Q&A Hero

Q: _____ is often associated with uncertain economic conditions. a. Government intervention b. Affirmative action c. Assimilation d. Racial conflict

Q: According to _____, racial stratification exists because certain segments of society benefit from it. a. social Darwinists b. order theorists c. conflict theorists d. assimilationists

Q: The terms dominant group and minority group describe _____, regardless of the size of the groups. a. social systems b. power differences c. numbers of people d. ethnicities

Q: Maxine is a proponent of the order perspective on race and culture. She says that her ancestors came to the United States as immigrants and because they _____, they were able to rise to the middle class and fit in with other Americans. a. assimilated b. were White c. became better than other immigrants d. were wealthy

Q: The exclusion of minorities from the upper levels of education is likely to affect their opportunities, such as access to high-paying jobs and advancement. This is an example of how institutional discrimination is reinforced because institutions are a. prejudiced. b. closed systems. c. socially conscious. d. interrelated.

Q: a. can; unconscious b. cannot; unconscious c. can; conscious d. cannot; conscious

Q: All structural theories of racial inequality agree that _____ is important in determining present conditions and resistance to change. a. politics b. genetic heritage c. history d. prejudice

Q: What is defined as a complex pattern of racial advantage built into the structure of society? a. Individual racism b. Institutional racism c. Structural race systems d. Racist structuralism

Q: Individual racism is distiguished by a. prejudice and behavior that harms particular people and their property. b. a system of power and privilege that advantages some groups over others. c. a complex pattern of racial advantage built into the structure of society. d. inferiority resulting from flawed genetic hereditary.

Q: Which theory is based on the sociological belief that problems relating to racism are more "in the world" than "in the head," meaning more about society and less about individuals. a. Utilitarian matrix of domination b. Deficiency division of labor c. Bias patterning of inequality d. Structural discrimination racial and ethnic stratification

Q: Lawrence Bobo's research shows that prejudice has declined in the United States. It also shows that most White Americans a. are willing to give up part of their own privilege to ensure racial equality. b. understand that social practices and policies must address racial inequalities. c. favor affirmative action as a way to compensate minorities for previous inequalities. d. are still unwilling to support social practices and policies to address racial inequalities.

Q: _____ theories attribute the plight of certain minorities to prejudiced attitudes held by members of the society's dominant group. a. Insufficiency ability / dependency b. Deficiency rewards / punishments c. Bias dominance / subordination d. Structural discrimination race / gender

Q: Proponents of the theory known as the _____ poverty claim that people in poverty are to blame for their own condition. a. structure of b. structural c. cultural d. culture of

Q: According to cultural deficiency theory, one reason certain minority groups remain at the bottom is because they a. have cultural beliefs and practices. b. prefer a lower social status. c. fail to take advantage of the opportunities in society. d. are seeking a higher social position.

Q: The idea that some groups of people are disadvantaged because they are actually inferior is represented in _____ theories. a. insufficiency b. deficiency c. bias d. structural discrimination

Q: The Bell Curve was a book published in 1994 that supported the theory of _____ deficiency, a form of deficiency theory, by claiming that Blacks are innately inferior to Whites. a. biological b. cultural c. personal d. intellectual

Q: Researchers at the Health Policy Institute of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C., claim that _____ is more important than genetic code in determining a person's health. a. occupation b. gender roles c. diet d. zip code

Q: Which term refers to the disproportionate exposure of some racial groups to environmental toxic substances? a. Ethnic cleansing b. Ethnic hazards c. Environmental racism d. Environmental oppression

Q: Research finds that health disparities are affected by social conditions. For example, racial minorities are more likely than other groups to live near a. hospitals. b. urban renewal sites. c. hazardous waste facilities. d. ambulatory care centers.

Q: _____ generally work in the lowest rungs of the low-wage workforce. a. Descendants of immigrants b. Immigrants c. Descendants of slaves d. Poor White people

Q: Between 1990 and 2010, the percentage of African Americans in management positions in the United States a. increased from 17% to 29%. b. decreased from 29% to 17%. c. increased from 13% to 18%. d. decreased from 18% to 13%.

Q: As of 2012, which ethnic group had the highest high school graduation rate in the United States? a. African Americans b. Latinos c. Whites d. Asian Americans

Q: Sociologists call _____ the cost of being Black. a. the ethnic income gap b. affirmative action c. the racial wealth gap d. racially based tax incentives

Q: Which ethnic group is at the bottom of most U.S. socioeconomic indicators, with low levels of life expectancy per capita income, employment, and education? a. African Americans b. Native Americans c. Latinos d. Recent immigrants

Q: The term _____ encompasses immigrants to the United States from Asian and Pacific Island countries as well as those born in the United States whose ancestors come from those countries. a. Pan-Asian b. Oriental c. Asian American d. Multi-Asian

Q: Which group is now considered the largest minority in the United States? a. Asian Americans b. Whites c. African Americans d. Latinos

Q: The increase in immigration from _____ in recent years is changing what it means to be Black. a. Australia b. the Southern states c. Africa and the Caribbean d. Papua New Guinea

Q: Before 1990, virtually all _____ Americans were descended from people brought involuntarily to the United States before the end of the slave trade. a. European b. African c. Asian d. Hispanic

Q: The term _____ refers to groups that are socially subordinated and remain culturally distinct within U.S. society. a. racial"ethnic group b. racialist groups c. ethnicities d. common heritage societies

Q: According to a 2014 Pew Research poll, people in the Middle East see _____ as the top threat facing the world today. a. decadence b. capitalism c. divisions between social classes d. religious and ethnic hatred

Q: _____ is the social construction that sets people of color apart from European immigrant groups. a. Ethnicity b. National origin c. Race d. Income

Q: _____ has historically been available for the descendants of European immigrants, but less so for others. a. Racial discrimination b. Optional ethnicity c. Ethnic identity d. Globalization

Q: _____ are distinctive on the basis of national origin, language, religion, and culture. a. Ethnic groups b. Races c. Traditional societies d. Countries

Q: While _____ are not officially defined as a race, they are socially defined in racial terms. a. Whites b. Blacks c. Asians d. Hispanics

Q: Between the 2000 census and the 2010 census, the number of interracial couples a. went down 10%. b. went down 26%. c. rose by 28%. d. rose by 34%.

Q: What important change regarding race took place in the 2000 U.S. census? a. Americans could choose between five races instead of four. b. Americans could indicate more than one race on the census form. c. The U.S. Census Bureau ceased collecting data on race. d. The U.S. Census Bureau indicated that race was an optional category.

Q: Omi and Winant used the term racial formation to describe how a. society is continually creating and transforming racial categories. b. people are tracked into different races depending on their skin color. c. race is genetically determined at conception. d. individuals can choose the race to which they wish to belong.

Q: Racial classification in the United States has long been based on a Black/White_____, or two opposing categories into which all people fit. a. social structuring b. spectrum c. spectroscopy d. dichotomy

Q: Races are real insofar as they are socially defined, meaning a. people of different races socialize differently. b. people of different races are socialized differently. c. racial categories operate as if they are real. d. racial categories are no longer recognized.

Q: While sociologists now agree that the idea of race is _____, many people still believe that humans can be divided into groups based on physically distinguishable characteristics. a. overly complicated b. socially constructed c. increasingly simplistic d. genetically based

Q: From the Latin for "to crush," the word _____ means the mistreatment or exploitation of a group. a. oppression b. racism c. prejudice d. subjugation

Q: The chapter refers to the common belief that the poor make unhealthy lifestyle choices that result in ill health. Discuss the ways in which social class affects health.

Q: Discuss the concept of the working poor and the reasons given in the chapter that show why the idea that a poor person should just get a job is actually a myth.

Q: Define social mobility and discuss the different types of social mobility described in the chapter. Give examples of each type.

Q: Compare the order and conflict models with relation to social class. What is the most important factor for each model in determining social class?

Q: Discuss how inequality of education affects social class.

Q: With the concentration of more affluent people into walled and gated communities, there is an ever increasing concentration of _____ in segregated and deteriorating neighborhoods. a. the poor b. the middle class c. the lower-middle class d. small-business owners

Q: Very wealthy people living in gated communities and sending their children to exclusive schools are examples of _____, which the less-than-rich but still affluent attempt to emulate. a. an informal caste system b. social separation c. class warfare d. segregation

Q: Because of _____, most citizens think poor people who break the law should be dealt with harshly. a. previous history b. mandatory sentencing laws c. class bias d. persistent poverty

Q: _____ people are more likely to be arrested, to be found guilty, and to serve longer sentences for a given violation than are people in the _____. a. Middle-class; upper class b. Low-income; middle and upper class c. Middle-class; lower income class d. Upper-class; ower income classes

Q: When the United States goes to war, who is most likely to die in combat? a. Poor and less educated b. Poor and more educated c. Middle-class soldier with two years of college d. Middle-class soldier with ROTC training

Q: The military offers a job and stability for young people who find little or no opportunity in the job market. The downside is that a. they find more opportunity once they leave the military. b. they are more likely to become officers. c. less-educated people are selected for noncombat positions, reducing their combat pay. d. the chances of getting killed while in the service is greater for less educated people.

Q: The likelihood of a marital breakup increases the most in which situation? a. When the husband works two jobs b. When the wife is working c. When neither spouse is working d. When the husband is not working

Q: Research relating socioeconomic status to family discord and marital disruption has found that the lower the status, the a. lower the rate of divorce or desertion. b. greater the rate of divorce or desertion. c. greater the number of children in a two-parent household. d. lower the number of children in a two-parent household.

Q: The _____ have better access to and make better use of the health care system. a. privileged b. severely poor c. working poor d. near poor

Q: A consistent research finding is that health is greatly influenced by _____, with the affluent living longer than the poor. a. ethnicity b. education c. race d. social class

Q: According to Holzer and colleagues, the economic cost of poverty to the U.S. economy amounts to around _____ per year. a. $500 million b. $250 billion c. $500 billion d. $ 3 trillion

Q: Sales tax is considered _____ because it amounts to a larger proportion of a poor person's assets than a rich person's. a. progressive b. regressive c. retrogressive d. passive aggressive

Q: One common myth in America about the poor is that they get government handouts for things that the hard-working middle class has to earn, although these subsidies are a. much less than the affluent receive from the government. b. paid for by charitable programs, not the government. c. available to middle-class people if they know how to find them. d. enough to move poor families into the middle class.

Q: Legal tax loopholes that permit certain individuals and corporations to pay lower taxes or no taxes at all are known as a. social security. b. tax-and-spend laws. c. corporate welfare. d. tax expenditures.

Q: The chapter uses the term wealthfare to meana. government money used by poor people to climb out of poverty and become wealthy.b. government money and services that go to help the poor.c. the receipt of financial aid and/or services from the government by people who are not poor.d. the fact that government financial aid and/or services are wasted on the poor.

Q: In 2012, a full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, and who was married with one child, was a. earning a middle-class income. b. living below the poverty line. c. twice as likely to go back to school as someone earning $2.15 more. d. likely to have a good benefits package, with health care and retirement.

Q: Female householders with no husband present have a poverty rate of _____, while the rate of male householders with no wife present is 16.4%. a. 11.89% b. 13.60% c. 30.90% d. 64.20%

Q: Demographics such as race, gender, age, and _____ are all factors affecting poverty. a. ability b. intelligence c. caste d. place

Q: About 20.4 million Americans are considered _____ because they are living at or below half of the poverty line. a. lower-middle class b. near poor c. severely poor d. lower-lower class

Q: The _____, which is based on the minimal amount of money required for a subsistence level of life, was first set by the Social Security Administration in the 1960s. a. supplemental poverty level b. official poverty line c. intergenerational mobility standard d. Giving Pledge

Q: In the classic rags-to-riches success story, the hero goes from poverty to wealth. In real life, _____ of Americans born into the bottom income quintile move to the top as adults. a. 4% b. 12% c. 36% d. 48%

Q: In terms of income, African Americans are more likely to be stuck in the bottom _____ than White Americans. a. 75% b. 50% c. 25% d. 20%

Q: Which of the following was NOT a finding by the Pew Charitable Trust regarding social mobility in the United States? a. Americans born at the bottom and top of the income ladder are likely to remain there as adults. b. Most Americans have higher family incomes than their parents did at the same age. c. The classic rags-to-riches success story is more fact than fiction. d. A four-year college degree promotes upward mobility from the bottom and prevents downward mobility from the middle.

Q: The term endogamy refers to a. marriage outside of one's status group as required by custom or law. b. marriage within one's status group as required by custom or law. c. movement by an individual from one social class or status group to another. d. restriction of movement by an individual from one social class or status group to another.

Q: While the American class system allows for great mobility, other societies try to keep people in specific social classes for their entire lives. For instance, the _____ system of India determines social status by birth. a. caste b. social mobility c. class d. intergenerational

Q: Martha came from a poor family, but as a entrepreneur she earned a great deal of money over the course of her life. In the United States, this kind of _____ mobility can change a person's social class considerably. a. vertical When the racial and ethnic differences that many Americans observe about new immigrants is combined with economic uncertainty, a volatile mix results. b. horizontal Because almost all Americans are descended from immigrants, the United States is a multicultural melting pot. c. intergenerational New migrants tend to locate in enclaves and increase the tax burden on particular communities. d. intragenerational New migrants tend to locate where other poor people leave for obvious reasons like cheap housing, and, as a result, disadvantaged groups often must compete for relative advantage.

Q: When a family member moves up or down the social ladder compared to his or her parents, this is an example of _____ mobility. a. vertical values b. horizontal lifestyle c. intergenerational language d. intragenerational appearance

Q: In college, Jack had a part-time job at an engineering company. When he graduated, he was promoted to a higher ranking full-time job. This is called _____ mobility. a. vertical Immigrants do not have negative effects on the wages of most Americans, but they do compete with the low-wage/poorly skilled segment of the work force. b. horizontal Immigrants are more likely than the rest of the population to be self-employed, which creates jobs and strengthens local economies. c. intergenerational Immigrants are welcome and included in most American labor unions. d. intragenerational Immigrants do society's dirty work that many poor U.S. citizens are unwilling to do.

Q: Francine left her position as an attorney to become a college professor. This change in position to another of approximately equal prestige is known as _____ mobility. a. vertical b. horizontal c. intergenerational d. intragenerational

Q: _____ refers to an individual's movement within the class structure of society. a. Social mobility b. Social class c. Class mobility d. Class motility

Q: According to conflict theory, the _____ class does society's dirty work for low wages. a. lower-lower b. untouchables c. poor d. working

Q: Conflict theory identifies social workers, educators, and psychologists as members of the _____ class. a. ruling b. professional-managerial c. working d. educated cultural

Q: According to conflict theorists, the _____ class includes both white- and blue-collar workers in such places as factories, restaurants, offices, and stores. a. working b. upper-middle c. professional-managerial d. lower-middle

Q: According to the _____ view, a social class is not a cluster of similar occupations but, rather, a number of individuals who occupy a similar position within the social relations of economic production. a. order b. conflict c. hierarchical d. caste