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High wealth inequality tends to reduce educational opportunities for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Answer: True
Explanation: Significant wealth inequality often correlates with disparities in educational opportunities, as higher-income families can invest more in their children's education, thereby limiting prospects for lower-income students.
The 'Economic Despair' idea suggests that widening income gaps might discourage lower-income individuals from investing in their human capital.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 'Economic Despair' thesis posits that substantial income disparities can lead individuals at the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum to disinvest in human capital, such as education, due to diminished perceived prospects for upward mobility.
The US is characterized by low economic inequality and high social mobility compared to many other developed nations.
Answer: False
Explanation: The US is generally characterized by high economic inequality and relatively low social mobility when compared to many other developed nations, indicating a 'stickiness' in socioeconomic positions.
Family income has a negligible impact on a child's mental ability and educational outcomes.
Answer: False
Explanation: Family income significantly influences a child's mental ability and educational outcomes, as higher-income families can invest more resources in early development and educational support, conferring advantages.
How does high wealth inequality in the US impact educational opportunities for different income groups?
Answer: It widens the gap, allowing higher-income families to invest more in their children's education, leading to better outcomes.
Explanation: High wealth inequality exacerbates disparities in educational opportunities, enabling affluent families to invest more in their children's education, which often results in superior academic and future outcomes compared to those from less privileged backgrounds.
What does the 'Economic Despair' thesis suggest about the impact of widening income gaps?
Answer: It can cause individuals at the lower end to lose faith in upward mobility and invest less in their future.
Explanation: The 'Economic Despair' thesis posits that widening income gaps can diminish the perceived possibility of upward mobility for lower-income individuals, potentially leading to reduced investment in human capital and future prospects.
How does the US compare to more egalitarian developed nations like Denmark or Norway regarding social mobility?
Answer: The US has lower social mobility compared to these nations.
Explanation: Compared to more egalitarian developed nations such as Denmark and Norway, the United States generally exhibits lower rates of social mobility, indicating that socioeconomic background may play a more significant role in life chances.
How does family income influence a child's potential for social mobility?
Answer: Higher income allows for greater investment in early development and education, providing advantages.
Explanation: Family income significantly influences a child's potential for social mobility, as higher income enables greater investment in early development and educational resources, conferring advantages that can facilitate upward movement.
The educational attainment gap between high- and low-income students in the US has remained stable over the past thirty years.
Answer: False
Explanation: Research indicates that the educational attainment gap between high- and low-income students in the US has widened over the past thirty years, particularly concerning college completion rates.
Education is considered a minor factor in achieving social mobility, with economic status being the sole determinant.
Answer: False
Explanation: Education is widely recognized as a fundamental mechanism and a significant driver of social mobility, providing opportunities for individuals to improve their socioeconomic standing, although it is not the sole determinant.
The Scottish Mental Survey 1932 found that childhood intelligence had no predictive power for later social status.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Scottish Mental Survey 1932 revealed that childhood intelligence (IQ) was a significant predictor of mid-life social status attainment, correlating positively with higher social class and upward mobility.
Education primarily acts as a barrier, preventing individuals from moving between social classes.
Answer: False
Explanation: Education functions as a crucial mechanism that can facilitate social mobility by providing opportunities for individuals to advance their socioeconomic position, rather than acting solely as a barrier.
Egalitarian education systems, aiming for equal opportunity, are theorized to derive the greatest amount of social mobility.
Answer: True
Explanation: Egalitarian education systems, designed to provide equal opportunities for all students, are theorized to foster higher levels of social mobility compared to elitist systems.
What trend has been observed regarding the educational attainment gap between high- and low-income students in the US over the last 30 years?
Answer: The gap has widened over the past thirty years.
Explanation: Over the last three decades, the educational attainment gap between high- and low-income students in the US has demonstrably widened, particularly in college completion rates.
What role does education play as a driver of social mobility?
Answer: It is considered a fundamental mechanism that provides opportunities for upward movement.
Explanation: Education is widely regarded as a fundamental mechanism that drives social mobility by equipping individuals with the skills and credentials necessary for upward socioeconomic advancement.
According to the Scottish Mental Survey 1932, what was a significant predictor of mid-life social status attainment?
Answer: Childhood intelligence (IQ)
Explanation: The Scottish Mental Survey 1932 identified childhood intelligence (IQ) as a significant predictor of mid-life social status attainment, correlating positively with higher socioeconomic positions.
How does education mediate the relationship between social origins and social class attainment?
Answer: It acts as a mechanism that can both restrain and facilitate mobility between classes.
Explanation: Education serves as a crucial mediator between social origins and social class attainment, influencing the extent to which individuals can move between social strata, potentially facilitating or restraining mobility.
What is the primary difference between elitist and egalitarian education systems concerning social mobility?
Answer: Egalitarian systems aim for equal opportunity for all, potentially fostering more mobility, while elitist systems may reinforce stratification.
Explanation: Egalitarian education systems prioritize equal opportunity for all students, which is theorized to promote greater social mobility, whereas elitist systems may concentrate resources on a select few, potentially reinforcing existing stratification.
What did the 2005 Scottish study find regarding the relationship between childhood IQ, education, and mid-life social status?
Answer: Childhood IQ and years of education were significant positive predictors of upward social mobility.
Explanation: The 2005 Scottish study concluded that both childhood intelligence (IQ) and years of education were significant positive predictors of upward social mobility, influencing mid-life social status attainment.
The 'accomplishment of natural growth' parenting style, common in working-class families, encourages children to actively question adult authority.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 'accomplishment of natural growth' parenting style, prevalent in working-class families, tends to foster deference to adult authority rather than encouraging children to question it.
The 'social gradient' in health indicates that health status is unrelated to an individual's social position.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 'social gradient' in health demonstrates a direct correlation between an individual's social position and their health status, with lower positions generally associated with poorer health outcomes.
The health selection hypothesis suggests that poor health causes individuals to move down the social ladder.
Answer: True
Explanation: The health selection hypothesis posits that an individual's health status influences their socioeconomic position, suggesting that poor health can lead to downward social mobility.
Historical influences like colonialism have had no significant impact on race and social mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: Historical factors, including colonialism, have significantly shaped racial dynamics and continue to influence social mobility, often creating persistent barriers for certain racial groups.
A 2019 Indian study found that women experience greater social mobility than men due to broader career opportunities.
Answer: False
Explanation: A 2019 study in India indicated that women experience less social mobility than men, often due to educational disparities and cultural expectations regarding career paths.
What does the 'social gradient' in health refer to?
Answer: The direct relationship between an individual's social status and their health status.
Explanation: The 'social gradient' in health describes the consistent correlation between socioeconomic status and health outcomes, where individuals occupying lower social positions generally experience poorer health.
Which hypothesis suggests that an individual's health status influences their position in the social hierarchy?
Answer: The health selection hypothesis posits that an individual's health status dictates their social stratum.
Explanation: The health selection hypothesis posits that an individual's health status is a determinant of their social stratum, suggesting that poor health can lead to downward social mobility.
Historically, how has race influenced social mobility according to the text?
Answer: Its impact is primarily linked to colonial history and can still hinder upward mobility.
Explanation: Historically, race has significantly influenced social mobility, with legacies from periods like colonialism continuing to pose barriers to upward mobility for certain racial groups.
What did a 2019 study in India find regarding gender and social mobility?
Answer: Women experience less social mobility than men due to factors like educational and cultural expectations.
Explanation: A 2019 study conducted in India found that women generally experience less social mobility than men, attributed to factors such as differential educational opportunities and prevailing cultural expectations.
Higher education policies that create significant gaps between elite and standard universities generally promote greater social mobility for all classes.
Answer: False
Explanation: Policies that create substantial disparities in higher education quality and access can reinforce social stratification, potentially hindering upward mobility for lower and middle classes while benefiting those already privileged.
Research indicates that mixed housing arrangements actively promote upward social mobility by fostering strong connections between residents of different socioeconomic statuses.
Answer: False
Explanation: While theoretically beneficial, empirical research suggests that mixed housing arrangements do not consistently promote upward social mobility, as residents often maintain social distance and limited deep connections across socioeconomic divides.
Current research confirms that mixed housing effectively integrates residents from different socioeconomic backgrounds and promotes upward mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: Research indicates that mixed housing arrangements do not consistently lead to effective integration or promote upward social mobility, as residents often maintain social distance and limited meaningful interaction across socioeconomic lines.
'Waithood' refers to a period of stable employment that facilitates rapid social mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: 'Waithood' describes a prolonged period of transition, often characterized by unemployment or underemployment, which typically hinders rather than facilitates social mobility.
How can higher education policies that create disparities between elite and standard universities affect social mobility?
Answer: They reinforce social stratification by making upward mobility harder for lower and middle classes.
Explanation: Higher education policies that create significant differences between elite and standard institutions can reinforce social stratification, potentially impeding upward mobility for students from less privileged backgrounds.
What is the general finding regarding the effectiveness of mixed housing in promoting upward social mobility?
Answer: It is largely ineffective, as residents tend to maintain social distance.
Explanation: Current research suggests that mixed housing arrangements are largely ineffective in promoting upward social mobility, as residents from different socioeconomic backgrounds tend to maintain social distance and limited deep connections.
What is the observed effect of 'waithood' on an individual's social mobility?
Answer: It hinders social mobility by creating a prolonged period of unemployment or underemployment.
Explanation: 'Waithood,' characterized by extended periods of unemployment or underemployment, typically hinders social mobility by delaying or preventing individuals from achieving stable career trajectories.
Max Weber's conceptualization of social status dimensions influencing mobility includes only economic standing.
Answer: False
Explanation: Max Weber identified multiple dimensions of social status influencing mobility, including economic standing, prestige, and power, not solely economic standing.
The Great Gatsby curve illustrates a positive correlation between high economic inequality and high rates of relative social mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Great Gatsby curve demonstrates a negative correlation: higher economic inequality is associated with lower rates of relative social mobility.
According to 'The Spirit Level,' countries with high economic inequality generally exhibit higher rates of social mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: Studies such as 'The Spirit Level' suggest that high economic inequality is generally associated with lower rates of social mobility in developed countries.
A 2006 study identified Denmark and Canada as countries with high intergenerational income elasticity, indicating low social mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: A 2006 study found that Denmark and Canada exhibited low intergenerational income elasticity, signifying high social mobility, in contrast to countries with high elasticity and low mobility.
The 'Great Gatsby curve' shows that countries with lower income inequality tend to have higher rates of social mobility.
Answer: True
Explanation: The 'Great Gatsby curve' illustrates that nations with lower levels of income inequality generally exhibit higher rates of intergenerational social mobility.
Besides economic standing, what other dimensions of status did Max Weber identify as influencing social mobility?
Answer: Economic standing, prestige, and power
Explanation: Max Weber conceptualized social status as multidimensional, comprising economic standing, prestige (social honor), and power (political influence), all of which can affect social mobility.
The 'Great Gatsby curve' illustrates a relationship between which two factors?
Answer: Economic inequality and rates of social mobility
Explanation: The 'Great Gatsby curve' illustrates the relationship between a nation's level of economic inequality and its rate of intergenerational social mobility, showing that higher inequality correlates with lower mobility.
Studies like 'The Spirit Level' suggest a strong correlation between which two societal characteristics in developed countries?
Answer: High economic inequality and low social mobility
Explanation: Research, including 'The Spirit Level,' indicates a strong correlation in developed countries between high levels of economic inequality and low rates of social mobility.
What did a 2006 study comparing developed countries find regarding intergenerational income elasticity?
Answer: They had the lowest intergenerational income elasticity, indicating high mobility.
Explanation: A 2006 study found that countries such as Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Canada exhibited the lowest intergenerational income elasticity, which corresponds to the highest rates of social mobility.
What does the 'Great Gatsby curve' suggest about countries like Chile and Brazil, which have high income inequality?
Answer: They have some of the lowest rates of social mobility.
Explanation: The 'Great Gatsby curve' indicates that countries with high income inequality, such as Chile and Brazil, tend to exhibit some of the lowest rates of social mobility, meaning parental income strongly influences a child's future economic standing.
The 'economic grievance thesis' links factors like deindustrialization and deregulation to the rise of populism by creating:
Answer: A 'left-behind' precariat experiencing low job security and high inequality.
Explanation: The 'economic grievance thesis' suggests that factors like deindustrialization and deregulation contribute to the rise of populism by fostering a 'left-behind' precariat class characterized by low job security and high inequality.
Social and Cultural Capital
Pierre Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital refers solely to an individual's financial resources.
Answer: False
Explanation: Pierre Bourdieu's concept of cultural capital encompasses non-financial assets such as education, skills, and knowledge, which confer social advantages, distinct from economic or financial capital.
Bourdieu identified economic capital, social capital, and cultural capital as key influences on social standing.
Answer: True
Explanation: Pierre Bourdieu posited that economic, social, and cultural capital are the primary forms of capital that shape an individual's social standing and mobility.
Social connectedness to higher-income individuals is a weak predictor of upward income mobility.
Answer: False
Explanation: Recent data suggests that social connections to higher-income individuals are a significant predictor of upward income mobility, although such connections are often limited by social segregation.
According to Pierre Bourdieu, what is 'cultural capital'?
Answer: Non-financial assets like education, skills, and knowledge that provide social advantages.
Explanation: Cultural capital, as defined by Bourdieu, refers to non-financial assets such as educational credentials, knowledge, skills, and cultural dispositions that confer social advantages and influence social standing.
Which parenting style is associated with middle and upper-class families and involves active engagement in children's development?
Answer: Concerted cultivation
Explanation: The parenting style known as 'concerted cultivation,' characterized by active engagement in children's development and structured activities, is typically observed in middle and upper-class families.
Which of the following correctly lists the three primary types of capital identified by Pierre Bourdieu as influencing social standing?
Answer: Economic capital, Social capital, and Cultural capital
Explanation: Pierre Bourdieu identified economic capital (financial resources), social capital (networks and group membership), and cultural capital (education, skills, knowledge) as the principal forms of capital influencing social standing.