Question 1

Define social stratification. How does it come about? How are the barriers between classes in the United States maintained?

Accepted Answer

Social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement of individuals or groups in a society based on various factors such as wealth, power, and social status. This results in the division of society into different social classes, with some groups having more resources and opportunities than others.

Social stratification comes about through a combination of factors including economic inequality, social mobility, and cultural beliefs. Economic inequality plays a significant role, as those with more wealth and resources are able to access better education, healthcare, and opportunities, leading to further advantages and perpetuating the cycle of inequality. Social mobility, or the ability to move up or down the social ladder, also impacts social stratification, as those from lower classes may face barriers to upward mobility due to limited access to resources and opportunities. Additionally, cultural beliefs and attitudes towards social class can also contribute to the maintenance of social stratification, as certain groups may be stigmatized or discriminated against based on their social status.

In the United States, barriers between social classes are maintained through various means. Economic inequality is a major factor, as those in higher social classes have access to better education, healthcare, and job opportunities, while those in lower classes may struggle to access these resources. Additionally, social and cultural factors such as discrimination and stereotypes can also contribute to the maintenance of barriers between classes. Discrimination based on race, gender, and other factors can limit opportunities for certain groups, while stereotypes about social class can perpetuate negative attitudes and beliefs about those in lower classes. These barriers can make it difficult for individuals to move up the social ladder, further perpetuating social stratification in the United States.

Question 2

A society is practicing which form of stratification when the members of the society have equal access to economic resources but not to prestige?

Accepted Answer

A)  egalitarian 
B)  caste 
C)  class 
D)  rank 
A)  egalitarian 
B)  caste 
C)  class 
D)  rank D

Question 3

Which of the following would anthropologists not consider a caste?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Eta of Japan 
B)  Blacks in the American South in segregation days 
C)  the Camar (leather-workers) of India 
D)  Anthropologists would classify all of these groups as castes. 
A)  the Eta of Japan 
B)  Blacks in the American South in segregation days 
C)  the Camar (leather-workers) of India 
D)  Anthropologists would classify all of these groups as castes. D

Question 4

Ethnicity in many countries is how groups of people define themselves because

Accepted Answer

A)  while they do not share a history, they share the present. 
B)  usually they don't share a religion but have the same supernatural beliefs. 
C)  it involves people emphasizing common origins and language. 
D)  they see themselves as the same as other groups. 
A)  while they do not share a history, they share the present. 
B)  usually they don't share a religion but have the same supernatural beliefs. 
C)  it involves people emphasizing common origins and language. 
D)  they see themselves as the same as other groups.

Question 5

What forces (economic, social, and technological) have led to the almost complete elimination of slavery, worldwide?

Accepted Answer

The almost complete elimination of slave

Question 6

How did ancient Greek slavery differ from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American slavery?

Accepted Answer

Ancient Greek slavery and eighteenth- an

Question 7

Manumission was built into which system?

Accepted Answer

A)  United States 
B)  Egypt 
C)  Rome 
D)  Nupe 
A)  United States 
B)  Egypt 
C)  Rome 
D)  Nupe

Question 8

Social stratification may be less likely in societies with

Accepted Answer

A)  fixed settlements. 
B)  agriculture or herding economies. 
C)  at least some full-time craft specialization. 
D)  generalized reciprocity as the primary form of exchange. 
A)  fixed settlements. 
B)  agriculture or herding economies. 
C)  at least some full-time craft specialization. 
D)  generalized reciprocity as the primary form of exchange.

Question 9

Which of the following is considered a rank society?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nimpkish Native Americans 
B)  Mbuti Pygmies 
C)  the Yanomamo 
D)  the !Kung 
A)  Nimpkish Native Americans 
B)  Mbuti Pygmies 
C)  the Yanomamo 
D)  the !Kung

Question 10

What forces led to the emergence of stratification?

Accepted Answer

The emergence of social stratification,

Question 11

Societies can be stratified by "race" and in the extreme can be racist when

Accepted Answer

A)  people are divided by skin color and other physical features often used to describe "race." 
B)  not everyone is so defined in the society. 
C)  there is a way of moving up or down. 
D)  everyone can easily change the way society sees them. 
A)  people are divided by skin color and other physical features often used to describe "race." 
B)  not everyone is so defined in the society. 
C)  there is a way of moving up or down. 
D)  everyone can easily change the way society sees them.

Question 12

Which of the following is not characteristic of the chief?

Accepted Answer

A)  His people invest him with "ownership" of the land. 
B)  His position may be hereditary. 
C)  He is set apart from the others by the special regalia he wears. 
D)  His position carries considerable prestige. 
A)  His people invest him with "ownership" of the land. 
B)  His position may be hereditary. 
C)  He is set apart from the others by the special regalia he wears. 
D)  His position carries considerable prestige.

Question 13

Modern industrial societies are noted for having disparate access to economic resources and prestige. What type of stratification exists in these societies?

Accepted Answer

A)  egalitarian 
B)  caste 
C)  class 
D)  rank 
A)  egalitarian 
B)  caste 
C)  class 
D)  rank

Question 14

What social and economic mechanisms keep egalitarian societies egalitarian?

Accepted Answer

Egalitarian societies are characterized

Question 15

How is chiefly status obtained among the Ifaluk culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  war 
B)  purchase 
C)  genealogically in the female line 
D)  genealogically in the male line 
A)  war 
B)  purchase 
C)  genealogically in the female line 
D)  genealogically in the male line

Question 16

In open class systems, which class is difficult to move into from a lower class? Why?

Accepted Answer

In open class systems, the upper class o

Question 17

Sharing is most common in

Accepted Answer

A)  egalitarian societies. 
B)  societies suffering from severe famine. 
C)  stratified societies. 
D)  pastoral societies. 
A)  egalitarian societies. 
B)  societies suffering from severe famine. 
C)  stratified societies. 
D)  pastoral societies.

Question 18

In egalitarian societies, people may differ in prestige, but these differences are not related to

Accepted Answer

A)  personal abilities. 
B)  age. 
C)  the economic status of one's parents. 
D)  sex. 
A)  personal abilities. 
B)  age. 
C)  the economic status of one's parents. 
D)  sex.

Question 19

Anthropologists are reasonably certain that social stratification

Accepted Answer

A)  emerged relatively recently in human history. 
B)  is as old as Homo sapiens. 
C)  does not exist in the United States. 
D)  has occurred only in industrial societies. 
A)  emerged relatively recently in human history. 
B)  is as old as Homo sapiens. 
C)  does not exist in the United States. 
D)  has occurred only in industrial societies.

Question 20

What is a caste? What social mechanisms are used to block mobility in these types of societies? How successful are they at maintaining the social order?

Accepted Answer

A caste is a social system in which peop

Exam 18: Social Stratification: Class, Ethnicity, and Racism

Define social stratification. How does it come about? How are the barriers between classes in the United States maintained?

A society is practicing which form of stratification when the members of the society have equal access to economic resources but not to prestige?

Which of the following would anthropologists not consider a caste?

Ethnicity in many countries is how groups of people define themselves because

What forces (economic, social, and technological) have led to the almost complete elimination of slavery, worldwide?

How did ancient Greek slavery differ from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American slavery?

Manumission was built into which system?

Social stratification may be less likely in societies with

Which of the following is considered a rank society?

What forces led to the emergence of stratification?

Societies can be stratified by "race" and in the extreme can be racist when

Which of the following is not characteristic of the chief?

Modern industrial societies are noted for having disparate access to economic resources and prestige. What type of stratification exists in these societies?

What social and economic mechanisms keep egalitarian societies egalitarian?

How is chiefly status obtained among the Ifaluk culture?

In open class systems, which class is difficult to move into from a lower class? Why?

Sharing is most common in

In egalitarian societies, people may differ in prestige, but these differences are not related to

Anthropologists are reasonably certain that social stratification

What is a caste? What social mechanisms are used to block mobility in these types of societies? How successful are they at maintaining the social order?

What Is Anthropology

History of Anthropological Theory

Research Methods in Anthropology

Genetics and Evolution

Human Variation and Adaptation

The Living Primates

Primate Evolution: From Early Primates to Hominoids

The First Hominids

The Origins of Culture and the Emergence of Homo

The Emergence of Homo Sapiens

The Upper Paleolithic World

Origins of Food Production and Settled Life

Origins of Cities and States

Culture and Culture Change

Communication and Language

Getting Food

Economic Systems

Culture and the Individual

Sex, Gender, and Culture

Marriage and the Family

Marital Residence and Kinship

Associations and Interest Groups

Political Life: Social Order and Disorder

Religion and Magic

The Arts

Applied, Practicing, and Medical Anthropology

Global Problems

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