Measuring Class Inequality: Methods and Challenges

Question 1

What is a key limitation of the Gini coefficient when measuring class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It is not very sensitive to extreme income disparities.

Answer

It is highly sensitive to changes in income distribution.

Answer

It allows for easy comparison of inequality across different countries.

Answer

It is relatively simple to calculate.

Question 2

Which assumption is fundamental to the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) approach to measuring class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Individuals within the same income decile generally have similar economic well-being.

Answer

Wealth inequality is less important than income inequality in determining class inequality.

Answer

Income distribution follows a normal distribution.

Answer

Government policies do not influence class inequality.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a commonly used indicator for measuring class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Percentage of households with access to higher education

Answer

Gini coefficient

Answer

Lorenz curve

Answer

Wealth distribution among the top 1%

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using income as a measure of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Capture of all forms of economic resources

Answer

Wide availability of data

Answer

Ease of measurement

Answer

Objectivity

Question 5

Which of the following measures of class inequality focuses solely on the distribution of economic resources?

Accepted Answer

Gini coefficient

Answer

Ergo index

Answer

Socioeconomic status

Answer

Relative deprivation

Question 6

What is a key assumption of the 'class-as-an-aggregate' approach to measuring class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Classes are homogeneous entities with clear boundaries

Answer

Class boundaries are fluid and individuals can move between classes

Answer

Class consciousness is widespread throughout society

Answer

Class membership is solely determined by economic resources

Question 7

Which of the following methods explicitly measures the distribution of cultural capital?

Accepted Answer

Bourdieu's cultural capital index

Answer

Coleman's social capital index

Answer

Marx's economic capital index

Answer

Weber's status capital index

Question 8

Which of the following is a characteristic of a progressive tax system?

Accepted Answer

It takes a larger percentage of income from the rich than the poor

Answer

It takes a larger percentage of income from the poor than the rich

Answer

It takes the same percentage of income from everyone

Answer

It takes a fixed amount of money from everyone

Question 9

The Lorenz curve graphically depicts:

Accepted Answer

The cumulative distribution of income

Answer

The relationship between income and wealth

Answer

The percentage of people in each income group

Answer

The Gini coefficient

Question 10

The Gini coefficient measures the:

Accepted Answer

Level of income inequality within a specific country.

Answer

Percentage of income that is held by the richest 10% of the population.

Answer

Ratio of the average income of the richest 20% of the population to the average income of the poorest 20% of the population.

Answer

Difference between the average income of the top 1% and bottom 1% of the population.

Question 11

The 'Occupations as Measured by Socioeconomic Index' (OMI) scale is an example of a:

Accepted Answer

Objective social class classification.

Answer

Subjective social class classification.

Answer

Income-based measure of inequality.

Answer

Wealth-based measure of inequality.

Question 12

The concept of 'relative deprivation' suggests that:

Accepted Answer

Individuals perceive their own class position based on their comparison with others.

Answer

Class inequality is only meaningful in relation to the overall social and economic context.

Answer

Class boundaries are fixed and immutable.

Answer

Individuals' class experiences are solely determined by their income.

Question 13

The 'income elasticity of demand for luxury goods' refers to:

Accepted Answer

Relationship between income and the demand for non-essential goods.

Answer

Relationship between income and the demand for essential goods.

Answer

Relationship between income and the supply of luxury goods.

Answer

Relationship between income and the supply of essential goods.

Question 14

The 'Kuznets curve' suggests that:

Accepted Answer

Income inequality initially increases as countries develop, but then decreases at higher levels of development.

Answer

Income inequality remains constant as countries develop.

Answer

Income inequality always increases as countries develop.

Answer

Income inequality always decreases as countries develop.

Question 15

The Gini coefficient is a measure of:

Accepted Answer

The degree of inequality in the distribution of income or wealth

Answer

The proportion of income earned by the top 1%

Answer

The average income of the middle class

Answer

The level of poverty in a society

Question 16

When measuring class inequality, what ethical considerations should be taken into account when using measures like the Gini coefficient, which can be influenced by extreme values?

Accepted Answer

In cases with many outliers, alternative measures of class inequality that are less sensitive to extreme values should be used.

Answer

Removing outliers is ethically sound, as it increases the accuracy of the results.

Answer

The ethical implications of using measures susceptible to outliers, like the Gini coefficient, are insignificant.

Question 17

Which of the following measures of income inequality represents the cumulative proportion of total income received by the bottom x% of the population?

Accepted Answer

Lorenz curve

Answer

Gini coefficient

Answer

Occupational prestige

Question 18

How does social mobility affect the continuation of class inequality over multiple generations?

Accepted Answer

It maintains existing class boundaries, limiting upward mobility for the disadvantaged and reinforcing class inequality.

Answer

It increases opportunities for upward mobility, reducing class inequality.

Answer

It provides avenues for individuals to change their social position, lessening class inequality.

Answer

It has no effect on the extent of class inequality.

Question 19

Describe the 'Kuznets curve' and critically discuss its relevance for understanding the relationship between economic growth and class inequality.

Accepted Answer

The Kuznets curve depicts an inverted U-shaped relationship between a nation's economic development and the level of income inequality within that society.

Answer

The Kuznets curve posits a linear relationship between a nation's economic development and income inequality.

Answer

The Kuznets curve demonstrates that income inequality inevitably decreases as a country progresses economically.

Answer

The Kuznets curve is exclusively applicable to the analysis of gender inequality within societies.

Question 20

Which measure of class inequality examines the distribution of income across a population?

Accepted Answer

Gini coefficient

Answer

Occupational status scales

Answer

Percentile rank

Answer

Wealth inequality measures

Question 21

Which method of measuring class inequality focuses on the relative deprivation of individuals in society?

Accepted Answer

Relative poverty index

Answer

Income quintiles

Answer

Educational attainment scales

Answer

Wealth inequality measures

Question 22

Which measure of class inequality relates to the concentration of wealth among the highest earners?

Accepted Answer

Top wealth share

Answer

Income mobility

Answer

Poverty gap

Answer

Educational attainment index

Question 23

What is a key benefit of using longitudinal studies to measure class inequality?

Accepted Answer

They facilitate the analysis of intergenerational mobility.

Answer

They provide a snapshot of inequality at a specific time.

Answer

They are less costly to conduct than cross-sectional studies.

Question 24

Which index measures the disparity in educational attainment across individuals?

Accepted Answer

Educational inequality index

Answer

Human Development Index

Answer

Multidimensional Poverty Index

Answer

Gender Inequality Index

Question 25

What is a potential source of bias in self-reported measures of class?

Accepted Answer

Social desirability bias

Answer

Non-response bias

Answer

Measurement error

Answer

Sampling bias

Question 26

What is a limitation of cross-sectional studies for measuring class inequality?

Accepted Answer

They cannot capture changes in inequality over time.

Answer

They are less reliable than qualitative studies.

Answer

They are more expensive to conduct than longitudinal studies.

Question 27

Which of the following is a measure of absolute class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Poverty rate

Answer

Lorenz curve

Answer

Kuznets curve

Question 28

Which of the following is a strength of using longitudinal data to study class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It allows researchers to track changes in class inequality over time.

Answer

It is a direct measure of wealth.

Answer

It is easy to collect.

Question 29

Which of the following is a weakness of using cross-sectional data to study class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It cannot capture changes in class inequality over time.

Answer

It is difficult to collect.

Answer

It is not a direct measure of wealth.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a commonly used indicator of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Average lifespan

Answer

Education

Answer

Income

Answer

Occupation

Question 31

The Gini coefficient measures:

Accepted Answer

Income inequality

Answer

Education inequality

Answer

Health inequality

Answer

Wealth inequality

Question 32

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of using occupational class as a measure of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It is not affected by changes in the economy

Answer

It captures differences in power and prestige

Answer

It is easy to collect data on

Question 33

Which of the following is a limitation of using income as a measure of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It does not consider wealth

Answer

It is a direct measure of living standards

Answer

It is easy to collect data on

Question 34

Which of the following is a criticism of using subjective class identification as a measure of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It relies on individuals' perceptions

Answer

It is difficult to collect data on

Answer

It is not comparable across different societies

Answer

It is not sensitive to changes in the distribution of income

Question 35

Which of the following is a method for addressing sampling bias in the measurement of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Stratified sampling

Answer

Cluster sampling

Answer

Convenience sampling

Answer

Snowball sampling

Question 36

Which of the following is a benefit of using longitudinal data to measure class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It allows for the study of changes in class inequality over time

Answer

It is easier to collect than cross-sectional data

Answer

It is less expensive than cross-sectional data

Question 37

Which of the following is a potential problem with using occupational status as a measure of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It does not capture the full range of class positions

Answer

It is difficult to collect data on

Answer

It is only relevant in modern societies

Question 38

Which assumption underpins the use of a relative measure of class inequality?

Accepted Answer

Class positions are influenced by the distribution of resources in society.

Answer

Individuals should be content with their position in the class hierarchy.

Answer

Class inequality is only problematic in extreme cases.

Answer

Class is an unchangeable characteristic.

Question 39

What is an advantage of employing a longitudinal study to measure class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It enables the identification of patterns and changes over time.

Answer

It is less costly to conduct.

Answer

It mitigates measurement biases.

Answer

It provides a comprehensive snapshot of class inequality at a specific point in time.

Question 40

What is a limitation of using cross-sectional data to measure class inequality?

Accepted Answer

It may not accurately capture changes in class inequality over time.

Answer

It necessitates reliance on self-reported information.

Answer

It is challenging to obtain representative samples.

Answer

It is not suitable for studying class inequality in specific subgroups of the population.