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Social Class in America

Social Class in America. Chapter 8. Chapter Overview. Introduction Social Class Structure Models Does Social Class Really Effect You? Yet another “Quiz” Social Mobility Poverty in the U.S. Is Horatio Algers Dead or Alive? Review. I. Introduction. 1. “Quiz”.

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Social Class in America

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  1. Social Class in America Chapter 8

  2. Chapter Overview • Introduction • Social Class Structure Models • Does Social Class Really Effect You? • Yet another “Quiz” • Social Mobility • Poverty in the U.S. • Is Horatio Algers Dead or Alive? • Review

  3. I. Introduction 1. “Quiz”

  4. 1. Wealth and income are not the same. True

  5. 2. Americans live in a classless society. False. No kidding.

  6. 3. Whensome people graduate from college, they are offered positions in very large corporations with stock options and with the expectation that they will become a millionaire. True

  7. 4. Wealthy parents have a much greater say in their children’s marriage partners than the lower classes. True

  8. Generally speaking, social class has no bearing on a person’s longevity. False

  9. 6. The reason that there is so much mental illness in the lower social classes is that they are mentally ill to begin with so their situation prohibits them from getting an education and a good job. Mostly false.

  10. 7. New technology is a great equalizer in that it benefits all social classes equally. False

  11. 8. The average welfare recipient is an African American male or female. False

  12. 9. Most impoverished Americans are poor because they are lazy. False

  13. 10. Anyone in America can succeed if he or she tries hard enough. It’s debatable.

  14. Weber’s Concept of Social Class 1. Definitions • Social Class • Wealth • Power • Prestige • Status Consistency • Status inconsistency

  15. 2. Gerhard Lenski’s Conclusion: Frustration from status inconsistency => political radicalism

  16. II. Social Class Structure Models • Erik Wright: Modification of Marx’s Model • Capitalists • Petty bourgeoisie • Managers • Workers

  17. Gilbert & Kahl: the Social Ladder or Modifying Weber Capitalist Upper middle Lower middle Working class Working poor Underclass

  18. III. Yet Another Quiz

  19. 1. Some social scientists view sickness as a special form of deviant behavior. True

  20. However, it is not equivalent to other forms of deviance such as crime or violent behavior. Societies typically provide the sick with therapeutic care so that their health will be restored and they can fulfill their roles in society, unlike those defined as criminals.

  21. 2. The field of epidemiology focuses primarily on how individuals acquire disease and bodily injury. False. Its primary focus is on the health problems of social aggregates or large groups of people, not on individuals as such.

  22. 3. The primary reason that African Americans have shorter life expectancies than Whites is the high rate of violence in central cities and the rural South. False

  23. It is due to a higher prevalence of life threatening illnesses, such as cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and AIDS. Note: African American males do have the highest death rates from homicide of any racial-ethnic category in the U.S.

  24. 4. Native Americans have shown dramatic improvement in their overall health level since the 1950s. True

  25. Some analysts attribute this change to better nutrition and health care services. However, other analysts point out that Native Americans continue to have high rates of mortality from diabetes, alcohol-related illnesses, and suicide.

  26. Native American Hospital Near Little Big Horn

  27. 5. Health care in most high-income, developed nations is organized on a fee-for-service basis as it is in the United States. False

  28. The U.S. is one of only two high-income, developed nations that do not have some form of universal health coverage. In the U.S, health care has traditionally been purchased by the patient. In most other high-income countries, health care is provided by the government.

  29. 6. The ,medical-industrial complex has operated in the U.S. with virtually no regulation, and allegations of health care fraud have largely been overlooked by federal and state governments. False

  30. In the mid-to-late 1990s, government investigation focused on rising health care payments and allegations of fraud in health care. Billing frauds have been found in Medicare and Medicaid payments to physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, medical labs, and medical equipment manufacturers.

  31. 7. Media coverage of chronic depression and other mental conditions focuses almost exclusively on these problems as “women’s illnesses.” False

  32. In the 1991s, male celebrities have made the general public more aware of male depression. However, it should be noted that women average higher levels of depression than men do, perhaps because women and men have unequal adult statuses.

  33. 8. It is extremely costly for employees to “mainstream” persons with disabilities in the workplace. False

  34. Although disability expenditures may be costly, individual employers often find that they can accommodate the needs of a disabled worker at costs ranging from zero to several thousand dollars. This opens new doors for people previously excluded from certain types of jobs and careers.

  35. IV. Does Social Class Really Effect You? You Tell Me: Group work. • Family life • Education • Religion • Politics • Physical Health • Mental Health • Criminal Justice • New Technology

  36. IV. Yet Another Quiz

  37. 1. People no longer believe in the American Dream. False.

  38. 2. Individuals over age 65 have the highest rate of poverty. False

  39. 3. Men account for two out of three impoverished adults in the United States. False

  40. 4. African Americans receive the majority of welfare benefits. False

  41. 5. Most poverty-level households headed by women have only one or two children below age 18 residing in the household. True

  42. 6. Income is more unevenly distributed than wealth. False

  43. 7. People who are poor usually have personal attributes that contribute to their impoverishment. False

  44. 8. A number of people living below the official poverty line have full-time jobs. True

  45. 9. The majority of poor people receive welfare benefits. False

  46. 10. The average welfare recipient stays on welfare less than two years. True

  47. V. Social Mobility • Three Types of Social Mobility • Intergenerational • Exchange mobility • Structural • Upward & Downward Movement

  48. Changing Structure of Occupations, U.S. 1900-2000

  49. VI. Poverty In the U.S. • Drawing the Poverty Line • Demonstration and Definitions • Poverty line • Absolute poverty • Relative poverty • Subjective poverty

  50. Who are the poor? • Female-headed households • Children • Minority Group Members

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