Institutions and Social Stratification

Question 1

What is Social Stratification?

Answer 1

The divisional hierarchy of individuals within a complex society, based on their social class or other identifiers.

Question 2

What do Functionalists Believe about Social Stratification?

Answer 2

That it is a necessary evil that allows society to function.

Question 3

What determines social class?

Answer 3

1. Wealth
2. Power
3. Status

Question 4

Who are the individuals credited for developing Social Stratification as a concept?

Answer 4

Marx (1848) and Weber (1922)

Question 5

How did Marx (1848) define social class?

Answer 5

Solely by wealth.

Question 6

What social classes did Marx (1848) identify?

Answer 6

1. The Bourgeoisie (wealthy)
2. The Proletariat (poor)

Question 7

How did Weber (1922) define class?

Answer 7

By wealth, status, and power.

Question 8

What are the Four Capitals put forth by Bourdieu (1986)?

Answer 8

1. Economic Capital
2. Social Capital
3. Cultural Capital
4. Symbolic Capital

Question 9

Which of the Four kinds of Capital was originally proposed by Marx (1848)?

Answer 9

Economic Capital.

Question 10

What is economic capital?

Answer 10

Wealth.

Question 11

What is cultural capital?

Answer 11

A person’s education, interests, and tastes, generally synonymous with that of their social class.

Question 12

What is social capital?

Answer 12

Beneficial networks and relationships.

Question 13

What is symbolic capital?

Answer 13

A sub-category of cultural capital based on status and prestige.

Question 14

What is a habitus?

Answer 14

Socially learnt dispositions, skills and behaviours, in this context, associated with a person’s social class.

Question 15

What is a field?

Answer 15

A social setting or area where people’s habitus influence their behaviour,

Question 16

What are Life Chances?

Answer 16

An individual’s likelihood of gaining a higher level of wealth, power, and status as determined by their social class and other identifying characteristics.

Question 17

What are the features of a social institution?

Answer 17

1. Resistance to change
2. Built to uphold similar values to that of other institutions
3. When one changes, they all do.

Question 18

What are the two social institutions primarily covered in the course?

Answer 18

1. Family
2. Education

Question 19

What are the four main explanations for educational outcomes?

Answer 19

1. The Meritocratic View
2. Social Class
3. Deficit Theories
4. Schools

Question 20

How does the meritocratic view explain educational outcome?

Answer 20

School performance and success is determined by aptitude and effort rather than outside forces such as social class.

Question 21

How does social class explain educational outcome?

Answer 21

People of a higher class tend to view education as more important, making them more willing (and able) to put their money into it, consequently leading to better results.

Question 22

How do Deficit Theories explain educational outcomes?

Answer 22

Academic parents tend to produce academic children as they emphasise education as important, and encourage their children to do the same.

Question 23

How do social class and deficit theories link?

Answer 23

People of higher academic success tend to also be on the wealthier side.

Question 24

How do schools explain educational outcomes?

Answer 24

Better funded and performing schools tend to produce better educated students.

Question 25

What are the three main types of schools recognised in Contemporary Australian Society?

Answer 25

1. Public (Entirely Government-Funded) Schools 2. Catholic (Partially Government-Funded) Schools 3. Non-Catholic Private (Partially Government-Funded) Schools

Question 26

What did Parsons (1959) believe to be the ideal family structure from an economic standpoint?

Answer 26

The nuclear family structure.

Question 27

What were the roles Parsons' (1959) believed the mother and father should take on?

Answer 27

1. The instrumental role for fathers 2. The expressive role for mothers

Question 28

What is the instrumental role for fathers?

Answer 28

Acting as a financial provider.

Question 29

What is the expressive role for mothers?

Answer 29

Caring for the children.

Question 30

What did Parsons (1959) believe to be the primary functions of the family as an institution?

Answer 30

1. The primary socialisation of children 2. The stabilisation of adult personalities.

Question 31

What theoretical perspective does Parsons' (1959) theorisation fall under?

Answer 31

Functionalism.

Question 32

What is the most major critique of Parsons' (1959) view?

Answer 32

It is outdated and misogynistic.

Question 33

What did Durkheim (1956) believe to be the primary functions of education?

Answer 33

1. Preparation for adulthood economically 2. Preparation for adulthood socially. 3. Culturally transmitting societal knowledge, values and language.

Question 34

How did Durkheim (1956) believe economic preparation for adulthood was achieved through education?

Answer 34

Students would learn work-relevant skills that would aid them in securing required jobs as adults.

Question 35

How did Durkheim (1956) believe social preparation for adulthood was achieved through education?

Answer 35

Students would be forced to interact with peers different from themselves, a skill required for cohabitation in the workplace.

Question 36

How did Durkheim (1956) believe Cultural transmission was achieved through education?

Answer 36

Relevant curriculum.

Question 37

What theoretical perspective does Durkheim (1956) fall under, specifically as it relates to education?

Answer 37

Functionalism.

Question 38

What do functionalists believe about education as it relates to social stratification?

Answer 38

That people who earn high positions of high status, power, and wealth have done so through academic aptitude and dedication, and thus deserve those positions more than those that have not obtained them.

Question 39

What view of educational outcomes does Functionalism most closely align with?

Answer 39

The meritocratic view.

Question 40

What is the main critique of the Functionalist perspective on Education?

Answer 40

It neglects to address the factor of social class as an influence on educational outcome.

Question 41

What theoretical perspective do Bowles and Gintis (1976) fall under?

Answer 41

Conflict.

Question 42

How do Conflict Theorists View Education?

Answer 42

As a tool to advance social class.

Question 43

What were Bowles and Gintis' (1976) beliefs about education as a tool?

Answer 43

That it was easier for wealthy students to use their education as a tool for adult success as compared to poorer students.

Question 44

Why did Bowles and Gintis (1976) believe wealthy students had an easier time achieving adult success?

Answer 44

They believed it was an intentional consequence of education, and one used to justify lower-class individuals position within society, as accounted for by Functionalists.

Question 45

What is the major critique of Bowles and Gintis (1976)?

Answer 45

It is a dramatic and overly pessimistic view of modern education.

Question 46

What do Conflict (Feminist) Theorists Believe about Family as an institution?

Answer 46

That is has been used to continue the oppression of women under patriarchy within the home.

Question 47

Who is a key Feminist Theorist with a critical view of Family as an institution?

Answer 47

Walby (1989)

Question 48

What is Walby's (1989) Dual Systems Theory?

Answer 48

That in both the public (work) and private (home) sphere, women are intentionally oppressed to prevent society from progressing past the system of patriarchy.

Question 49

What does Walby (1989) believe patriarchy is marked by?

Answer 49

1. Household production 2. Paid employment 3. The state 4. Sexuality 5. Violence 6. Cultural Institutions

Question 50

What is the main critique of Walby's (1989) Dual Systems Theory?

Answer 50

It is dramatic and pessimistic.