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social stratification

answer

the division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy

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social inequality

answer

the unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society

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slavery

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the most extreme form of social stratification, based on the legal ownership of people

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caste system

answer

a form of social stratification in which status is determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed

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apartheid

answer

the system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991

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social class

answer

a system of stratification based on access to such resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige

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socioeconomic status

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a measure of an individual's place within a social class system; often used interchangeably with "class"

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upper class

answer

a largely self-sustaining group of the wealthiest people in a class system

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upper-middle class

answer

mostly professionals and managers who enjoy considerable financial stability

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middle class

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composed primarily of "white collar" workers with a broad range of incomes

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white collar

answer

a description characterizing workers and skilled laborers in technical and lower-management jobs

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lower-middle class (working class)

answer

mostly "blue collar" or service industry workers who are less likely to possess a college degree

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blue collar

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a description characterizing workers who perform manual labor

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working poor

answer

poorly educated workers who work full-time but remain below the poverty line

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underclass

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the poorest members of a society who are chronically unemployed and may depend on public or private assistance

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status inconsistency

answer

a situation in which there are serious differences between the different elements of an individual's socioeconomic status

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feudal system

answer

a system of social stratification based on a hereditary nobility who were responsible for and served by a lower stratum of forced laborers called serfs

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wealth

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a measure of net worth that includes income, property, and other assets

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prestige

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the social honor people are given because of their membership in well-regarded social groups

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social reproduction

answer

the tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as social class status is passed down from one generation to the next

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cultural capital

answer

the tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and other cultural dispositions that help us gain advantages in society

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everyday class consciousness

answer

awareness of one's own social status and that of others

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social mobility

answer

the movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchal system of social classes

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closed system

answer

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

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open system

answer

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

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intergenerational mobility

answer

movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next

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intragenerational mobility

answer

the movement between social classes that occurs during the course of an individual's lifetime

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horizontal social mobility

answer

the occupational movement of individuals or groups within a social class

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vertical social mobility

answer

the movement between social class statuses, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility

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structural mobility

answer

changes in the social status of large numbers of people due to structural changes in society

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relative deprivation

answer

a relative measure of poverty based on the standard of living in a particular society

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absolute deprivation

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an objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care

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homogamy

answer

choosing romantic partners who are similar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership

question

heterogamy

answer

choosing romantic partners who are dissimilar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership

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hypergamy

answer

marrying "up" in the social class hierarchy

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hypogamy

answer

marrying "down" in the social class hierarchy

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digital divide

answer

the experience of unequal access to computer and internet technology

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culture of poverty

answer

entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather that attempt to improve their lot

question

just-world hypothesis

answer

people have a a deep need to see the world as orderly, predictable, and fair, which creates the tendency to view victims of social injustice as deserving of their fates

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residential segregation

answer

the geographical separation of the poor from the rest of the population

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disenfranchisement

answer

the removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means

question

meritocracy

answer

a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit

question

simplicity movement

answer

a loosely knit movement that opposed consumerism and encourages people to work less, earn less, and spend less, in accordance with nonmaterialistic values

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Weberian theory of social class

answer

class status is comprised of wealth (privilege), power, and prestige

question

structural functionalist approach to social inequality

answer

social inequality is a necessary part of society; different reward structures are necessary as an incentive for the best qualified people to occupy the most important positions

question

postmodern theory of social class

answer

social reproduction occurs because of each generation's collection of cultural capital (BORDIEU)

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symbolic interactionist approach to social inequality

answer

social inequality is a part of our presentation of self; we develop everyday class consciousness as a way to distinguish the status of others

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race

answer

a socially defined category based on real or perceived biological differences between groups of people

question

ethnicity

answer

a socially defined category based on common language, religion, nationality, history, or another cultural factor

question

symbolic ethnicity

answer

an ethnic identity that is only relevant on specific occasions and does not significantly impact everyday life

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situational ethnicity

answer

an ethnic identity that can be either displayed or concealed depending its usefulness in a given situation

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minority group

answer

members of a social group that is systematically denied the same access to power and resources available to society's dominant groups but who are not necessarily fewer in number than the dominant groups

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racism

answer

a set of beliefs about the superiority of one racial or ethnic group; used to justify inequality and often rooted in the assumption that difference between groups are genetic

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prejudice

answer

an idea about the characteristics of a group that is applied to all members of that group and is unlikely to change regardless of the evidence against it

question

discrimination

answer

unequal treatment of individuals based on their membership in a social group; usually motivated by prejudice

question

individual discrimination

answer

discrimination carried out by one person against another

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institutional discrimination

answer

discrimination carried out systematically by institutions (political, economic, educational, and others) that affect all members of a group who come into contact with it

question

passing

answer

presenting oneself as a member of a different racial or ethnic group than the one initially was born into

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embodied identity

answer

those elements of identity that are generated through others' perceptions of our physical traits

question

miscegenation

answer

romantic, sexual, or marital relationships between people of different races

question

affirmative action

answer

programs or policies that seek to rectify the effects of past discrimination by increasing representation and ensuring equal opportunity for any previously disadvantaged group

question

genocide

answer

the deliberate and systematic extermination of a racial, ethnic, national, or cultural group

question

population transfer

answer

the forcible removal of a group of people from the territory they have occupied

question

internal colonialism

answer

the economic and political domination and subjugation of the minority group by the controlling group within a nation

question

segregation

answer

the formal and legal separation of groups by race or ethnicity

question

assimilation

answer

a pattern of relations between ethnic or racial groups in which the minority group is absorbed into the mainstream or dominant group, making society more homogenous

question

racial assimilation

answer

the process by which racial minority groups are absorbed into the dominant groups through intermarriage

question

cultural assimilation

answer

the process by which racial or ethnic groups are absorbed into the dominant group's culture

question

pluralism

answer

a cultural pattern of intergroup relations that encourages racial and ethnic variation within a society

question

structural functionalist approach to race and ethnicity

answer

racial and ethnic differences are a necessary part of society; even racial inequality has functions that help maintain social order

question

conflict theory approach to race and ethnicity

answer

racial and ethnic differences create intergroup conflict - minority and majority groups have different interests and may find themselves at odds as they attempt to secure and protect their interests

question

symbolic interactionist approach to race and ethnicity

answer

race and ethnicity are part of our identity as displayed through our presentation of self

question

sex

answer

an individual's membership in one of two biologically distinct categories - male or female

question

intersexed

answer

term to describe a person whose chromosomes or sex characteristics are neither exclusively male nor exclusively female

question

gender

answer

the physical, behavioral, and personality traits that a group considers normal for its male and female members

question

human sexual dimorphism

answer

the extent, much debated in recent years, to which inherent physical differences define the distinctions between the two sexes

question

essentialists

answer

those who believe gender roles have a genetic or biological origin and therefore cannot be changed

question

gender identity

answer

an individual's self-definition or sense of gender

question

constructionists

answer

those who believe that notions of gender are socially determined, such that a dichotomous system is just one possibility among many

question

patriarchy

answer

a male-dominated society

question

instrumental role

answer

the position of the family member who provides the family's material support and is often an authority figure

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expressive role

answer

the position of the family member who provides emotional support and nurturing

question

transgendered

answer

term describing an individual whose sense of gender identity transgresses expected gender categories

question

transsexuals

answer

individuals who identify with the other sex and have surgery to alter their own sex to it fits their self-image

question

gender role socialization

answer

the lifelong process of learning to be masculine or feminine, primarily through four agents of socialization: families, schools, peers, and the media

question

structural functionalist approach to gender inequality

answer

sex determines which roles men and women are best suited to; it is more appropriate for men to play instrumental roles and for women to play expressive roles

question

conflict theory approach to gender inequality

answer

because of the traditional division of labor in families, males have had more access to resources and privileges and have sought to maintain their dominance

question

symbolic interactionist approach to gender inequality

answer

gender is learned through the process of socialization; gender inequalities are reproduced through interactions with family, peers, schools, and the media

question

conflict theory approach to social inequality

answer

social inequality creates intergroup conflict - poor and rich groups have different interests and may find themselves at odds as they attempt to secure and protect these interests

question

social learning

answer

the process of learning behaviors and meanings through social interaction

question

feminization of poverty

answer

the economic trend showing that women are more likely that men to live in poverty, caused in part by the gendered gap in wages, the higher proportion of single mothers compared to single fathers, and the increasing costs of child care

question

second shift

answer

the unpaid housework and child care often expected of women after they complete their day's paid labor

question

feminism

answer

belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes; also the social movements organized around that belief

question

first wave

answer

the earliest period of feminist activism in the United States, including the period from the mid-nineteenth century until American women won the right to vote in 1920

question

suffrage movement

answer

the movement organized around gaining voting rights for women

question

second wave

answer

the period if feminist activity during the 1960s and 1970s often associated with the issues of women's equal access to employment and education

question

third wave

answer

the most recent period of feminist activity, focusing on issues of diversity and the variety of identities women can possess

question

male liberationism

answer

a movement that originated in the 1970s to discuss the challenges of masculinity

question

men's rights movement

answer

an offshoot of male liberationism whose members believe that feminism promotes disrimination against men

question

pro-feminist men's movement

answer

an offshoot of male liberationism whose members support feminism and believe that sexism harms both men and women

question

sexuality

answer

the character or quality of being sexual

question

sexual orientation (sexual identity)

answer

the inclination to feel sexual desire toward people of a particular gender or toward both genders

question

heterosexuality

answer

sexual desire for other genders

question

homosexuality

answer

the tendency to feel sexual desire toward members of one's own gender

question

bisexuality

answer

sexual attraction to both genders

question

asexuality

answer

involves the lack of sexual attraction of any kind

question

queer theory

answer

social theory about gender identity and sexuality that emphasizes the importance of difference and rejects as restrictive the idea of innate sexual identity

question

LGBTQ

answer

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer

question

civil unions

answer

proposed as an alternative to gay marriage; a form of legally recognized commitment that provides gay couples some of the benefits and protections of marriage

question

homophobia

answer

fear of or discrimination toward homosexuals or towards individuals who display purportedly gender-inappropriate behavior

question

restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in a manner considered normal (resides in the individual)

answer

disability (medical)

question

restrictions due to social responses to unusual bodies and activity in the built environment (subjective - depends on the context)

answer

disability (sociological)

question

embarrassing anger, ingratiating sympathy, public acceptance, humoring embarrassment

answer

strategies used by wheelchair users

question

T

answer

T/F: America is a profoundly hierarchical society.

question

T

answer

T/F: The borders between class groups can be fuzzy, and it is useful to imagine them as being along a continuum rather than being strictly divided.

question

F

answer

T/F: There have been many societies throughout history with no social stratification.

question

T

answer

T/F: The idea that anyone, no matter where they start out, can, with hard work, succeed in whatever they set out to do is a belief system that explains and justifies America's class hierarchy.

question

T

answer

T/F: When society categorizes people based on race, it leads to inequality.

question

T

answer

T/F: There is greater genetic diversity within racial populations than between them.

question

F

answer

T/F: The words "race" and "ethnicity" are used interchangeably because they mean essentially the same thing.

question

T

answer

T/F: A person who is not prejudiced may still participate in discrimination.

question

T

answer

T/F: Sociological theories of gender stratification must look beyond biological sex differences.

question

F

answer

T/F: Gender role stratification begins very early in life and ends by the early twenties.

question

F

answer

T/F: Gender pervades most, but not all, aspects of family life.

question

T

answer

T/F: Language can reflect social change.

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