely to be in which class category?
A) upper middle class
B) lower middle class
C) upper class
D) middle class

Accepted Answer

The answer of A farmer with a high school diploma...

Question 15

Social mobility refers to:
A) the movement of individuals and groups between class positions
B) the migration of people from the countryside to town
C) the movement of people between caste positions
D) the change in racial or ethnic identification when individuals intermarry

Accepted Answer

Social mobility refers to the movement of individuals and groups between class positions, specifically upward or downward mobility. It is not related to migration, caste positions, or racial/ethnic identification.

Question 16

According to the textbook,what factor accounts for racial disparities in wealth and income?
A) higher social and cultural capital
B) education
C) genetics
D) luck

Accepted Answer

The textbook explains that education is a key factor in accounting for racial disparities in wealth and income. Higher education levels lead to higher paying jobs, which in turn lead to more wealth accumulation. Many studies have shown that there are significant gaps in education attainment between racial groups, with minorities generally having less access to quality education and facing more barriers to educational success. This contributes to the persistent wealth gap between whites and minorities in the US. Social and cultural capital, luck, and genetics are not discussed as significant factors in the text for explaining racial disparities in wealth and income.

Question 17

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) poor class
B) lower class
C) left-behind class
D) underclass

Accepted Answer

The term "underclass" refers to the poorest of the poor in the U.S. class system who are structurally disadvantaged and face significant barriers to upward mobility. They are often trapped in their class position and face a range of social problems such as poverty, unemployment, crime, drug addiction, and poor health. The term was first used in the 1960s to refer to a group of people who were excluded from mainstream society and faced multiple forms of social exclusion. While the term is controversial and has been criticized for stigmatizing the poor, it is still commonly used in sociological research and public discourse to refer to this group of people.

Question 18

Researchers of social mobility,including Peter Blau and Otis Dudley Duncan in the 1960s and William Sewell and Robert Hauser in the 1980s,have shown that:
A) educational attainment has a great deal to do with ultimate social status
B) the family's social status has little to do with social mobility
C) social position is not inherited but solely achieved
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The researchers mentioned have shown that educational attainment is a key factor in determining an individual's social mobility and ultimate social status. While social status can be influenced by other factors such as family background and connections, education plays a significant role in one's ability to achieve higher social status. The other choices (B and C) are incorrect as they do not accurately reflect the findings of these researchers.

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why Latino household income has stagnated and fallen far behind that of white households?
A) a culture of poverty among Latinos that discourages achievement and saving money
B) the large number of immigrants from Mexico and Latin America that are in low-wage jobs
C) high unemployment among Latinos
D) high divorce rate among Latinos

Accepted Answer

The large number of immigrants from Mexico and Latin America that are in low-wage jobs has contributed to the stagnation and lower average of Latino household income compared to white households. This is due to a variety of factors including language barriers, lack of education and skilled training, and discrimination in the job market.

Question 20

When sociologists examine how far an individual moves up or down the socioeconomic scale in his or her lifetime,they are studying:
A) optimal mobility
B) intergenerational mobility
C) life change
D) intragenerational mobility

Accepted Answer

Intragenerational mobility refers to the movement up or down the socioeconomic scale within an individual's lifetime. Therefore, this is the best choice for the given question. Option A, optimal mobility, is not a sociological term. Option B, intergenerational mobility, refers to the movement up or down the socioeconomic scale between generations. Option C, life change, is too broad and does not specifically refer to socioeconomic mobility.

Quiz 7: Stratification, class, and Inequality

Working-class children are most likely to do which of the following after graduating from high school?

Eddie is a factory worker who makes about $32,000 a year.Eddie's husband,Dustin,works part-time as a dental assistant and makes about $15,000.Their combined income is just enough to pay their mortgage and make ends meet.Eddie and Dustin are considered:

Today,the gap between rich and poor in the United States is the largest it has been since:

Workers in dead-end jobs that pay low wages are most likely found in the:

Intergenerational mobility is best described as when:

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.

While the average income of households has been increasing,that of households has been declining in the past decade.

People in blue-collar occupations,such as plumbers and hotel workers,make up the:

Which of the following is an example of what Pierre Bourdieu refers to as cultural capital?

Inequality and the gap between rich and poor have been steadily growing in the United States.The richest 20 percent has of the total income,while the poorest 20 percent has of the total income.

The lower class has a higher percentage of __________ than any other class in the United States.

Who among the following is most likely to experience intergenerational mobility?

Which of the following occupations is LEAST likely to be held by a lower-middle-class individual?

A farmer with a high school diploma who makes $115,000 a year,lives in a large home,and drives an expensive car is most likely to be in which class category?

Social mobility refers to:

According to the textbook,what factor accounts for racial disparities in wealth and income?

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:

Researchers of social mobility,including Peter Blau and Otis Dudley Duncan in the 1960s and William Sewell and Robert Hauser in the 1980s,have shown that:

Which of the following best explains why Latino household income has stagnated and fallen far behind that of white households?

When sociologists examine how far an individual moves up or down the socioeconomic scale in his or her lifetime,they are studying: