Lesson 02B.2.1

02B.2.1 Functionalist and Marxist explanations of inequality Quiz: OCR Sociology, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 02B.2.1, Functionalist and Marxist explanations of inequality: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Sociology (H580), Unit 6: Understanding social inequalities (Section B), written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which sociological perspective argues that social inequality is both inevitable and functional for society?

    • Feminism
    • Interactionism
    • Marxism
    • Functionalism

  2. According to functionalists like Davis and Moore, what allocates individuals to appropriate societal roles?

    • Direct coercion
    • Role allocation
    • Patriarchal bias
    • Class conflict

  3. What key principle underpins the functionalist justification of social stratification?

    • Meritocracy
    • Exploitation
    • Inherited wealth
    • Ascription

  4. Which theoretical perspective views social inequality as the result of exploitation by the ruling class?

    • New Right
    • Marxism
    • Functionalism
    • Socialism

  5. What is the term Marx used for the owners of the means of production in capitalist society?

    • Proletariat
    • Bourgeoisie
    • Lumpenproletariat
    • Aristocracy

  6. Which social class sells its wage labour to the bourgeoisie, according to Marxist theory?

    • Technocracy
    • Bourgeoisie
    • Proletariat
    • Petite bourgeoisie

  7. What term describes the extraction of surplus value from workers by capitalists?

    • Allocation
    • Socialisation
    • Differentiation
    • Exploitation

  8. What did Marx call the false perception of reality that blinds the working class to their exploitation?

    • Class consciousness
    • Collective conscience
    • Anomie
    • False consciousness

  9. A company owner pays workers minimum wage while making millions in profit. Which perspective best explains this?

    • Functionalism
    • Marxism
    • Postmodernism
    • Liberalism

  10. A talented student from a working-class background achieves top grades and becomes a surgeon. Which concept applies?

    • Proletarianisation
    • Class reproduction
    • False consciousness
    • Meritocracy

  11. A factory worker accepts low pay because they believe anyone can get rich through hard work. What is this?

    • Class consciousness
    • Functional necessity
    • Role allocation
    • False consciousness

  12. According to Davis and Moore, highly paid roles require greater skill and training. What is this principle?

    • Class struggle
    • Economic determinism
    • Functional uniqueness
    • Bourgeois monopoly

  13. Which concept describes workers developing an awareness of their true shared interests against capital?

    • False consciousness
    • Class consciousness
    • Value consensus
    • Social solidarity

  14. Which sociological approach is often criticised for ignoring structural barriers like class background?

    • Weberianism
    • Feminism
    • Marxism
    • Functionalism

  15. Which perspective is often criticised for placing an overly deterministic focus on economic class?

    • Interactionism
    • Functionalism
    • Social action
    • Marxism

  16. What major limitation do critics highlight in the functionalist view of meritocracy?

    • Ignoring hard work
    • Rejecting capitalism
    • Promoting revolution
    • Ignoring inequality

  17. How do Marxists view the role of state institutions in maintaining social inequality?

    • Neutral arbitration
    • Fair distribution
    • Ideological control
    • Meritocratic selection

  18. If a society distributes wealth purely based on individual functional importance, which theory is being applied?

    • Interactionism
    • Functionalism
    • Postmodernism
    • Marxism

  19. Which term describes the Marxist view that society's economic base determines its ideological superstructure?

    • Meritocratic selection
    • Functional autonomy
    • Value consensus
    • Economic determinism

  20. Why do functionalists argue that social stratification is universal across human societies?

    • Functional necessity
    • Biological drive
    • Historical accident
    • Ruling conspiracy

All OCR Sociology quizzes