Unit 3: Social Inequality

1. Unit 3: Social Inequality Ch 8: Social Stratification Ch 9: Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity Ch 10: Inequalities of Gender and Old Age

2. Social stratification The creation of layers (or ______) of people who ____________________ of scarce resources (ex. Income, wealth, power, + prestige). Each layer in the social stratification system is a social class (a segment of society whose members hold ____________ of resources + shared values, norms, + an identifiable lifestyle). The # of social classes a society has varies. Most _______________ have 3 broad classes (upper, middle, + lower) subdivided into smaller categories. Some societies may only have __. Ch 8 – Social Stratification

3. The political + economic ramifications of social stratification _________ observed the plight of the workers during the Industrial Revolution + wrote The _____________________ (along w/ Friedrich Engels) in response. He believed that history was an ongoing struggle b/w the ______ – the haves vs. the have nots. _______________ controlled the legal, educational, economic, + gov.’t systems. They used those systems to maintain or their power. He believed that the ___________ (the proletariat) would rise up against the _________ (the bourgeoisie) in a violent revolution. These violent revolutions would continue until eventually the capitalist system would by _________ + everyone would work for the benefit of society + share in its ______________. His ideas led to the rise of _________ + he became known as the father of communism (+ socialism). Communist countries today – China, Vietnam, Laos, North Korea + Cuba.

4. Extremes in income + wealth in the US * In new edition Income is the amount of $ __________ an individual or group over a specific time period. It’s what you _______. Wealth is the total amount of economic resources _________ a person or group. It’s what you _______. In 2004, approximately __ mil Americans were living in poverty (more than ___%), but there were only about _____ mil millionaires + 341 billionaires. The richest 20% of American households received over __% of the nation’s income + the lowest 20% received less than 4%. Income inequality is ____________! The top __% of Americans have ___% of the total wealth.

5. Power + prestige Power is the ability to _______________ of others, even against their will. Not always related to ____. Can come from knowledge, fame, social position, leadership abilities, etc… Prestige is the recognition, respect, + admiration attached to ______________. Defined by one’s culture + society. Must be _____________ – cannot be taken. Social positions that are considered the most important have the most ______ – in America it’s often those positions that accumulate _______ + power b/c they are valued highly w/in our society, but ____________. (Ex. priests or ministers).

6. Is it an example of wealth, power, or prestige? _________ 1. Mr. Chamblee’s Swiss bank account _________ 2. Anna Rose is voted “Most Likeable” _________ 3. A politician giving in to the interests of a lobby _________ 4. Ms. Griggs wins the Teacher of the Year award _________ 5. Mr. Bowen’s stock market holdings _________ 6. A Supreme Court ruling _________ 7. The respect given to Officer Hill _________ 8. A wife makes her husband carry her purse End Section 1

7. Explanations of stratification: The functionalist theory Believes stratification guarantees that the most ____________ fill the most ________________, that they perform their tasks competently, + that they are rewarded for their efforts. They recognize that _________ exits b/c certain jobs are more important than others + those jobs often require __________ +/or training.

8. Explanations of stratification: The conflict theory Believes _______________ b/c some people are willing to ________ others. So they believe stratification occurs more b/c of ______ than b/c most people willingly accept it. More accepting of Marx’s ideas about ___________. People who own the means of production are able to spread their ______________ through schools, churches, the gov.’t, the media, etc… False consciousness refers to the working-class _________ of those ideas + values.

9. Explanations of stratification: The symbolic interactionism theory Believes people are _______________ the existing stratification structure. We are taught to believe that a person’s ________ is a result of talent + effort. So those on the top _______________ + those on the bottom deserve to be there as well. So we shouldn’t ___________ the system. This can often result in people at the ________________ from self-esteem + those at the top have self-esteem. Goes back to the looking-glass self (your image of yourself based on what you believe others think of you). End Section 2

10. Social classes in the US Class consciousness is a sense of identification w/ the goals + interests of a social class. Never __________________ in the US. Changeable + full of exceptions. The Upper Class – ____% of pop. Upper-upper class or “_________” – old $, _________________ Lower-upper class – new $, _________, may have more $ than upper-upper, but still not accepted into the more exclusive groups. The Middle Class – _________% of pop. Upper-middle class – (14%) successful in business, politics, military, etc… Can live well + save $, are usually __________ ________, + often active in voluntary + political organizations. Middle-middle class – (30%) _________ group. Includes small business owners, low-level managers, teachers, cops, etc… Earn around the national ___________.

11. The Working Class - _____% of pop. “Lower-middle class” includes truck drivers, machine operators, clerical workers, etc… Paid ____________. Have below average income + _______________. Generally lack medical insurance + retirement benefits. Worry about illnesses + unemployment. Except for ______, not likely to belong to organizations. Rarely enter the ______________. The Working Poor – ____% of pop. People employed in ___________ w/ the lowest pay who don’t earn enough to get out of _________. Include manual laborers, fast-food workers, etc… Often lack steady employment. Rarely belong to organizations or participate in politics.

12. The Underclass – ____% of pop. People who are usually unemployed + often come from families w/ a history of ______________. Either work part-time menial jobs or are on public assistance. Lack education + skills. Commonly have physical + mental _________. Many are single mothers w/ little or no income. Can be born into working poor or underclass or come into them w/ _______, loss of a spouse, lack of education or training, addiction, or through acquiring a ___________. Very difficult to ______________.

14. Social classes people self-identified with. End Section 3

15. What is poverty? * In new edition Absolute poverty is the absence of enough $ to secure ____________________. Relative poverty is a measure of poverty based on the _______________ b/w those at the bottom of a society + the rest of the society. In other words, it’s how poor a person feels by _________________ to others in their society. Relative poverty ___________ from one society to another (ex. US vs. Nigeria or even the poorest person in a _______ neighborhood). The US gov.’t measures poverty by setting an _________________ that anyone making less than would be considered poor. In 2004, the poverty line for a family of 4 was $_______ + _____% of Americans were living in poverty.

16. Identifying the poor Groups most likely to be poor are _____________ households, children, the elderly, people w/ ___________, + people who live alone or w/ nonrelatives. Approx. ___% of the poor are white; however, only about 7.5% of whites are poor, compare w/ 23% of blacks and Latinos. So although blacks + Latinos only make up about ¼ of Americans, they make up about ½ of the poor. Children under 6 yrs old make up _________ of all age groups living in poverty at around 22%. Women have become ________________ to live in poverty since the 1960s as well. The trend of women + children making up an increasing proportion of the poor is known as the feminization of poverty. Why is this occurring? B/c women _______ then men, those w/ kids find it harder to keep long-term employment, + a lack of good ___________.

17. Fighting poverty The US didn’t really begin _______ _______ until the mid-1960s under President Lyndon Johnson’s “_____ _________” programs. Most American programs fighting poverty focus on ______________ through youth opportunity programs + work experience programs. Some programs have been criticized for _______ + fears that they’re causing people to become _______ upon the gov.’t to help them longer than needed. End Section 4

18. Social mobility The movement of people b/w ________________. Horizontal mobility involves changing from one job to another in the _________________ (ex: soldier to teacher, waitress to cashier, etc…). Vertical mobility involves ____________________ ___________ in job status or social class When vertical mobility takes place over a ____________, it’s called intergenerational mobility. In a caste system (a stratification structure that _____________ for social mobility – a closed-class system) social status is _______ + can’t be changed through individual effort. Careers choices + interactions w/ people of other castes are _______. One doesn’t ________ outside their caste. Ex. include South Africa under apartheid (castes based on ____) + India (castes based on _______________ according to the Hindu religion). In a _________________ individuals can move b/w classes + their social class is based on merit + effort.

19. Is it an example of intergenerational, vertical, or horizontal mobility ? _________ 1. A paramedic becomes a fireman _________ 2. A businessman is laid off and becomes a waiter _________ 3. A factory worker becomes a the manager _________ 4. The daughter of a janitor becomes a professor _________ 5. A highly decorated general is elected governor _________ 6. A doctor quits medicine and becomes a trucker _________ 7. A taxi driver whose father was an executive _________ 8. A cop’s wife quits teaching to become a nurse End Section 5

20. Ch 9 and 10 Quiz

21. Minorities Groups of people w/ physical or cultural traits different from those of the ___________________ in the society. In sociology, it is NOT necessarily a group that makes up a __________________________. Ex: __________ are a minority. In South Africa, _______ are a minority. Key features of minorities: Distinctive physical or cultural characteristics which can ________________ from the majority. ________ by the majority – it has a lesser share of the society's desired goods, services, + privileges. Often believed by the majority to be _________ - often used to justify discrimination. Have a common sense of identity w/ strong group ___________. The majority determines who is in the minority through ______________ – so they are a minority at birth. Ch 9 – Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

22. Race People sharing certain ______________________ characteristics that are considered important w/in a society. Biologists use characteristics like _______, eye color, hair color, ___________, facial features, head form, + height to determine race. The most common system classifies races into 3 major categories: Caucasian, ___________, + Negroid. There is NO such thing as a “______” race. Genetic markers typical of one race show up in other races quite ____________. Most scientists consider racial classifications arbitrary + _____________. Also, __________ is only determined by about 6 genes while ________ is controlled by dozens of genes. So… a 5’7” white woman may be more ______________ to a 5’7” black woman than to a 5’1” white woman. ______________ + characteristics that relate to race are more important than physical differences for sociologists.

23. Ethnic minorities Groups indentified by cultural, religious, or national characteristics. So they are __________ defined by their language, religion, values, beliefs, norms, + customs. So _________ characteristics define racial minorities + _________ differences define ethnic minorities. Though part of the larger culture, they’re also separate b/c the ethnic majority puts up barriers to _______________ +/or b/c the minority wishes to _______ its cultural + national origins. Ethnocentrism is judging others in terms of one’s own ________________. It creates feelings of “us” vs. “them”. Can lead to prejudice + discrimination. End Section 1

24. Patterns of assimilation Minority groups are either _______ (leading to assimilation) or ________ (leading to conflict). Assimilation is the _________ of minority groups into the dominant society. The minority groups are given full ______________ in all aspects of the society. In the US, assimilation has been Anglo-conformity, melting pot, cultural pluralism, + accommodation. _______________is the most prevalent pattern of assimilation in the US. (Anglo meaning “of _______ descent”). This involves minorities accepting traditional Anglo values + customs. __________ b/c minorities are required to conform. “Melting pot” is when all ethnic + racial minorities __________________________. Common myth in many US history textbooks. Cultural pluralism is when cultures exist side by side + maintain a ______________________________. More like a “tossed salad”. Accommodation is when a minority maintains its own culturally unique way of life + accommodates the majority culture ____________________. Ex. The Amish

25. Patterns of conflict 3 main ways in which dominant cultures have __________ minority groups: 1. Genocide – The systematic effort to destroy an _____________ (Ex. The Nazi efforts to kill off Jews during The Holocaust). 2. __________________ – When a minority is forced to move to a remote location or to leave the territory controlled by the majority (Ex. American Indians forced to move on to reservations). 3. Subjugation – Process by which a minority group is _______________ to the benefits of a society. This is the most common pattern of conflict. 2 types: De jure segregation is denial of equal access based on ___________ (Ex. Segregation of US schools prior to Brown vs. The Board of Education). De facto segregation is denial of equal access based on ________________ (Ex. Refusing to hire a minority as an executive). End Section 2

26. Prejudice, stereotypes, racism, + discrimination Prejudice is widely held negative or positive ________ toward a group (minority or majority) + its individual members. __________________. Although your book only says negative attitudes, prejudice can include positive attitudes as well. Prejudice is a generalization based on biased or ___________________. These attitudes come from strong emotions, so they’re difficult to change, even when faced w/ overwhelming __________________. When people meet someone who doesn’t fit in to their stereotypes, they usually believe that person is the exception to the rule instead of ________________________. People tend to be prejudice in favor of those they see as __________________ + against those they see as different. A stereotype is an oversimplified, hard to change way of seeing people who belong to _______________. Racism is an extreme form of prejudice that assumes _____________ of one group over others. So racists believe that discrimination +/or exclusion is justified b/c of their own superiority. Discrimination is the _____________ of members of certain groups. Prejudice is an attitude + discrimination is an ______. A person may be prejudice, but not discriminate. Also, a person may discriminate (due to something like social pressure) but not be prejudice.

27. Why do prejudice + discrimination exist? Hate crimes Functionalists stress how ethnocentrism (which leads to prejudice + discrimination) helps hold the _______ ________________. Conflict theorists stress the _________ b/w various groups for power - even b/w minorities. Symbolic interactionists stress how certain words or symbols can _________________________ (Ex. to “blacklist” someone or give them a “black eye”) or how minorities may begin to believe negative stereotypes which can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy (having an expectation that leads to behavior that then causes the expectation to ___________________). Criminal acts that are motivated by extreme _____________. ________________ someone based on race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or ancestry. People who commit hate crimes have vocabularies filled w/ demeaning stereotypes that attempt to __________________ against their victims. End Section 3

28. Institutionalized discrimination ______________ that grow out of common behaviors/attitudes + are a part of the _____________________. May or may not be ___________. Intentional ex: Many realtors used to steer prospective minority homeowners to certain neighborhoods + away from others. Unintentional ex: Many urban areas are predominately made up of minorities (especially blacks) + b/c they don’t average as high a wage as predominately white suburbanites, their schools receive ______ $, so many of those minority children have to attend schools w/ fewer resources.

29. How has institutionalized discrimination affected different minorities? Blacks: Barriers include skin color + features which make it ____________ people of this minority + America’s history of slavery + segregation which have contributed to a _____ ________ for many creating an underclass (people typically unemployed who come from families that have been poor for generations). The average black family earns ____% of what the average white family earns. Are also much more likely to work in __________ service jobs. Have approximately _______ as high unemployment rate which doesn’t even factor in the hidden unemployment (unemployment that includes people who have become _________ + given up looking for a job + part-time workers who want full-time jobs) which would the gap even more. The high school graduation rate was 77% (84% for whites) + college was 15% (25% for whites) in 1999. Although still widely ______________, blacks have made major gains in the last 50 yrs in professional, technical, + political careers.

30. Latinos (ethnic minorities from ______________ including Mexico, Central America, South America + the Caribbean): They are the largest + _____________ minority in the US. Just over ½ have completed ______________. Many work in low-paying, low-status jobs. Are becoming much more ______________. American Indians: There are over 2 mil consisting of about ______ separate tribes + bands which makes them a much more ___________________ than most people realize. Over ¼ live below the ____________. Lowest graduation rate. Lowest annual _________. About ¼ of Indians live on ___________. Poverty + lack of education are about twice as bad for Indians who live on reservations as for those who do not. Asian Americans: Most ____________________ minority due in large part to their use of the educational system for upward mobility. ______% have completed college. ________________ (includes descendents from Eastern + Southern Europe) typically blue-collar workers in large eastern US cities. Tend to favor more integration + _____ support of the poor. Don’t typically experience the _____________ affecting other minorities. End Section 4

31. How gender shapes us A person’s sex is his/her classification as male or female based on _____________________. Biological determinism is the belief that _________ _____________ are the result of inherited physical characteristics. So if men are believed to be more intelligent + women more emotional b/c of their sex, this would need to be true in __________ in order to be correct. However, significant behavior differences b/w men + women haven’t been causally linked to biological characteristics. Though biology may create some behavioral tendencies in the sexes, they are so weak that they’re easily overridden by ________________________. Our gender identity is ____________ of being masculine or feminine, based on our ________. Ch 10 – Inequalities of Gender and Old Age

32. Research indicates that male + female brains are __________________ in structure. Ex. Women are more likely to use both halves of their brain at the same time + show more activity in the newer more highly developed region of the brain thought to be linked to _____________________. Most sociologists believe that ___________ _______ isn’t primarily the result of biology, but of culture + socialization. Researchers often look at how men + women are different instead of how similar they are. End Section 1

33. Sociological views of gender roles Functionalism: Believes that any pattern of behavior that ______________________ will become unimportant. Division of male/female responsibilities used to be ____________ back when humans hunted + gathered (men were bigger + stronger, + so were better hunters – they were also more expendable). Today, traditional division of labor b/w men + women has created ____________ (problems). Conflict Theory: Men ______ by keeping women politically, economically, + socially __________.

34. Symbolic Interactionism: Focuses on how boys + girls learn to act the way they are “_________ ___”. The social process of learning to act as a boy or a girl is called gender socialization. Gender is acquired in large part from interaction w/ ______, teachers, peers, + mass media. Children are given gender specific ____________________. Studies show that girls are __________, talked to more, + handled more gently than boys. Boys are expected to be more assertive + discouraged from ________. Teachers also (often inadvertently) encourage boys to be more __________ __________ + girls to be more passive. Peers reinforce gender roles by typically giving ________________ to those who exemplify traditional gender roles (Ex. Boys as football players + girls as cheerleaders). End Section 2

35. Sexism in the workplace Sexism is a set of beliefs, attitudes, norms + values used to ________________________. Attempts to justify men’s leadership + power positions. Although women are more active in the labor force, they are concentrated in ___________ occupations. This is known as occupational sex segregation. For ex, women occupy almost all “_________” jobs (such as secretaries, clerks, stenographers) whose job it is to support those higher up the occupational ladder. Even in ___________ jobs, women typically in the lower-prestige, lower-paid jobs. For every dollar a man makes, a woman averages about _________. This is known as the gender wage gap. Over 1/3 of the gap is due to the differences in _____________________. Ex: Many women leave the labor force to start a family. Less than 1/3 of the gap is due to the ______ _____________ of men + women in certain positions (meaning more men tend to be employed in higher level positions). Over 1/3 of the gap is due to ____________.

38. The ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) would have assured that women enjoyed the same rights + protections __________. It passed in Congress in 1972, but Conservatives feared that it disrupt America’s ____________ + launched a Stop-ERA campaign. The amendment was _____________ by enough states. Some ___________________ have been passed however. In addition, women + minorities have greater difficulties in getting _____ ___________. This invisible barrier that obstructs their advancement up the _____________ is known as the glass ceiling. Ratified --- Red Ratified, then rescinded  ---- Yellow  Ratified in 1 house of legislature   --- Green Not ratified --- Blue End Section 3

39. Ageism A set of beliefs, attitudes, norms, + values used to ________________ prejudice + discrimination. Age stratification is the unequal distribution of ___________________ based on age. Age can be an advantage or disadvantage for any group, but sociologists are particularly interested in studying the inequality among _________. As America’s median age is , this affects ______________.

40. Sociological views of ageism Functionalism: Believes that elderly people in a society are ______________________ they play in that society. Ageism isn’t an issue in _____________. In some societies, w/ age comes respect + the view that they have much knowledge to share. W/ ____________, the elderly are often _______ b/c they are seen as no long contributing to the common good through work + b/c change occurs so quickly, younger workers are more likely to possess the _____________ needed in the workplace. Conflict Theory: Ageism is used to _____ the elderly (thus making them a __________). By stereotyping the elderly as intellectually dull, inflexible, + unproductive, younger people benefit in the __________________ against older workers + employers can pay them ____ than older workers. Symbolic Interactionism: Like racism, ageism is _____. Stereotypes are created + through _______________________, children learn ageism. End Section 4

41. Economics of the elderly _________ among the elderly is difficult to measure b/c of several factors: They have to spend proportionally more on ___________________, but the federal gov.’t assumes they require less $ to live (thus, _________________). Many are “near poor” – ____________. The “_________” are older people who either live in institutions or w/ relatives b/c they can’t ________ to live alone. Also, the median income is distorted by the fewer older people w/ __________. Older people who are a racial or ethnic minority are ________ to be poor than white older people. Elderly women are __________ to be poor as men, particularly those who aren’t ________.

42. Politics + the elderly The older Americans get, the more likely they are to ____. However, they are a very diverse population + don’t vote as a bloc, even on issues directly related to them. This _____________ weakens their political power, but as their #s , they may become an ________________________. Some interest groups have formed to assist the elderly such as the AARP (___________________ ____________). Interest groups are organizations formed to influence political decision making. End Section 5