Exam 1

Question 1

Name one of the four reasons that the US is known as a high income nation.

Answer 1

highly industrialized economy, technologically advanced industrial, administrative and service occupations, and relatively high levels of national and per capita (per person) income

Question 2

Name one of the five other nations (excluding the US) that is characterized as a high income nation.

Answer 2

Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the European nations (United Kingdom), and Canada

Question 3

In 1998, the National Coalition for the Homeless indicated that on average, a person must earn an hourly wage of $8.89 to afford a two bedroom apartment.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Roughly how much per month does Gail and her roommate pay for rent?

Answer 4

$1,000

Question 5

How much start-up cost did Ehrenreich allow herself at the beginning of her project?

Answer 5

$1,300

Question 6

What was the amount of tip that the ten person table left?

Answer 6

$1

Question 7

What activities did the Saints use to occupy their time while in Big Town?

Answer 7

drinking heavily in taverns or nightclubs, driving drunkenly through the streets, and committing acts of vandalism and playing pranks

Question 8

How many Saints were members of an athletic team?

Answer 8

6

Question 9

How was Ron severely injured?

Answer 9

He was shot by the owner of the gas station he robbed.

Question 10

Which group, the Saints or Roughnecks, frequently endangered themselves and others?

Answer 10

Roughnecks

Question 11

What three types of delinquency did the Roughnecks mainly engage?

Answer 11

theft, drinking and fighting

Question 12

How many Roughnecks did not complete high school?

Answer 12

Two

Question 13

In the article, Downey indicated that for __ years, she exited the welfare office unnoticed.

Answer 13

Five

Question 14

Name one of the three companies in which Downey indicated that her child’s father owned blue-chip stock.

Answer 14

Disney, AT&T, and Campbell’s

Question 15

How many times has Downey been married?

Answer 15

She has never been married.

Question 16

What was Downey’s occupation during the story?

Answer 16

a meat slicer

Question 17

Caste System

Answer 17

Rank is heredity and permanent; determined by one’s family history and background (an ascribed status).
One’s social status is established for life, very rigid; often preserved through formal law and cultural practices that prevent free association and movement between classes.
Marriage between members of different categories is prohibited

Question 18

Class and the Educational System

Answer 18

Class

Question 19

Class System

Answer 19

The social structural position groups hold relative to the economic, social, political, and cultural resources of society.

Question 20

Classism

Answer 20

the systematic oppression of poor people and people who work for wages by those who have access to control of the necessary resources by which other people make their living.

Question 21

Closed System of Social Mobility

Answer 21

a social system with very little opportunity to move from one class to another

Question 22

Deamonte Driver

Answer 22

A lack of proper medical and dental insurance can be fatal. As was the case with 12 year old Deamonte Driver when his mother was unable to locate a dentist who would accept Medicaid. The 12 year old died after bacteria from an abscessed tooth spread to his brain. The 12 year old’s tooth could have been removed for $80.

Question 23

American Girl Doll

Answer 23

Americans didn’t like that they made a homeless girl doll because they didn’t want their children to know about the homeless at a young age.

Question 24

Estate System

Answer 24

Social hierarchy centered on the monopoly of power and ownership of land by elites

Question 25

Homelessness

Answer 25

According to the Stewart B. Mckinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, a homelessness person is defined as lacking “a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime resident or their primary residence is one of the following: A temporary place for people about to be institutionalized; Any place not meant for regular sleeping accommodation by humans; or A supervised temporary shelter.

Question 26

Horizontal System of Social Mobility

Answer 26

The occupational movement of individuals or groups with in a social group

Question 27

Income

Answer 27

The economic gain derived from wages, salaries, investments, income transfers (governmental aid), or dividends during a given period.

Question 28

Lower Class/Under Class

Answer 28

Consist of 15% of population Have an annual income of $15,000 - $25,000 Lower class makes up to $25,000; underclass makes up to $15,000 The under class usually works at least 27 weeks per year. They are often referred to as the “poorest of poor”. Family income is below the poverty line Most work two to three minimum wage jobs that don’t pay benefits Occupations for lower class include: lowest paid manual retail, and service workers Occupations for under class include: seasonal or migrant agricultural workers; part-time menial jobs, (may receive public assistance).

Question 29

Lower-Middle Class

Answer 29

Comprises 40% of population Have an annual income of $49,000-$170,000 Some have college degrees (worked their way through college; usually a state supported school) Live in modest, well groomed homes/neighborhoods. However, many live in rental units This group of individuals use to “play it safe” and lived comfortably, but now try to “keep up with the Joneses” and are overspent Account for 40% of the rise in debt in America

Question 30

Lower-Upper Class

Answer 30

Consists of 3-4% of the US Population Referred to as the “working rich”; they obtain their wealth by working for it rather than inheriting it Annual income of $185,000 Live in expensive neighborhoods Own vacation homes Children attend private schools; good colleges High prestige careers include CEOs, governmental officials, college presidents

Question 31

Open System of Social Mobility

Answer 31

a system with ample opportunities to move from one class to another

Question 32

Poverty

Answer 32

Poverty Level – the minimum income level that Americans should have to live on. The official poverty line for a family of four in 2012 was $23,050. The official poverty line for a family of four in 2013 $23,550. The official U.S. poverty rate is the highest among the major advanced industrial nations.

Question 33

Prestige

Answer 33

evaluate each other according to the kind of work we do, giving greater respect to those who do what we consider important work and less respect to others with more modest jobs.

Question 34

Social Differentiation

Answer 34

The process by which different statues develop in any group, organization, or society.

Question 35

Social Inequality

Answer 35

the existence of unequal opportunities and rewards for | different social positions or statuses within a group or society.

Question 36

Social Mobility

Answer 36

The movement of individuals or groups from one social position to another within the hierarchal system of social class

Question 37

Social Stratification

Answer 37

An ongoing process that refers to how individuals or groups are layered or ranked in society based on the number of valued resources they possess, their power, and their perceived social worth. It is a relatively fixed, hierarchical arrangement in society; a system of structured social inequality.

Question 38

Socioeconomic Status

Answer 38

A ranking that combines income, occupational prestige, level of education, and neighborhood to assess social class

Question 39

Structural Mobility

Answer 39

Large-scale changes that enable people to move up or down in the stratification system

Question 40

Upper-Middle Class

Answer 40

Comprises 20% of population Have an annual income between $170,000 to 300,000 (some can gross a $1 million annually). Usually have advance college degrees (beyond a Bachelor's degree) Live in comfortable elegant homes in expensive neighborhoods; may own a second home/vacation home Often belong to country clubs Active in local politics and community affairs

Question 41

Upper-Upper Class

Answer 41

Represents less than 1% of the US population Have incomes of $295,000, but usually much more ($2 million) Have a net worth in the millions or billions Household wealth is not these individual’s only resource Membership is almost always ascribed (birth) Wealth is primarily inherited Referred to as “bluebloods”, “blue book”, or on the “Social Register” The categories of Upper Uppers: Old Money, New Money, Ordinary Community Millionaires.

Question 42

Vertical System of Social Mobility

Answer 42

The movement between different class statues, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility

Question 43

Wealth

Answer 43

The total value of all economic assets, including income, personal property, stocks, bonds, insurance, savings, value of investments, and income-producing property (real estate). To calculate one’s net worth you would need to subtract the individual’s debt from their wealth.

Question 44

Working Class

Answer 44

Comprises 20% of population Have an annual income of $29,257-$49,543 Most vulnerable to layoffs Jobs usually don’t offer medical benefits or pensions Vulnerable to financial problems caused by unemployment or illness

Question 45

Upper Class

Answer 45

Represents 5% of the population Account for more than 50% of the US’s income and dominates Corporate America Have a disproportional influence over the nation’s politics, education, & religion Have a strong sense of solidarity Attend Ivy League Colleges Children attend private prep schools Occupations include business owners, senior governmental officials, CEO’s

Question 46

Upper-Upper Class Cont.

Answer 46

Live in expensive, exclusive neighborhoods, that have existed for a long time Display a distinctive lifestyle Conduct financial business at private exclusive banks Children attend private school; go on to attend Ivy League Colleges majoring in Liberal Arts Based degrees Often highly educated, cultured, and influential Women often do volunteer work for charities Few are able to join the ranks of the upper upper class

Question 47

Upper-Middle Class Cont.

Answer 47

Own several automobiles Has investments 2/3 of their children graduate from college Have high prestige occupations such as engineers, accountants, business analyst, stock brokers, physicians, attorneys, college professors, white collar management, professional employees, medium-sized business owners, etc.

Question 48

Lower-Middle Class Cont.

Answer 48

Typically members of their children’s PTA Some drive SUVs Some of their children play non-school related sports such as baseball and soccer Less prestigious occupations such as bank employees, teachers, midlevel supervisors, sales people, local government office workers, nurses, legal secretary, medical secretary, highly blue collar jobs (electrically workers/carpentry), non retail sales; hair stylist, fire fighters, police

Question 49

Working Class Cont.

Answer 49

Few members of this class has more than an high school education Lower level of literacy than other classes Have little or no wealth ½ of these individuals own their own home; usually in lower cost neighborhoods 1/3 of these individuals’ children attend college Most of the occupations provide little or no personal satisfaction; individuals are closely supervised Occupations include: truck drivers, machine operators, laborers, factory workers, daycare workers, cashiers, fast food workers, maids; clerical, retail sales

Question 50

Lower Class/Under Class Cont.

Answer 50

½ of this population complete high school ¼ reach college About 40% own their own home (in least desirable neighborhoods) Receive only 3.6% of US income The owe more in debt than they earn in income Lower 5% of this population earn less than $7,500 annually and live in substandard housing In 2005, 37 million people (12.6%) were classified as poor