1.

"Social stratification" is a concept that refers to

a. specialization in productive work.
b. society ranking categories of people in a hierarchy.
c. the idea that all people are created equal.
d. differences in peoples individual ability.
2. Because of social stratification in the United States,
a. some people have more privileges and opportunities than others do.
b. all people begin life on a level playing field.
c. working hard is the only way people become wealthy.
d. most families have about the same life chances.
3. Read the following four statements about social stratification. Which statement is NOT
correct?
a. Social stratification is a trait of society.
b. Social stratification is universal and also variable.
c. A familys social standing typically changes a great deal from generation to generation.
d. Social stratification involves beliefs about how and why people should be unequal.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.

In theory, which of the following involves the greatest amount of social mobility?
a class system
an endogamous system
a caste system
a meritocracy

5.
a.
b.
c.
d.

In what share of the world's societies do we find social stratification?

in none of them
in most of them
in all of them
in only the world's low-income societies

6.
a.
b.
c.
d.

A caste system is defined as

social stratification based on ascription, or birth.
social stratification based on individual achievement.
a meritocracy.
any social system in which categories of people are unequal.

7.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The gradual transition of a caste system to a class system

brings an end to most social inequality.
replaces one kind of inequality with another.
means that individualsbut no longer familiesare unequal.
means that ranked categories of people become more clearly defined.

8.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The concept meritocracy refers to social stratification

with no social mobility.
in which all people know their place.
based entirely on personal merit.
as it is commonly found in agrarian societies.

9. Why do class systems retain some caste-like qualities (such as the inheritance of wealth),

a.
b.
c.
d.

rather than becoming complete meritocracies?

Too many people would be poor if inequality were based only on merit.
Keeping some caste qualities increases a society's productivity.
A pure meritocracy would eliminate families and reduce social order.
Some caste elements increase social mobility.

10.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The concept "structural social mobility" refers to

cultural beliefs that justify social stratification.
change in social position due to peoples own efforts.
change in the social position of many people due to changes in society itself.
change in a familys social position from one generation to the next.

11. The concept "ideology" refers to

a. A system of ideas that reflects, rationalizes, and defends the interests of those who believe in
it.
b. the study of social inequality.
c. a fact that explains why something in society functions the way it does.
d. Platos belief that stratification is good for society.
12. The belief that social inequality is fair because social position reflects personal talent and
effort is an ideology that is
a. most widely found in caste systems.
b. most widely found in class systems.
c. most widely found in classless societies.
d. found equally in all societies.
13.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The sociologist who first described society as "the survival of the fittest" was
Herbert Spencer.
Karl Marx.
Max Weber.
Emile Durkheim.

14.
a.
b.
c.

The Davis-Moore thesis states that

equality is functional for the operation of society.
the more inequality a society has, the less incentive people have to look for work.
society must attach enough rewards to important jobs to attract the talent needed to perform
these jobs well.
d. meritocracy is less productive than a caste system based on birth.
15.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Davis and Moore point out that an egalitarian society

could never really exist.
could exist, but only if people were willing to let anyone perform any job.
would be more productive than a stratified society.
has existed in many societies throughout history.

16.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The Davis-Moore thesis asserts that inequality of rewards

promotes productivity by encouraging people to want more important jobs.
encourages people to remain in their place.
ends up making a society more traditional.
discourages productivity by making people feel they cannot change their situation.

17.
a.
b.
c.
d.

A fair criticism of the Davis-Moore thesis is the fact that

most people believe that all jobs have the same importance.
many societies in world history have had no inequality.
it is not so easy to assess the social importance of various jobs.
low-paid people have always done the most difficult jobs.

18. Following Karl Marx's analysis, we would expect to find alienation among which category of
people?
a. the nobility
b. the rich factory owners
c. the working people, or proletariat
d. government officials
19.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Marx predicted the historical victory of which social class?

the nobility
the serfs
the proletariat
the bourgeoisie

20. According to Karl Marx, differences in wealth and power between the capitalists and
proletarians leads to
a. class conflict.
b. negotiation and compromise.
c. the abolition of work itself.
d. greater wealth for all.
21. While the Davis and Moore thesis suggests to each according to the importance of ones
work, Karl Marx supported the idea
a. to each the same, from each the same.
b. each gets, in the end, what is deserved.
c. from each according to ability, to each according to need.
d. to each according to his family.
22.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Work involving mostly manual labor is called

blue-collar work.
white-collar work.
pink-collar work.
grey-collar work.

23.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Most of today's labor force is involved in

blue-collar work.
white-collar work.
manual labor.
industrial factory work.

24. Which of the following statements is NOT one of the reasons that a socialist revolution did
not take place as Karl Marx predicted?
a. Stock places ownership of companies in the hands of tens of millions of people.

b. Living standards have risen over time.

c. There is no longer any concentration of wealth in our society.
d. The law affords workers far greater legal protection.
25.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Max Weber considered an individuals social position to be

a matter of only economic class.
a matter of only status or prestige.
a matter of only power.
a matter of economic class, status, and power.

26.
a.
b.
c.
d.

While Marx thought of inequality in terms of two main classes, Weber

described a multidimensional status hierarchy.
thought of inequality in terms of three main classes.
considered all people to be more or less equal.
saw today's societies as one large middle class.

27. Karl Marx believed that socialism would end social stratification by abolishing private
property. What was Webers view?
a. Weber agreed with Marx.
b. Weber thought capitalism could never be changed.
c. Weber warned that socialism would generate a new elite based on government power.
d. Weber thought that, in time, it would be the capitalists who would abolish private property.
28.
a.
b.
c.
d.

__________ refers to wages or salary from work, plus earnings from any investments.
Income
Personal property
Wealth
Power

29.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The highest-earning 20 percent of all U.S. families receive __________ of all income.
28.7 percent
47.8 percent
68.7 percent
88.7 percent

30. In the United States, the wealthiest 20 percent of families own about ___________ of the
country's privately owned wealth.
a. 25 percent
b. 55 percent
c. 85 percent
d. 99 percent
31. The wealthiest 5 percent of U.S. families (the "very rich") control about _________ of the
nation's privately held wealth.
a. 22 percent
b. 32 percent
c. 42 percent
d. 62 percent
32. The wealthiest 1 percent of U.S. families (the "super-rich") control about _______ of the
nation's privately held wealth.

a.
b.
c.
d.

20 percent
35 percent
60 percent
80 percent

33.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The lowest-ranking 40 percent of U.S. families have

30 percent of all privately held wealth.
20 percent of all privately held wealth.
10 percent of all privately held wealth.
no wealth at all.

34.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Which statement about jobs is NOT correct?

Most of the highest-ranked occupations in the United States are dominated by women.
Occupational prestige rankings are much the same in all high-income nations.
Most high-prestige occupations require extensive education and training.
Occupations are a source of both prestige and income.

35. What share of the richest people in the United States gained their fortunes mostly from
inheritance?
a. about one-in-one hundred
b. only one-in-ten
c. more than one-third
d. about nine-in-ten
36. African American families have about ________ of the wealth typical of non-Hispanic white
families.
a. 76 percent
b. 56 percent
c. 36 percent
d. 16 percent
37.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Compared to the upper class, the middle class in the United States contains
far more women.
more single people and many fewer families.
far more racial and ethnic diversity.
people with higher incomes.

38.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Roughly 40 to 45 percent of the U.S. population falls within the

upper-upper class.
middle class.
lower class.
upper-middle class.

39.
a.
b.
c.
d.

About ________ of the U.S. population is officially counted by the government as poor.
3.2 percent
13.2 percent
23.2 percent
33.2 percent

40. In general, people in the ______________ tend to be less tolerant of controversial behavior
such as homosexuality.
a. upper-upper class
b. lower-upper class
c. upper-middle class
d. working class
41.
a.
b.
c.
d.

How is income linked to the likelihood that people vote in presidential elections?
There is no clear link; people of all income levels are equally likely to vote.
The higher the income, the greater the share of people who vote.
The lower the income, the greater the share of people who vote.
Self-made people are more likely to vote than those who inherit wealth.

42. Gena and her husband Mark are married and have a low social position. We would expect
them
a. to encourage their children to challenge authority figures.
b. to engage in somewhat different, gender-based everyday activities.
c. to be very personally intimate with one another.
d. to reject traditional gender roles.
43.
a.
b.
c.

Which statement about social mobility in the United States is NOT correct?
Overall, social mobility has been fairly high.
Over the long term, there has been more upward than downward social mobility.
Within a single generation, most social mobility involves jumping from one class level to
another rather than making small movements within one class.
d. Upward social mobility was more pronounced before 1970 than it has been since 1970.
44.
a.
b.
c.
d.

__________ refers to change in social position during a person's lifetime.

Intragenerational social mobility
Intergenerational social mobility
Structural social mobility
Horizontal social mobility

45. __________ refers to upward or downward social mobility of children in relation to their
parents.
a. Intragenerational social mobility
b. Intergenerational social mobility
c. Structural social mobility
d. Horizontal social mobility

46. In the last twenty years, which of the following categories of the U.S. population has
experienced the greatest gains in income?
a. the lowest-paid 20 percent
b. the middle 20 percent
c. the highest-paid 20 percent
d. All income categories have experienced about the same gains in income.

47.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Controlled for inflation, the average income of African Americans in the United States
has risen dramatically over the last three decades.
has risen slowly and steadily over the last three decades.
has declined over the last three decades.
has changed little in the last three decades.

48. In 2008, __________ people were counted by the government as having income below the
official poverty line.
a. 9.8 million
b. 19.8 million
c. 39.8 million
d. 79.8 million
49.
a.
b.
c.
d.

In reality, the average U.S. family defined as poor has income that is
well above the poverty line.
mostly in the form of earnings from investments.
almost exactly at the level of the poverty line.
only about 59 percent of the poverty line.

50.
a.
b.
c.
d.

In the United States, which of the following age categories has the highest poverty rate?
children under age of eighteen
young people in their thirties
middle-aged persons in their forties and fifties
seniors over age sixty-five

51.
a.
b.
c.
d.

In terms of race, 70 percent of all poor people in the United States are
African American.
Asian American.
Hispanic.
white.

52.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The feminization of poverty refers to a trend in the United States by which

more and more women are becoming poor.
women have fewer economic opportunities.
a larger share of the poor are now women.
fewer women are working for income.

53.
a.
b.
c.
d.

The anthropologist Oscar Lewis suggested the cause of poverty lies in

a lower-class "culture of poverty."
lack of government action.
too few available jobs.
jobs moving overseas.

54.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Sociologist William Julius Wilson suggests the cause of poverty lies in

a lower-class "culture of poverty."
government stimulus programs.
too few available jobs.
whites moving back to the inner-cities..

55. Conservatives supporting the welfare reform argued that the old (pre-1996) system
a. was creating welfare dependency.

b. was making people rich.

c. was pushing the birth rate too low.
d. did not reach enough poor people.
56. Liberal critics of the welfare reform argued that
a. most government welfare actually goes to well-off people in the form of financial subsidies
to industry and tax deductions for home mortgage payments.
b. few families who turn to welfare are truly needy.
c. welfare reform has been successful in reducing poverty.
d. poor people themselves, not the government, should be responsible for reducing poverty.
57. The best estimate is that _________ people in the United States are homeless for some time
during a given year.
a. 60,000 to 100,000
b. 160,000 to 1 million
c. between 1.6 and 3 million
d. more than 16 million
58.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Which statement about homeless people in the United States is CORRECT?

Most homeless adults are mentally ill.
Most homeless adults are substance abusers.
The elderly are the fastest-growing category of the homeless.
One-third of all homeless people are entire families.

59.
a.
b.
c.
d.

In the United States, most people

seem to accept a high level of income inequality.
define society and not the poor as responsible for poverty.
think that government should act to eliminate poverty.
support a federal minimum income level.

60. Which of the following statements about income inequality is TRUE?

a. Higher income inequality has measurable negative effects on people of all income brackets,
even those who are wealthy.
b. Lower income inequality is the result of policies that keep all members of a society relatively
poor.
c. In nature, income inequality is acceptable; only in society is income inequality considered
objectionable.
d. In relatively wealthy nations, income inequality is not a significant social problem.