Once During a U

question 38

Essay

Once during a U.S. presidential campaign, a lobbyist for a prominent national women's organization made the claim that women in the United States earn $0.60 for every $1.00 earned by a man. A reporter, who was prepared for this statement, asked the lobbyist why wages paid to the organization's secretarial staff (all of whom were women) were significantly below the national average if they were truly interested in raising the rates of compensation for women. If you were the lobbyist, how would you have answered this question? Do you think your answer is convincing? Explain.

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Definitions:

Cumulative Social Effects

The accumulating impact of societal actions and behaviors over time, affecting future social structures, norms, and individual behaviors.

Friedman and Hechter

Scholars known for their contributions to sociological theory, particularly in the areas of rational choice theory and the analysis of social norms and structures.

Social Institutions

Organized patterns of beliefs and behavior centered on basic social needs, such as the family, education, government, and religion.

Norms

Socially accepted rules of behavior that dictate the expected conduct of individuals within a group or society.