Based on Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore's concept of functional importance, the occupation that would be most important to society, and consequently should receive greater rewards is:

a. bus driver

b. elementary school teacher

c. garbage collector

d. professional athlete

e. surgeon

E) Surgeon

Explanation:

Sociologists Kingsley Davis and Wilbert E. Moore developed a functional approach to society. In this approach, they argued that society places greater value on jobs that require high skills, and serve an important function to society. This is why these jobs are better rewarded than others.

In this example, the two low-skill jobs are bus driver and garbage collector, and both jobs are poorly paid. Next on the line would be elementary school teacher, which is a skilled and difficult job, but is not as valued as other occupations, and therefore, elementary school teachers earn average wages.

Surgeons, on the opposite, are some of the most skilled people in society. They have to study for years, even decades, to become skilled, and their skills save lives everyday. Hence, they are very well paid.

However, this thesis does not explain well why a professional athlete, while skilled, might earn hundreds of times more than the average surgeon (for exaple, Lebron James or Tom Brady).