Introduction to Sociology

Try It

12. 
    In the United States, most people define themselves as _____________.
    
    1. 
       Upper class
       
    2. 
       Blue collar
       
    3. 
       Middle class
       
    4. 
       Lower class
       

13. 
    Which statement illustrates low status consistency?
    
    1. 
       A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year.
       
    2. 
       A suburban family lives in a modest ranch home and enjoys a nice vacation each summer.
       
    3. 
       A single mother receives food stamps and struggles from year to year to find adequate employment.
       
    4. 
       An established celebrity actress owns homes in three countries.
       

Check your answers at the end of this document

Think It Over

• 
  Why do you think so many Americans describe themselves “middle class”? 
  
• 
  What could be problematic with the way middle class status is calculated? In the documentary, the range for middle class inclusion for a single person is $24,000-$73,000. What factors are not being taken into account? 
  

Glossary

status consistency: the consistency, or lack thereof, of an individual’s rank across social categories like income, education, and occupation
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  What Is Social Stratification? Authored by: OpenStax. Located at: http://cnx.org/contents/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d/Introduction_to_Sociology_2e. License: CC BY: Attribution. License Terms: Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/02040312-72c8-441e-a685-20e9333f3e1d@10.1.
  

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  Social Class & Poverty in the US: Crash Course Sociology #24. Provided by: CrashCourse. Located at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8PEv5SV4sU&t=319s&list=PL8dPuuaLjXtMJ-AfB_7J1538YKWkZAnGA&index=26. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube License
  
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  Why the Middle Class Matters. Authored by: Frontline PBS. Located at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MMKZSQaKxU. License: Other. License Terms: Standard YouTube License