Sociology 2001 Final Exam UPDATED
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Social stratification - CORRECT ANSWER The division of society into groups arranged in a
social hierarchy.
Social inequality - CORRECT ANSWER The unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige
among members of a society.
Slavery - CORRECT ANSWER The most extreme form of social stratification, based on the
ownership of people.
Caste system - CORRECT ANSWER A form of social stratification in which status is
determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed.
Apartheid - CORRECT ANSWER The system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that
was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991.
Social class - CORRECT ANSWER A system of stratification based on access to such
resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige.
Socioeconomic status (SES) - CORRECT ANSWER A measure of an individual's place within
a social class system; often used interchangeably with 'class.'
Intersectionality - CORRECT ANSWER A concept that identifies how different categories of
inequality (race, class, gender, etc.) intersect to shape the lives of individuals and groups.
Upper class - CORRECT ANSWER An elite and largely self-sustaining group that possesses
most of the country's wealth.
Upper-middle class - CORRECT ANSWER Social class consisting of mostly highly educated
professionals and managers who have considerable financial stability.
,Middle class - CORRECT ANSWER Social class composed primarily of white collar workers
with a broad range of education and incomes.
White collar - CORRECT ANSWER A description characterizing lower level professional and
management workers and some highly skilled laborers in technical jobs.
Working class or Lower-middle class - CORRECT ANSWER Social class consisting of mostly
blue collar or service industry workers who typically do not have a college degree.
Blue collar - CORRECT ANSWER A description characterizing skilled and semiskilled
workers who perform manual labor or work in service or clerical jobs.
Working poor - CORRECT ANSWER Poorly educated manual and service workers who may
work full-time but remain near or below the poverty line.
Underclass - CORRECT ANSWER The poorest group, comprising people who are
experiencing homelessness or who are chronically unemployed.
Status inconsistency - CORRECT ANSWER A situation in which an individual holds differing
and contradictory levels of status in terms of wealth, power, prestige, or other elements of
socioeconomic status.
Feudal system - CORRECT 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.
Wealth - CORRECT ANSWER A measure of net worth that includes income, property, and
other assets.
Prestige - CORRECT ANSWER The social honor people are given because of their
membership in well-regarded social groups.
Social reproduction - CORRECT ANSWER The tendency of social classes to remain relatively
stable as class status is passed down from one generation to the next.
, Cultural capital - CORRECT ANSWER The tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and
other cultural assets that help us gain advantages in society.
Everyday class consciousness - CORRECT ANSWER Awareness of one's own social status and
that of others.
Social mobility - CORRECT ANSWER The movement of individuals or groups within the
hierarchical system of social classes.
Closed system - CORRECT ANSWER A social system with very little opportunity to move
from one class to another.
Open system - CORRECT ANSWER A social system with ample opportunities to move from
one class to another.
Intergenerational mobility - CORRECT ANSWER Movement between social classes that
occurs from one generation to the next.
Intragenerational mobility - CORRECT ANSWER Movement between social classes that
occurs during the course of an individual's lifetime.
Horizontal social mobility - CORRECT ANSWER The movement of individuals or groups
within a particular social class, most often as a result of changing occupations.
Vertical social mobility - CORRECT ANSWER The movement between different class
statuses; often called either upward mobility or downward mobility.
Structural mobility - CORRECT ANSWER Changes in the social status of large numbers of
people as a result of structural changes in society.
Relative deprivation - CORRECT ANSWER A relative measure of poverty based on the
standard of living in a particular society.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Social stratification - CORRECT ANSWER The division of society into groups arranged in a
social hierarchy.
Social inequality - CORRECT ANSWER The unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige
among members of a society.
Slavery - CORRECT ANSWER The most extreme form of social stratification, based on the
ownership of people.
Caste system - CORRECT ANSWER A form of social stratification in which status is
determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed.
Apartheid - CORRECT ANSWER The system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that
was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991.
Social class - CORRECT ANSWER A system of stratification based on access to such
resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige.
Socioeconomic status (SES) - CORRECT ANSWER A measure of an individual's place within
a social class system; often used interchangeably with 'class.'
Intersectionality - CORRECT ANSWER A concept that identifies how different categories of
inequality (race, class, gender, etc.) intersect to shape the lives of individuals and groups.
Upper class - CORRECT ANSWER An elite and largely self-sustaining group that possesses
most of the country's wealth.
Upper-middle class - CORRECT ANSWER Social class consisting of mostly highly educated
professionals and managers who have considerable financial stability.
,Middle class - CORRECT ANSWER Social class composed primarily of white collar workers
with a broad range of education and incomes.
White collar - CORRECT ANSWER A description characterizing lower level professional and
management workers and some highly skilled laborers in technical jobs.
Working class or Lower-middle class - CORRECT ANSWER Social class consisting of mostly
blue collar or service industry workers who typically do not have a college degree.
Blue collar - CORRECT ANSWER A description characterizing skilled and semiskilled
workers who perform manual labor or work in service or clerical jobs.
Working poor - CORRECT ANSWER Poorly educated manual and service workers who may
work full-time but remain near or below the poverty line.
Underclass - CORRECT ANSWER The poorest group, comprising people who are
experiencing homelessness or who are chronically unemployed.
Status inconsistency - CORRECT ANSWER A situation in which an individual holds differing
and contradictory levels of status in terms of wealth, power, prestige, or other elements of
socioeconomic status.
Feudal system - CORRECT 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.
Wealth - CORRECT ANSWER A measure of net worth that includes income, property, and
other assets.
Prestige - CORRECT ANSWER The social honor people are given because of their
membership in well-regarded social groups.
Social reproduction - CORRECT ANSWER The tendency of social classes to remain relatively
stable as class status is passed down from one generation to the next.
, Cultural capital - CORRECT ANSWER The tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and
other cultural assets that help us gain advantages in society.
Everyday class consciousness - CORRECT ANSWER Awareness of one's own social status and
that of others.
Social mobility - CORRECT ANSWER The movement of individuals or groups within the
hierarchical system of social classes.
Closed system - CORRECT ANSWER A social system with very little opportunity to move
from one class to another.
Open system - CORRECT ANSWER A social system with ample opportunities to move from
one class to another.
Intergenerational mobility - CORRECT ANSWER Movement between social classes that
occurs from one generation to the next.
Intragenerational mobility - CORRECT ANSWER Movement between social classes that
occurs during the course of an individual's lifetime.
Horizontal social mobility - CORRECT ANSWER The movement of individuals or groups
within a particular social class, most often as a result of changing occupations.
Vertical social mobility - CORRECT ANSWER The movement between different class
statuses; often called either upward mobility or downward mobility.
Structural mobility - CORRECT ANSWER Changes in the social status of large numbers of
people as a result of structural changes in society.
Relative deprivation - CORRECT ANSWER A relative measure of poverty based on the
standard of living in a particular society.
