WASP stands for which of the following?

• A. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant
• B. Western Anglo-Saxon Protestant
• C. White American Protestant
• D. White American Socialist Party

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is understanding what the acronym WASP stands for and what it signifies in American sociology. WASP refers to White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, describing a historical social group in the United States defined by race (White), ethnicity (Anglo-Saxon heritage), and religion (Protestant). This combination has been used to discuss patterns of power, access, and cultural influence in American institutions.

The other wordings don’t fit because they alter or omit elements of the standard label: Western is not the conventional descriptor for this group, White American Protestant drops the Anglo-Saxon ethnic marker, and White American Socialist Party adds Socialist, which isn’t part of the acronym. Knowing the correct expansion helps explain how this group was viewed in terms of social privilege and institutional dominance, even though modern analysis critiques the idea as simplistic and acknowledges greater diversity today.