1. Has your socioeconomic status ever changed within your life or recent generations?

I’m studying for my Psychology class and don’t understand how to answer this. Can you help me study?

 

Films:

Class Dismissed:

https://umb.kanopy.com/video/class-dismissed-0

The Line: Poverty in America:

https://umb.kanopy.com/video/line-poverty-america

Readings:

Stop Skipping Class: Why socioeconomic status (SES) matters

https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/indicator/2015/09/socioeconomic-status

*Socioeconomic Class

Please reflect upon your own history with socioeconomic status(es) and how it informs your outlook in society.

1. Has your socioeconomic status ever changed within your life or recent generations?

2. How do you think your upbringing influenced your beliefs about your own class background, assumptions, politics, and economic decisions?

3. What stood out to you most from each film (Class Dismissed and The Line: Poverty in America)? Did it confirm or challenge your own beliefs about wealth and poverty?

4. How about this week’s reading, Stop Skipping Class? How does an individual’s class background may influence their long term outcomes?

5. Based on the concept of intersectionality, how do you think your own socioeconomic class background/culture influence your political views?

*On politics

1. Please discuss what other influences may have shaped your political views. For example, is there a political party that is often associated with your cultural background? Is that assumption accurate?

2. What assumptions do you think other people may have about your political views?

3. How have you navigated your political journey and how have you discussed politics among family members, friends, and coworkers?

4. If you have a chance to sit with someone who is from a different political party/slant than yourself, what do you think can ease the tensions in the current divided states in politics?

*On Poverty

1. How would you define poverty? What do you think causes it?

2. Is poverty relative? Would people who are considered poor in one society be considered rich in another?

3. Do you think that it is a government’s responsibility to provide welfare assistance or should it be the responsibility of charities? Why?

4. It is often said that the rich are growing richer, and the poor are growing poorer. Do you agree? If so, why is it happening?

*On Homelessness

1. Do you witness many homeless people in your neighborhood?

2. How do you feel when you see people who live on the street?

3. Do you think that people who live on the street are to blame for their situation?

4. Have you ever had a conversation with a homeless person? What did they tell you? What would you expect them to tell you?

5. How would your life change if you lost your home?

6. How would you spend your time if you became homeless?