Questions and Answers
Socioeconomic status (SES) is a rating that combines social factors EXCEPT?
What is a class system?
The distribution of scarce resources and rewards that is determined on the basis of achieved status.
What is a caste system?
A system in which scarce resources and social rewards are distributed on the basis of ascribed statuses.
What does social stratification refer to?
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Name and describe the two basic types of stratification systems.
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How is socioeconomic status used to determine an individual's rank in society?
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How does social class affect societal roles?
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What does socioeconomic status encompass?
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What is social class?
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Marriage outside of one's own social category is called exogamy.
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Competition over scarce resources is seen as a cause of social inequality according to conflict theory.
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A division of society into categories, ranks, or classes is called social stratification.
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Who are the bourgeoisie?
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In a _____, a person is assigned a status at birth and remains at that level throughout life.
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What is social inequality?
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Endogamy is marriage within one's own social category.
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Based on the caste system in India, the Harijans are the highest rank in their caste system.
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American society is based on the caste system.
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In a class system, the distribution of scarce resources and rewards is determined on the basis of achieved status.
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Name the three basic techniques used to rank individuals according to social class.
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The method of ranking social status that asks people to rank themselves is called the _____.
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Those who hold jobs that require manual labor are in the?
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What types of mobility does the United States class system include?
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A doctor whose father worked as a janitor would be an example of?
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A groundskeeper who moves from a school to a church and remains a groundskeeper is experiencing?
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What are the techniques used to rank individuals according to social class?
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Advances in technology can cause workers with outdated skills to experience?
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Differences between social classes in the United States are based on?
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Identify and describe the three types of social mobility.
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What social class is associated with professions like nursing and sales?
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Social classes in the United States are usually divided into three classes—upper class, middle class, and lower class.
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Families that experience unemployment and poverty over several generations are considered?
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The subjective method is used to define social class by income, occupation, and education.
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Individuals that are primarily high-income business people and professionals are part of the?
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What is the underclass?
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An open class system is based on social mobility that includes?
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Members of the upper middle class hold white-collar jobs.
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____ individuals can attend prestigious schools and their families have usually been wealthy for generations.
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Social mobility is not an important feature of an open class system.
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Study Notes
Socioeconomic Status (SES)
- SES incorporates factors like education level, occupation prestige, and income to assess an individual's societal rank.
- Important for measuring wealth, power, and prestige within society.
- Excludes factors such as race and ethnicity in its rating.
Stratification Systems
- Class System: Resource distribution based on achieved status; allows for more social mobility.
- Caste System: Fixed resource distribution based on ascribed status; individuals remain at their assigned level throughout life.
- The United States predominantly operates under a class system with open social mobility.
Social Stratification
- Refers to the hierarchical classification of individuals into categories based on certain characteristics.
- Results in unequal access to resources and social rewards, contributing to social inequality.
Social Class
- Defined as a collective of individuals sharing similar levels of wealth, power, and prestige.
- Divided into three primary classes in the U.S.: upper class, middle class, lower class.
Social Mobility
- Horizontal Mobility: Movement within the same social class, often related to job changes that don't alter social status.
- Vertical Mobility: Movement between different social classes, either upward or downward.
- Intergenerational Mobility: Status changes within a family across generations, exemplified by a child achieving a different social class than their parents.
Ranking Techniques in Social Class
- Reputational Method: Community members rank each other based on perceived character and lifestyle.
- Subjective Method: Individuals assess their own social rank.
- Objective Method: Classification based on measurable criteria like income, occupation, and education.
Working and Underclass
- The working class typically consists of those in manual labor jobs.
- The underclass includes families facing prolonged poverty and unemployment and is often reliant on public assistance.
Upper Classes
- The upper middle class is characterized by high-ranking professionals and business individuals.
- Upper class individuals often have access to prestigious education and wealth passed through generations.
Social Inequality
- Conflict theory posits that competition over limited resources is a leading cause of social inequality.
- Economic and social differences are influenced by lifestyle, income, and societal beliefs.
Miscellaneous
- Exogamy refers to marrying outside of one's social category; endogamy is the opposite.
- Advances in technology can lead to workers experiencing downward mobility due to outdated skills.
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Description
Test your understanding of key concepts in Sociology with these Chapter 4 flashcards. Explore definitions and distinctions between socioeconomic status, class systems, and caste systems. Perfect for reviewing critical sociological terms!
