Questions and Answers
According to Weber, what is a large group of people who rank close to one another in property, power, and prestige?
What consists of any of the various types of material possessions?
The total value of all a person owns after subtracting all that person owes is called what?
The money you receive, whether it comes to you from a paycheck or from your assets is considered what?
Signup and view all the answers
Income and wealth are what?
Signup and view all the answers
What percentage of the nation's wealth is owned by the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans?
Signup and view all the answers
What percentage of the nation's wealth is owned by the wealthiest 10 percent of Americans?
Signup and view all the answers
If we can use the analogy that some U.S. families have an income that could be represented by the height of Mount Everest, then the average American family has an income that is about how many feet off the ground?
Signup and view all the answers
In 2017, the highest-paid U.S. CEO received what?
Signup and view all the answers
Income inequality in the United States has what trajectory?
Signup and view all the answers
What enables a person to exert his or her will even in the face of opposition?
Signup and view all the answers
C. Wright Mills identified the major decision-makers at the highest levels of corporations, politics, and the armed forces in the United States as what?
Signup and view all the answers
Which occupation has the most prestige in the United States?
Signup and view all the answers
The prestige of your occupation refers specifically to what?
Signup and view all the answers
June was the president of her neighborhood association, which afforded her a high what?
Signup and view all the answers
Status consistency refers to what?
Signup and view all the answers
Ranking high on some dimensions of social class and low on others is considered what?
Signup and view all the answers
Durkheim called it what when people became separated from the usual norms that were expected to guide their behavior?
Signup and view all the answers
Based on the histories of lottery winners, sudden wealth brings what?
Signup and view all the answers
Wright characterizes a position in the class structure that contains inherently contradictory interests as what?
Signup and view all the answers
Marx's model of the social classes specifically included what?
Signup and view all the answers
Which group members, because of their great wealth, are at the top of Wright's modification of Marx's model of social classes?
Signup and view all the answers
Because of the large differences between types of workers and owners, Wright felt it necessary to modify Marx's model of social classes to include what?
Signup and view all the answers
The upper end of the capitalist class is occupied by those with what?
Signup and view all the answers
Philanthropist Bill Gates has given away how much?
Signup and view all the answers
The class members most clearly affected by education are those in which class?
Signup and view all the answers
Compared to the working class, the lower-middle class generally has what?
Signup and view all the answers
Which class members likely consider themselves the real workers and regard those above them as practically inexperienced?
Signup and view all the answers
Most members of the working-poor class what?
Signup and view all the answers
Seth relied on welfare and food stamps. In terms of class, Seth belonged to the what?
Signup and view all the answers
Part of the what are homeless people?
Signup and view all the answers
As you go up the social-class ladder, what happens to your health?
Signup and view all the answers
As you go down the social-class ladder, what happens to your mental health?
Signup and view all the answers
When it comes to raising children, parents in the lower class tend to what?
Signup and view all the answers
When it comes to religion, the lower classes tend to be attracted to what?
Signup and view all the answers
Which statement is true about people toward the bottom of the class structure?
Signup and view all the answers
White-collar crimes are usually handled how?
Signup and view all the answers
What refers to the change that family members make in social class from one generation to the next?
Signup and view all the answers
In Mexico, Javier was a physician. Upon immigrating to the United States, he ended up working as a carpenter. What did Javier experience?
Signup and view all the answers
Lee started as a bank teller and fifteen years later ended up running the bank. This is an example of what?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of mobility is movement either up or down the social class ladder due more to changes in society than to individual actions?
Signup and view all the answers
In exchange mobility, a large number of people move up the social class ladder, a large number move down, and the social class system shows little change. This is referred to as what?
Signup and view all the answers
It is likely to be painful to do what?
Signup and view all the answers
What proportion of all African American adults works at white-collar jobs today?
Signup and view all the answers
The official measure of poverty of the U.S. government is what?
Signup and view all the answers
Which statement about poverty is true?
Signup and view all the answers
The region of the United States that has the most poverty is what?
Signup and view all the answers
About what percent of high school dropouts are poor, while approximately what percent of those with college degrees are poor?
Signup and view all the answers
The Horatio Alger myth does what?
Signup and view all the answers
According to the author, those who have what will likely make up the second tier in a three-tier society?
Signup and view all the answers
What are the four characteristics of jobs that have the most prestige?
Signup and view all the answers
Describe the underclass.
Signup and view all the answers
Name three effects of social class on family life.
Signup and view all the answers
Discuss research on women in studies of social mobility.
Signup and view all the answers
Discuss the impact of geography on poverty in the United States.
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Social Class Definitions and Concepts
- Social class is a large group of people ranked similarly in property, power, and prestige.
- Property includes various types of material possessions.
- Wealth is the total value of all a person's possessions minus what they owe.
- Income is the money received from salaries or assets.
- Income and wealth are distinct concepts with different implications regarding economic status.
Wealth Distribution
- The wealthiest 1% of Americans own about a third of the nation's wealth.
- The top 10% possess approximately three-quarters of the nation's wealth.
CEO Compensation
- In 2017, the highest-paid U.S. CEO received $237 million.
Income Inequality Trends
- Income inequality in the U.S. decreased until 1970 and has since increased significantly.
Power and Status
- Power allows individuals to exert influence despite opposition.
- C. Wright Mills termed the high-level decision-makers in corporations, politics, and military as the "power elite."
- The occupation with the highest prestige in the U.S. is that of a physician.
Status Consistency and Inconsistency
- Prestige refers to the societal perception of an occupation's value.
- Status consistency is when a person ranks similarly across power, prestige, and property.
- Status inconsistency occurs when an individual ranks high in some areas but low in others.
Social Classes and Mobility
- Anomie describes the disconnection from societal norms and guidance.
- Sudden wealth, such as that from a lottery, often brings complications rather than happiness.
- Wright's theory identifies "contradictory class location" for those with conflicting interests in the class structure.
Class Structure According to Marx and Wright
- Marx's model distinguished between workers and capitalists.
- Wright modified Marx’s view to include managers and identify the upper-tier capitalist class, which typically consists of individuals with old money.
Philanthropy
- Bill Gates, a notable philanthropist, has donated approximately $30 billion.
Impact of Education on Class
- Education significantly affects those within the upper-middle class, influencing their economic opportunities.
Class Characteristics
- The lower-middle class generally has a higher income compared to the working class.
- Many in the working class view themselves as the "real workers" in contrast to higher classes.
Poverty and Its Effects
- High school dropouts make up about 25% of the poor, while only 5% of college graduates live in poverty.
- The southern region of the U.S. has the highest levels of poverty.
Social Mobility Concepts
- Intergenerational mobility refers to changes in social class from one generation to the next.
- Downward mobility occurs when individuals experience a drop in social class, while upward mobility increases status.
- Structural mobility results from societal changes affecting the entire population.
Characteristics of Prestigious Jobs
- High-prestige jobs typically involve higher pay, greater education requirements, abstract thinking, and more autonomy.
Underclass Definition
- The underclass is the lowest segment of the social class system, comprising about 5% of the U.S. population, often linked to inner-city living, welfare dependence, and homelessness.
Family Life and Social Class
- Social class influences mate selection, divorce rates, and child-rearing practices due to varying economic pressures and norms.
Gender and Social Mobility Research
- Historical studies have focused less on women in social mobility, but this area is gaining attention as women's participation in the workforce increases.
Geographic Impact on Poverty
- Poverty is primarily concentrated in the South; rural poverty is slightly above the national average.
- A trend has emerged where more poor individuals now reside in suburbs rather than urban centers.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
This quiz covers key concepts from Chapter 10 of Sociology, focusing on social class in the United States. It includes definitions and explanations of terms related to property, power, and prestige as discussed by Weber. Test your understanding of social class dynamics and terminologies.