Exam 3 - Sociology

Exam 3 - Sociology

Social Stratification

The hierarchical arrangement of individuals into social categories, often based on factors like wealth, race, education, and occupation, which affects their access to resources and opportunities.

why do social stratification systems work?

Social stratification systems work because they create a structured social order, facilitating the distribution of resources and roles necessary for society's functioning. They often persist due to cultural beliefs and economic advantages that benefit dominant groups.

Social class/class system

A division of society based on social and economic status, often reflecting differences in wealth, education, and occupation.

superrich social class

a social group marked by extreme wealth, placing them well above the general population economically

what are the components of a social class?

The components of a social class typically include factors such as income, education, occupation, and cultural capital that contribute to an individual's social standing.

what are the different social classes?

The Lower Class (underclass and working poor), Middle class (lower and upper) and Upper class (lower and upper)

define redlining

when people of certain neighborhoods are discriminated against due to their race and denied of services (typically financial) because it’s deemed as too “high risk” without a judgement of their creditworthiness this typically affects minorities and affects their ability to move up in the social hierarchy because it makes it difficult to build capital, attain real estate, and homeownership.

define poverty

lacking financial resources and essentials to maintain a minimum standard of living

how is poverty measured in the U.S.?

There is an established “poverty threshold” at 3x the minimum foo diet cost, adjusted for inflation and size. It accounts for pre-tax income. There is also is Supplemental Poverty Measure that includes non-cash benefits and subtracts things like medical out-of-pocket costs and taxes.

what is the difference between absolute and relative poverty?

absolute poverty is based on the minimum essentials for survival and relative poverty is based off of shifting standards of living in specific areas of a population/within a society.

who in society is most likely to be poor?

Children, single-mother households, people of color, people with disabilities, the “undereducated”, people in rural areas

how does conflict theory explain poverty?

the “haves” will always do whatever to remain at the top while the “have nots” will struggle due to a lack of resources and experience discrimination due to things like race, gender, and class

how does functionalism explain poverty?

ensures that undesirable jobs are filled and maintains the value of the lower end of goods

how does symbolic interactionism explain poverty?

social class and everyday interactions influence how people in poverty see themselves and it impacts their behavior and identity

social mobility

movement from one class to another

what are factors that affect social mobility?

• changes in the economy

• government policies and programs

• immigration

• demographic factors

• higher education

• gender

• race and ethnicity

• place

true or false?: family wealth affects social mobility?

true

feminization of poverty

the trend where women represent a disproportionate share of the world's poor.

global stratification

worldwide inequality patterns that result from differences in wealth, power, and prestige

consequences of global stratification

• wealth and income inequality

• the treatment of women and children

• starvation and world hunger

explanation for social stratification: functionalist

social stratification is necessary and inevitable: it motivates people to contribute to society and without a system of unequal rewards, important jobs wouldn’t be performed

David-Moore thesis

asserts that social stratification benefits society and is based on meritocracy:

1. every society must fill a variety of positions to ensure that people accomplish important tasks

2. some positions are more crucial than others for a society’s survival

3. the most qualified people must fill the most important positions

4. society must offer greater rewards to motivate the most qualified people to fill the most important positions

sex

refers to the biological characteristics with which we are born

gender

refers to learned attitudes and behaviors that characterize people based on social and cultural expectations associated with sex categories

sexual orientation

an emotional or sexual attraction to sexual partners of the same sex, or of neither sex

how is gender a social construct?

gender aspects may differ across time, cultures, and even groups within a society

gender identity

someone’s perception of their own gender

gender roles

characteristics. attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that society expects of girls/women and boys/men

heterosexism

a belief that heterosexuality is the only legitimate sexual orientation, pervades societal practices, laws, and institutions

gender inequality: gender and family life

women spend more time than their male partners caregiving and on housework, and less time on leisure. women are more likely to be stay-at-home mothers than men are to be stay-at-home dads.

gender inequality: gender and education

as rank and pay increases in public K-12 schools, the number of women decreases. women fill almost 80% of teaching positions but only slightly more than half of principal positions. women across all races and ethnic groups are more likely than men to finish college. more professors are men than women and they are rewarded with higher salaries and titles

gender and inequality: gender and the workplace

many jobs are segregated by sex, there are ongoing general pay gaps, and numerous women experience sexual harassment

gender and inequality: gender and politics

there is an under representation of women in political office. only 28% make up Congress. VP Kamala Harris was the highest position ever held by a women in office. women run for office at lower rates, U.S presidents appoint more men than women to important positions, and there is sexism towards women as politicians

sexual script

specifies the formal and informal norms for acceptable or unacceptable sexual behavior; can change over time and across groups but gendered in that women are increasingly hypersexualized and there is a persistent double standard

sexual double standard

a code that permits greater sexual freedom for men than women

gender explanation: functionalist

• gender roles are complementary, equally important for a society’s survival

• affect human capital

• agreed on sexual norms contribute to a society’s order and stability

gender explanation: conflict theory

• gender roles give men power to control women’s lives

• most society’s regulate women’s not men’s sexual behavior

gender explanation: feminist

• women’s inequality reflects their historical and current domination by men, especially in the workplace

• many men use violence—including sexual harassment, rape, and global sex trafficking— to control women’s sexuality

gender explanation: symbolic interactionist

• gender is a social construction that emerges and is reinforced through everyday interactions

• the social construction of sexuality varies across cultures because of societal norms and values

race

refers to people who share visible physical characteristics, such as skin color and facial features, that members of a society consider socially important

ethnicity

refers to people who identify with a common nation origin or cultural heritage

why is race a social construction?

because it is not determined biologically; it is a societal invention that labels people based on physical appearance, social class, or other characteristics

foreign born

people who were born in other nations, including naturalized citizens, documented permanent residents, temporary migrants, refugees, and undocumented migrants

true or false: in the 1970s most of the Unites States’ immigrant population was from Europe, today it is from Mexico

true

refugees

people who flee their country to escape war, persecution, or death

true or false: more people with democratic views and college degrees have more positive views on whether immigrants are more of a benefit or burden and on immigration levels than republicans without a degree

true

true or false: immigrants have made no contributions to American society

false: they create jobs and fill undesirable positions, they have earned Nobel Prizes, and they have earned more inventions and patents than their native-born counterparts

genocide

systematic effort to kill all members of a particular ethnic, religious, political, racial, or national group

segregation

the physical and social separation of dominant and minority groups

pluralism

minority groups maintain many aspects of their original culture while living peacefully with the host culture

racism

refers to beliefs that one’s own racial group is inherently superior to other groups

prejudice

an attitude that prejudges people, who are different in race, ethnicity, religion, or other ways

true or false: white non-hispanic American population is declining

true

what is the largest racial or ethnic group in the United States?

Latina/o/x americans at 19% of the population, but immigration and birth rates have declined

who makes up the second largest racial group in America?

Black and African Americans

what is the fastest growing racial group in America?

Asian Americans; they have the highest educational levels and almost 31% have a graduate or professional degree; they have the highest median household income

functionalist perspective for racial stratification

• immigration provides needed workers

• acculturation and assimilation increase social solidarity

• racial-ethnic inequality can be dysfunctional but benefits dominant groups

conflict theory perspective for racial stratification

powerful groups maintain their advantages primarily through economic exploitation; race is a more important factor than social class in perpetuating racial-ethnic inequality

feminist explanation for racial stratification

minority women suffer from combined effects of racism and sexism; gendered racism occurs within and across racial-ethnic groups

symbolic interactionist explanation for racial stratification

social interaction can increase or reduce racial and ethnic hostility; antagonistic attitudes toward minorities, which are learned, can be lessened through cooperative interracial and interethnic contacts