social classes

: Please answer each question below §

Based upon “See for Yourself” (page 170; Chapter 8”)

Take a shopping trip to different stores and observe the appearance of stores serving different economic groups.

While you may notice several different aspects of these stores, be certain to include in your observations the following information:

(1) What kinds of bathrooms are there in stores catering to:

a. The rich?

b. Middle-class clients?

c. The working class?

d. The poor?

(2) Which ones allow the most privacy or provide the nicest amenities?

(3) What fixtures are in the display areas? Are they simply utilitarian with minimal ornamentation, or are they opulent displays of consumption?

(4) Write an analysis of what your observations tells you about social class in the United States.

For your paper include the following:

ü Take detailed notes of your observations and include them in your paper.

ü Explain the rationale for your classification system (e.g., I consider Target a middle-class store based upon [provide sociological reasoning]).

ü Reference the concepts and key terms from chapter 8 in your paper.

ü Be sure to use the notes from your observations along with the textbook to support your conclusions and analyses of the stores you visit.

Be sure to support your statements with evidence from your observations as well as the chapter.