Sociology: Poverty - Chapter 10

Flashcards covering key definitions, theories, and policies related to the study of poverty in sociology.

Poverty

A condition of deprivation due to economic circumstances that is severe enough that people in this condition cannot live with dignity in their society.

Basic needs

Essentials such as food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare, though social factors can expand this to include transportation and communication technologies.

Recession

A period of economic decline lasting half a year or more, often characterized by business closures and increased unemployment.

Culture of poverty

A theory arguing that poor people adopt certain practices, which differ from "mainstream" society, in order to adapt and survive in difficult economic circumstances.

Negative income tax

An experiment where the government provided checks to low-earning households to ensure a minimum income, with the expectation that they start paying "positive" taxes after crossing a predetermined threshold.

Universal basic income

A policy idea described as a "close cousin" of the negative income tax that has seen a resurgence in progressive political circles.

Underclass

A concept proposed by Ken Auletta in $1981$ suggesting that the poor are not only unable to take advantage of society's opportunities but are also increasingly deviant and dangerous.

Perverse incentives

Reward structures that lead to suboptimal outcomes by stimulating counterproductive behavior, such as the argument that welfare discourages work efforts.

Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)

A $1996$ policy that replaced welfare with targeted, work-friendly policies, shifted responsibility to states, and implemented work requirements and time limits.

Absolute poverty

The point at which a household’s income falls below the necessary level to purchase food to physically sustain its members.

Mollie Orshansky

The person who developed the formula in the $1960s$ for the official U.S. poverty line based on minimum food requirements.

Relative poverty

A measurement of poverty based on a percentage of the median income in a given location, often defined in Europe as families with incomes below $50$ percent of the median income.

Parenting stress hypothesis

A paradigm in which low income, unstable employment, and lack of resources exacerbate household stress, leading to detrimental parenting practices like yelling and hitting.

“No effect” thesis

The argument that genetics are to blame for both the poverty of parents and the developmental outcomes of their children.

Medicaid

A welfare program that provides access to healthcare for low-income individuals and families, which has been shown to improve health outcomes.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Previously known as food stamps, a program that improves food security by ensuring low-income households have access to nutritious food.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

A welfare program designed to incentivize work and increase labor force participation among low-income individuals.

Homelessness

One of the most extreme consequences of poverty, defined as the lack of a permanent shelter to live in.

Cycle of Poverty

A self-reinforcing state where a lack of access to opportunities, such as quality education and healthcare, prevents individuals from escaping poverty.