40. The U.S. Census data on race and ethnicity:
a. is the only completely accurate measure of race in the United States.
b. is constantly changing because of problems of definition and categorization.
c. has become increasingly accurate over the last four decades.
d. is completely wrong and has no use at all as national data.
e. is no longer collected.
41. Genocides have occurred in all of the following countries EXCEPT:
a. Rwanda.
b. Sudan.
c. Germany.
d. Yugoslavia.
e. Iceland.
42. The functionalist interpretation of inequality argues that if people are to make sacrifices necessary to perform vital
jobs, they must be all of the following EXCEPT:
a. adequately rewarded.
b. convinced that the most highly skilled people deserve the most money.
c. convinced that the current system serves to motivate the best people to fill key jobs into those positions in
society.
d. aware that, because of social stratification and gender inequality, some people are simply not prepared to
assume certain jobs.
e. aware that better jobs require more specialized education and skill.
Chapter12—SocialStratification
43. The conflict theory interpretation of inequality argues that:
a. if people are to make sacrifices necessary to perform vital jobs, they must be adequately rewarded.
b. the most highly skilled people deserve the most money.
c. the upper levels of the hierarchy exploit those below.
d. it is best to have a very competitive process for job selection so that the candidate that is most evolved will
emerge first.
e. jobs that require more specialized skills should be classified as more valuable to society.
44. All of the following are arguments against the functionalist interpretation of social inequality EXCEPT:
a. those who obtain higher education should be paid more because of the amount of job preparation that they
have.
b. not all people in a society are motivated to maximize their wealth.
c. some populations do not have equal opportunities to compete for positions.
d. stratified societies do not always give the most valuable positions to those who most deserve them.
e. it is fundamentally an ethnocentric argument.
45. Which statement about per capita gross national income (GNI) is NOT true?
a. Half of the countries of the world have a GNI of under $2,500.
b. The richest nation per GNI is the United States.
c. The United States has a GNI of over $47,000.
d. Liberia and Ethiopia have GNIs of less than $180.
e. The poorest nation per GNI is Burundi.
Chapter12—SocialStratification
46. Karl Marx referred to the exploited working class, those who exchanged their labor for wages, as the:
a. bourgeoisie.
b. capitalists.
c. proletariat.
d. peons.
e. peasants.
47. According to the Marxist view, capitalists create a false consciousness in workers by leading them to believe that:
a. God does not exist.
b. work will not lead to a better life.
c. they are actually the owners of the means of production.
d. if they work harder, they will be successful.
e. the owners of business are morally better than they are.
48. How is the per capita gross national income calculated?
a. It is the total amount of goods produced and sold minus the amount of goods and services imported.
b. It is the total amount of goods produced plus the amount of goods exported.
c. It subtracts the amount of exports and imports from the national total production and divides this by the
number of citizens.
d. It adds the total amount of goods or services exported to the amount imported and divides this by the total
income of the population.
e. It adds the total amount of output or production of goods and services to the amount of income of residents
and divides this by the total population.
Chapter12—SocialStratification
49. Which of the following is NOT among the 10 richest nations in per capita gross national income?
a. Switzerland
b. Denmark
c. Finland
d. Germany
e. Netherlands
50. Which of the following is NOT an expected social consequence of wealth disparity in the world? Poor countries
have:
a. the highest birth rates and the lowest life expectancies.
b. the lowest mortality rates and the lowest education levels.
c. very poor quality infrastructural systems and more health problems.
d. fewer adults to care for the number of young children.
e. more children born underweight than overweight.
51. All complex societies are stratified.
a. True
b. False
Chapter12—SocialStratification
52. In egalitarian societies, a few individuals will always have more wealth than others.
a. True
b. False
53. Rank societies have unequal access to wealth but not to power or prestige.
a. True
b. False
54. There are no societies with a total lack of social mobility.
a. True
b. False
55. There is extremely little social mobility in a class society.
a. True
b. False
Chapter12—SocialStratification
56. In the United States, the middle class constitutes approximately 40 percent of the population.
a. True
b. False
57. Caste membership is directly related to occupation and control of valuable resources.
a. True
b. False
58. TheDalitgroup(“untouchables”)arethelowestlegitimatecasteinMuslimIndia.
a. True
b. False
59. Caste systems are associated with ascribed status; class systems are associated with achieved status.
a. True
b. False
60. Social scientists estimate that there are, in reality, some six classes in the United States.
a. True
b. False
Chapter12—SocialStratification
61. The outward appearance of class today in the United States is very obvious.
a. True
b. False
62. Based on our knowledge of genetics, we know that there are no pure races.
a. True
b. False
63. The measurement of different racial groups in the U.S. by using census data is a relatively easy and straightforward
task.
a. True
b. False
64. Anexampleofgenocidewasthe“ethniccleansing”oftheSerbianforcesunderPresidentSlobodanMilosevic.
a. True
b. False
65. Most scientific researchers do not believe there is a correlation between intelligence tests and genetic intelligence.
a. True
b. False
Chapter12—SocialStratification
66. The fastest-growing ethnic population in the U.S. today is Chinese.
a. True
b. False
67. Assimilation occurs when a racial minority is absorbed into the wider society.
a. True
b. False
68. People who accept the functionalist theory of social inequality argue that societies must pay the most money to the
best people.
a. True
b. False
69. The conflict theory of inequality holds that stratification contributes to the overall well-being of the society.
a. True
b. False
Chapter12—SocialStratification
70. The proletariat is in control of the labor of the bourgeoisie.
a. True
b. False
71. What are the three criteria delineated by Max Weber for measuring levels of social inequality?
72. Distinguish between power and prestige.
73. Name the three types of societies based on levels of social inequality.
74. Compare and contrast achieved and ascribed status.
Chapter12—SocialStratification
75. What are common characteristics of caste societies?
76. Scientifically, what is a race?
77. What is ethnicity?
78. What are six forms of intergroup relations?
79. Compare and contrast the theories of functionalist interpretation with the theory of conflict to explain stratification.
Chapter12—SocialStratification
80. What are the most significant social consequences of global wealth inequity?
81. Consider the three indicators that Max Weber delineates as the basic criteria for measuring levels of social
inequality. How are these manifest in the United States? How do these affect your daily life?
82. What determines social ranking across cultures? What type of society is the most egalitarian? What type is the least
egalitarian?
83. Give an example of a society with extremely rigid social ranking. What factors function to maintain such a structure?
84. How would your choices as an individual be affected if you were to be moved from a class to a caste society?
Consider social organization and kinship, economics, and political choices.
Chapter12—SocialStratification
85. In your own society, you have had much occasion to witness class differences. Choose three examples of very clear
class differences that have personally affected you and discuss them. What are the advantages and disadvantages of
a class society?
86. What are some of the methodological problems when trying to measure racial composition in the United States by
using census data?
87. What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of measuring race in the United States? Try to list at least
three points under each heading and then discuss how you feel about the measurement of race (based on the points
you have made).
88. Can race relations in the United States be better understood through the idea of long-term subjugation or
assimilation?Howwouldthese“shiftsofapproachorperspective”changethewayweviewraceinourcountry
today?
89. What is the functionalist theory of social stratification? How would a functionalist interpret the difference between
the salaries of trash collectors and teachers?
Chapter12—SocialStratification
90. What is the conflict theory of social stratification? How would conflict theory explain the organization of an
egalitarian society?
Chapter12—SocialStratification