QCM : Understanding Social Inequality and Gender Roles — 12 questions

Questions et réponses du QCM

1. What is a primary cause of inequality according to functionalist theory?

Inequality arises because it motivates individuals to fill important roles and maintain social stability.
Inequality is a consequence of structural barriers and lack of social mobility.
Inequality results from the exploitation of the working class by the bourgeoisie.
Inequality is caused by societal conflict and power struggles.

Inequality arises because it motivates individuals to fill important roles and maintain social stability.

Explication

Functionalist theory, as explained by Davis & Moore, views inequality as a necessary mechanism that motivates the most capable individuals to undertake demanding roles, thereby ensuring social stability and efficient role allocation.

2. What is the primary function of the New Right's view on inequality?

To argue that inequality is solely the result of structural barriers and unfairness
To emphasize that inequality is primarily caused by cultural differences and socialization
To promote increased welfare and social programs to reduce inequality
To justify inequality as a natural and beneficial outcome for promoting effort and market efficiency

To justify inequality as a natural and beneficial outcome for promoting effort and market efficiency

Explication

The New Right's perspective views inequality as serving a societal function by encouraging individual effort and supporting free market efficiency. This justification aligns with their emphasis on personal responsibility and market forces, as opposed to viewing inequality as solely unfair or caused by structural barriers.

3. In Marxist theory, what does surplus value refer to?

The profits made by the bourgeoisie from selling goods
The total value of goods produced in a capitalist economy
The additional value produced by workers beyond wages paid to them
The value of the working class's collective labor

The additional value produced by workers beyond wages paid to them

Explication

Surplus value is the value produced by workers beyond what they are paid as wages. Marx argued that capitalists appropriated this surplus as profit, which is fundamental to capitalist exploitation.

4. What does Weberian Theory of Inequality primarily describe?

It claims that inequality is only about social prestige and honor.
It views inequality as based solely on economic class.
It argues that inequality is purely a result of individual effort.
It sees inequality as a multidimensional concept involving class, status, and party.

It sees inequality as a multidimensional concept involving class, status, and party.

Explication

Weberian Theory of Inequality describes inequality as a multidimensional concept involving class, status, and party, which collectively influence social stratification and individuals' life chances. This approach recognizes multiple factors beyond just economic class, including social honor and political power.

5. Who formulated the functionalist explanation of gender roles as instrumental and expressive roles in the family?

Walby
Oakley
Parsons
Murdock

Parsons

Explication

Parsons is credited with describing gender roles as part of a division of labour that is functional for society, specifically the instrumental and expressive roles. This aligns with the functionalist perspective that gender roles contribute to social stability. The other options are associated with different theories or critiques, but not specifically with Parsons's formulation of the functionalist explanation of gender roles.

6. When was Murray's influential work on the underclass, which contributed to the New Right's perspectives on social policy, published?

1990
2000
1995
1985

1990

Explication

Murray's work on the underclass, which is central to the New Right's critique of welfare dependency and social policy, was published in 1990. This publication date marks a significant point in the development of New Right ideas on social issues, including gender-related policies, as it influenced policy debates and ideological perspectives from that time onward.

7. What is a key feature of the Marxist view on gender?

Women are viewed as the primary agents of social change and revolution
Women are seen as inherently inferior to men due to biological differences
Women’s roles are mainly defined by their biological function of childbearing and nurturing
Women primarily reproduce the labor force and support capital through unpaid domestic work

Women primarily reproduce the labor force and support capital through unpaid domestic work

Explication

The Marxist view emphasizes that women support capitalist reproduction through unpaid labor, maintaining the labor force and enabling profits. This feature is explicitly supported by the source, which states that women's unpaid labor sustains capitalism by providing essential services and reproducing future workers.

8. How can feminist theories of gender be actively applied to promote gender equality in society?

By emphasizing biological differences to justify gender roles
By focusing solely on individual efforts without changing social structures
By challenging and transforming societal norms and institutions rooted in patriarchy
By reinforcing traditional gender roles to maintain social stability

By challenging and transforming societal norms and institutions rooted in patriarchy

Explication

Feminist theories, particularly liberal and radical feminism as described in the source, advocate for challenging and transforming societal norms and institutions that sustain gender inequality. Applying feminist theory in practice involves activism, reform, and raising awareness to dismantle patriarchy and socially constructed gender roles, thus promoting equality.

9. How does Weberian Gender Theory distinguish between class, status, and party in relation to gender inequality?

Class, status, and party are all interchangeable terms that describe the same level of social hierarchy and influence gender inequality similarly.
Class relates to economic resources, status to social honor, and party to political influence, and they operate as separate dimensions affecting gender roles.
Class is about social honor, status is about economic resources, and party is about social perceptions; they are identical in their effects on gender roles.
These three elements are overlapping aspects of the same social dimension, with class being economic, status social, and party political, but they are inseparable in affecting gender inequality.

Class relates to economic resources, status to social honor, and party to political influence, and they operate as separate dimensions affecting gender roles.

Explication

Weber's theory states that class, status, and party are distinct dimensions of social stratification. Class concerns economic position, status involves social honor or prestige, and party relates to political influence. These elements collectively influence social inequalities, including gender inequality, but they function differently and are not interchangeable.

10. What is a consequence of the functionalist view of youth as a transitional stage in society?

It promotes social stability by facilitating smooth role transitions.
It causes age discrimination in the workplace.
It results in the segregation of different age groups into separate social spheres.
It leads to increased youth unemployment and social unrest.

It promotes social stability by facilitating smooth role transitions.

Explication

The functionalist view sees youth as a transitional phase that helps individuals prepare for adult roles, which in turn contributes to societal stability by ensuring continuity and proper role allocation within the social system.

11. What is the primary function of youth and elderly in Marxist theory?

They promote social mobility
They serve as a reserve army of labour
They uphold family values
They maintain cultural traditions

They serve as a reserve army of labour

Explication

According to Marxist theory, youth and elderly serve as a reserve army of labour, providing a flexible, disposable workforce that can be mobilized when needed to support capitalist profit maximization. The source explicitly states that they are used as a 'reserve army of labour' to benefit capitalism.

12. Which authors are associated with the concept of 'triple jeopardy' in feminist theory on age?

Daly & Zaretsky
Itzin & Daly
Arber & Ginn
Ginn & Zaretsky

Arber & Ginn

Explication

The concept of 'triple jeopardy' as described in the feminist perspective on age is attributed to Arber & Ginn, who highlight the compounded disadvantages faced by older women due to age, gender, and class.

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Functionalism — inequality justification?

Necessary for role allocation and social stability.

Davis & Moore — role?

Argued stratification ensures the most qualified fill important roles.

Meritocracy — definition?

System rewarding talent and effort, promoting social mobility.

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