Chapter 11- Social Class in the U.S.

The average families wealth in the U.S. is a number greater than the average income. T or F

True

In 2009, the median family income in the U.S. was $60,088. T or F

True

The richest 20% of U.s. families earn 48% of all income, while the bottom 20% earn about 4%. T or F

True

In the U.S wealth is distributed more equally then income. T or F

False

About 40% of U.S families have little or no wealth. T or F

True

The wealth of rich people is not only greater but more of it is in the form of investments that typically increase in value and generate income. T or F

True

Jobs typically carried by women carry more prestige then jobs held by men. T or F

False

In general, white collar jobs have more prestige then blue collar jobs. T or F

True

Because education is a right in the U. S there is very little inequality in schooling. T or F

False

Today, on average, African American families have about the same income and wealth as white families. T or F

False

Hispanic families on average, lag behind non-Hispanic white families in both income and wealth. T or F

True

In the U.S. white people are more likely to own their own homes than African Americans. T or F

True

In the U.S. there are more people in the upper class than in the lower class. T or F

False

People in the lower-upper class are sometimes said to have "old money" T or F

False

When people talk about realizing the American dream they generally mean making enough money to join the ranks of the upper class. T or F

False

upper-upper class

"old rich" inherited their wealth

lower-upper class

"new rich" -working rich-work at high paying jobs

upper middle class

significant wealth

average-middle class

less prestige, white collar work, most attend college

working class

lower-middle class, blue collar work. only 1/3 of children attend college

lower class

lack financial security due to low income, many live below poverty line, 1/2 do not complete high school

social class is difficult define in U.S because

of low status consistency and high social mobility

intergenerational mobility

upward or downward social mobility of children in relation to their parents

intragenerational mobility

a change in social position occurring during a person’s lifetime

The working class is sometimes called the "lower-middle class" T or F

True

In the U.S. about 44 million ppl are officially counted among the poor. T or F

True

As surprising as it may seem, in the U.S. , poor people typically have better health then rich people. T or F

False

Intergenerational mobility refers to changes in social position within an individuals lifetime. T or F

False

Since 1980 in the u.S, the most dramatic gains in income have been made by the richest people. T or F

True

A majority of children born in all wealth quintiles in the U.S. remain in the same quintile as adults. T or F

False

Quintile

any of five equal groups into which a population can be divided according to the distribution of values of a particular variable.

People who marry and stay married accumulate only half as much wealth as people who remain single. T or F

False

The expansion of the global economy has helped create more high-paying jobs in manufacturing in the u.S. T or F

False

The globalization of the economy has increased the earnings of highly educated people who specialize in law, finance, marketing, and computer technology. T or F

True

in the wake of the recession that began in 2007, the majority of U.S. adults say that their belief that their family can achieve the American dream has declined. T or F

True

The age category of the U.S. population most likely to be poor is children and young adults under the age of 24. T or F

True

2/3 of all poor people in U.S are African American. T or F

False

In 2009, for the first time, all poor families in the U.S. were headed by women. T or F

False

In the U.S. Asians and Pacific Islanders have the lowest poverty rate. Even lower then non-Hispanic whites. T or F

False

In the U.S. rural areas have a higher poverty rate than central cities. T or F

False

In most poor families in the U.S. no family member has a full time job. T or F

True

In recent decades William Julius Wilson claims, many central cities no longer have enough jobs to support the families who live there. T or F

True

Societal Factors that contribute to homelessness include low wages and a lack of low income housing. T or F

True

About 5 million people are homeless in the U.S. for some portion of a given year. T or F

False

Recent welfare reform has greatly reduced the poverty rate in the U.S. T or F

False

Many people in this country think of the United States as a more-or-less "middle-class" society because
a. we have no history of nobility, as in Europe.
b. U.S. culture celebrates individual effort.
c. most people interact with others in similar social standing.
d. All of these are correct.

D

In 2009, the median income for U.S. families was
a. $16,099.
b. $36,077.
c. $60,088.
d. $76,055.

C

Which of the following concepts refers to earnings from work or any investments?
a. income
b. personal property
c. wealth
d. power

A

Based on statistics in the textbook, it is correct to say that the richest 20 percent of the population earn about _____ times as much as the poorest 20 percent.
a. two
b. twelve
c. fifty
d. one hundred

B

The total amount of financial assets, minus any debts, is referred to as
a. income.
b. personal property.
c. wealth.
d. power.

C

The richest 5 percent of U.S. families own about what percentage of privately owned property?
a. 2 percent
b. 12 percent
c. 32 percent
d. 62 percent

D

If you were looking for data supporting the claim that U.S. society is very stratified, you would make the strongest case by pointing to which of the following factors?
a. occupational prestige
b. education
c. income
d. wealth

D

The wealthiest 1 percent of U.S. families (the "super-rich") controls about _____ of the nation’s privately held wealth.
a. 25 percent
b. 35 percent
c. 65 percent
d. 85 percent

B

About what percentage of all U.S. families have little or no wealth?
a. 10 percent
b. 40 percent
c. 70 percent
d. 90 percent

B

Today, the wealth of the average U.S. family is about
a. $30,000.
b. $50,000.
c. $120,000.
d. $200,000

C

Based on what you know about occupational prestige, which of the following statements is correct?
a. Most of the highest-ranked occupations in the United States are dominated by women.
b. Occupational rankings are similar in all high-income nations.
c. White-collar work and blue-collar work have about the same social prestige.
d. In the United States, occupation has little to do with social standing.

B

About _____ of the richest people in the United States gained at least some of their fortune from inheritance.
a. one-eighth
b. one-fourth
c. one-third
d. two-thirds

C

About what share of U. S. adults over the age of twenty-five are college graduates?
a. 10 percent
b. 30 percent
c. 45 percent
d. 70 percent

B

Which of the following factors affects social position in the United States?
a. the family a person is born into
b. a person’s race
c. a person’s gender
d. All of these are correct.

D

In the United States, the median income for African American families is about _____ as much as that for a non-Hispanic, white family.
a. 36 percent
b. 57 percent
c. 76 percent
d. 96 percent

B

Recent data from the U.S. government shows that median annual income for non-Hispanic, white families was about $170,400. For minority families, including African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanics, the median figure was
a. $87,409.
b. $48,409.
c. $27,800.
d. $7,409.

C

If you followed the lead of Max Weber, you would think of social stratification in terms of
a. a multidimensional status hierarchy.
b. two major social classes.
c. a middle-class society.
d. six different social classes.

A

Being in the upper-upper class is usually the result of _____; being in the lower-upper class is more a matter of _____.
a. birth; achievement
b. business success; birth
c. gender; birth
d. high-income; low-income

A

The family of actor Will Smith and actress Jada Pinkett Smith would best be described as
a. working class.
b. middle class.
c. "old money."
d. lower-upper class.

D

A good example of a person in the upper-upper class is
a. Nicole Polizzi (Snooki on Jersey Shore)
b. Elizabeth II, the queen of England.
c. anyone who is part of the "working rich."
d. All of these are correct.

B

In the United States, the median wealth of minority families is about _____ of the median wealth of non-Hispanic white families.
a. 1.6 percent
b. 16 percent
c. 66 percent
d. 96 percent

B

Roughly 40 to 45 percent of the U.S. population falls within the
a. upper class.
b. middle class.
c. lower class.
d. poor.

B

Which of the following class levels contains the least amount of racial and ethnic diversity?
a. the upper-upper class
b. the middle class
c. the working class
d. All class levels have the same level of racial and ethnic diversity

A

Working class people might also be described as _____.
a. lower-middle class
b. lower-upper class
c. lower-class
d. upper-middle class

A

According to Karl Marx, which class forms the core of the industrial proletariat?
a. the upper-middle class
b. the middle class
c. the upper class
d. the working class

D

The highest concentration of high-income people is found
a. in small towns of the Midwest.
b. near large metropolitan areas, especially on the East and West Coasts.
c. in the Southwest.
d. in the deep South.

B

In general, people of low-class position
a. live in less safe and more stressful environments.
b. are less likely to describe their own health as "excellent."
c. live fewer years overall.
d. All of these are correct.

D

The concept "conspicuous consumption" refers to
a. buying things that are popular with the most people.
b. buying more than what you need for the moment.
c. the practice of buying things to make a statement about one’s social position.
d. acting as if one had a lower social position than is really the case.

C

Which of the following categories of people are most likely to be liberal on social issues (say, by supporting feminism)?
a. rich, highly-educated people
b. average, middle class people
c. less-educated working class people
d. All these categories are equally likely to be liberal on social issues.

A

People of low social position are more liberal on _____ issues and more conservative on _____ issues.
a. social; economic
b. economic; social
c. very few; almost all
d. almost all; almost no

B

In the United States, people of _____ are most likely to vote.
a. low social position
b. high social position
c. average social position
d. Social position has nothing to do with how likely people are to vote

B

The concept of "intergenerational social mobility" refers to change in social position
a. over a person’s lifetime
b. when moving from one type of job to another.
c. in a downward direction.
d. comparing children to their parents.

D

Which of the following concepts refers to change in social position during a person’s lifetime?
a. intragenerational social mobility
b. intergenerational social mobility
c. structural social mobility
d. horizontal social mobility

A

During the last twenty years, which category of the U.S. population has experienced the largest gains in average 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 level of upward social mobility.

C

During the last three decades, the real income of African American families in the United States has
a. gone down a lot.
b. kept pace with the gains made by white people.
c. gone up a lot.
d. changed little.

D

According to Lisa Keister’s research, which of the following statements is correct?
a. Social mobility has never existed in the United States.
b. Social mobility is the same for people at all levels of the wealth hierarchy.
c. Social mobility is lowest for people in the middle of the wealth hierarchy.
d. Social mobility is lowest for people at the top and the bottom of the wealth hierarchy.

D

Which of the following factors tends to raise your social standing?
a. divorce
b. leave school to get a job
c. marry and stay married
d. All of these are correct.

C

Relative poverty
a. is found everywhere.
b. is life threatening.
c. is not found in the United States.
d. All of these are correct

A

Relative poverty

the lack of resources of some people in relation to those who have more

absolute poverty

a lack of resources that is life threatening.

Feminization of poverty

the trend of women making up an increasing proportion of the poor

In 2009, how many people were counted by the U.S. government as having income below the official poverty line?
a. 370,000
b. 3 million
c. 37 million
d. 370 million

C

In 2009, about what share of the U.S. population was officially counted as poor?
a. 4.3 percent
b. 14.3 percent
c. 34.3 percent
c. 54.3 percent

B

In the United States, which age category has the highest poverty rate?
a. children and young adults under twenty four years of age
b. people in their thirties
c. middle-aged persons about forty years of age
d. seniors over sixty five years of age

A

In terms of absolute numbers, most poor people in the United States are
a. African American.
b. Asian American.
c. Hispanic.
d. non-Hispanic whites.

D

The concept "feminization of poverty" refers to the fact that, in the United States
a. more and more women are becoming poor.
b. today’s women have fewer legal rights.
c. women make up an increasing percentage of the poor.
d. fewer women now work for income

C

In 2009, the percentage of all poor families in the United States headed by single women was
a. 8 percent.
b. 28 percent.
c. 48 percent.
d. 78 percent.

C

Which of the following areas of the United States has the highest rate of poverty?
a. rural areas
b. central cities
c. suburbs
d. All of the areas listed here have the same poverty rate.

B

In the United States, an increasing percentage of the poor are
a. single women and their children.
b. married couples with children.
c. single men.
d. people working two jobs.

A

The anthropologist Oscar Lewis suggested the cause of poverty lies in
a. a lower-class culture of poverty.
b. lack of government action.
c. too few available jobs.
d. bad public schools.

A

Sociologist William Julius Wilson suggests the cause of poverty lies in
a. a lower-class culture of poverty.
b. lack of government action.
c. too few available jobs.
d. bad public schools.

C

In 2009, what percentage of the heads of poor U.S. families did not work at all or had only a part-time job?
a. 16 percent
b. 36 percent
c. 54 percent
d. 86 percent

D

If you believe that people living in central cities are likely to be poor because there are few jobs available in these areas, you are in agreement with
a. Oscar Lewis.
b. William Julius Wilson.
c. Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore.
d. All of these are correct.

B

One study found that about how many people in the United States were homeless for some time during 2009?
a. 4,300 or fewer
b. 143,000
c. 343,000, although the real number could be half this amount.
d. 643,000, although the real number could be several times higher.

D

Which of the following statements about homelessness is TRUE?
a. Most homeless adults are mentally ill.
b. Most homeless adults are substance abusers.
c. The elderly are the fastest-growing category of the homeless.
d. One-third of all homeless people are entire families

D

By 2008, the welfare reforms enacted in 1996 had
a. cut the number of people receiving assistance by more than half.
b. done little to reduce the poverty rate.
c. moved many people from public assistance to low-wage work.
d. All of these are correct.

D

People who supported the 1996 welfare reform claim that the earlier system
a. encouraged welfare dependency.
b. discouraged women from marrying.
c. encouraged unmarried women to have children.
d. All of these are correct.

D

Critics of the 1996 welfare reforms claim the new system
a. has done little to reduce poverty in the United States.
b. has strengthened families in the United States.
c. encourages welfare dependency.
d. All of these are correct.

A

The 1996 welfare reforms created which program?
a. Assistance for Dependent Children (AFDC)
b. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
c. food stamps
d. All of these are correct

B

1. The richest 5 percent of U.S. families own about what percentage of privately owned property?

a. 6 percent
c. 36 percent
b. 16 percent
d. 60 percent

D

Which of the following class levels contains the least amount of racial and ethnic diversity?
a. the upper-upper class c. the working class
b. the middle class
d. All class levels have the same level.

A

According to Karl Marx, which class forms the core of the industrial proletariat?
a. the upper-middle class c. the upper class
b. the middle class
d. the working class

D

Social Stratification involves what 5 dimentions

1. Income 2. Wealth 3. Power 4. Occupational Prestige 5. Education (Schooling)

Income

earnings from work or investments

wealth

the total value of money and other assets minus outstanding debts

U.s. Stratification: Merit and Caste

although the U.S. is a meritocracy, social position involves some Caste elements 1. Ancestry 2. Race/Ethnicity 3. Gender

Ancestry

being born into a particular family affects a person’s opportunities for schooling, occupation, and income

Race and Ethnicity

Non-Hispanic white families enjoy high social standing based on income and wealth. Minorities remain disadvantaged

Gender

on average women have less income, wealth, and occupational prestige then men.

The differences class makes:

1. Health 2. Values & Attitudes 3. Politics 4. Family & Gender

The "culture of poverty" thesis states:
(Blame individuals)
(Oscar Lewis)

that poverty is caused by shortcomings of the poor themselves

William Julius Wilson
(Blame society)

poverty is caused by society’s unequal distribution of wealth and lack of good jobs