What are the three variables Max Weber identified as defining social class?
wealth, power, prestige
Based on the Marxist orientation of conflict sociologists, how many distinct social classes exist?
two
When used by sociologists, the term "wealth" refers to ________.
the property owned minus debts made by the person
What is the average per capita annual income in the United States, which includes all Americans, and even children?
$43,000
What is the typical annual family income in the United States?
$61,000
Which statement regarding the nation's income is most accurate?
The top 20 percent of Americans earn nearly half the income.
The belief by many Americans that they actually contribute to major governmental decisions through the power of their vote is referred to by Hellinger and Judd as ________.
the democratic facade
Which sociologist coined the term "the power elite"?
C. Wright Mills
What was the term C. Wright Mills used to refer to those who make the big decisions in American society?
the power elite
Who was the sociologist who expanded upon the concept of the power elite to note that no major decision of the United States government was made without its approval?
William Domhoff
Which of the following statements is most accurate with respect to determining social prestige in modern society?
One's occupational title is the greatest influence in determining social prestige.
The occupation with the highest prestige in the United States is a ________.
physician
Phil, a janitor for an expensive apartment-house complex in Chicago, is a union janitor who makes quite a bit more money than many of the tenants in the building he maintains. Lenski would note that Phil's high income but low occupational prestige demonst
status inconsistency
What does status inconsistency refer to in relation to social stratification?
Individuals are ranked high on one dimension of social class and low on other dimensions.
When individuals experience status inconsistency, what is their likely choice of behavior?
They will claim the higher status.
As a full professor of sociology, Jackie ranks high in prestige, but relatively low in income. What can one expect of her political views?
She will be more politically radical.
Janelle is a professor in the Department of Business at a state university. She is a full professor in her department and earns $135,000 a year. According to Lenski's status inconsistency hypothesis, what is Janelle's most likely political philosophy?
conservative
Ruth owns the Head 2 Toe Boutique where she employs 15 workers. According to Erik Wright's model of social class, Ruth would be classified as a(n) ________.
petty bourgeoisie
What are the four variables Gilbert and Kahl used to develop a six-class model to reflect the class structure of the United States and other capitalist countries?
education, power, property, prestige
The class recognized by Kahl and Gilbert as being the upper middle-class in America comprises approximately ________ percent of the U.S. population.
15
Which of the following individuals would have the narrowest field of "eligible" marriage partners based on background expectations?
Christian, the son of a CEO of a major corporation
What did sociologists suggest as being the primary influence upon parents that emphasized how they reared their children?
the parents' occupations
Ken belongs to a church in which the worship services are highly expressive with spontaneous "Amens" and "Praise Jesus" outbursts accompanied by loud, inspirational organ music. Ken is most likely a member of the ________ class.
lower
Politically, which of the following classes is LESS likely to feel that the government should intervene in the economy to make citizens financially secure?
lower-middle class
What political party are members of the upper class more likely to belong to?
Republican
What is the relationship between one's social class and one's chances of being a victim of crime?
inverse
Of the following classes, in which one are the members most adversely affected by the export of American manufacturing jobs to Mexico and the Pacific Rim nations?
lower-middle class
What is the upward or downward movement in social class by family members from one generation to the next?
intergenerational mobility
Changes in society that cause large numbers of people to move up or down the class ladder is called ________ mobility
structural