Which term describes birth-defined membership in groups such as gender or ethnicity?

• A. Paternalism
• B. Ascribed Group Membership
• C. Social Stratification
• D. Autocracy

Answer: (B)

Ascribed group membership describes membership in social groups that is assigned at birth, such as gender or ethnicity, rather than chosen or earned later in life. This concept captures how certain identities are given to you by birth circumstances and shape how society categorizes you from the start. For example, being born into a particular gender or ethnic group places you in those categories regardless of personal choices or changes over time.

Paternalism is about authority and guiding others for their supposed good, not about how social groups are defined. Social stratification refers to the hierarchy and unequal distribution of resources in a society, not to the birth-based assignment of group identity. Autocracy is a form of government with a single ruler, unrelated to social membership.