Module 5: Social Stratification & Inequalities
open system
Can move higher in the ranking based off achievement
Closed stystem
Little change is social status
endogamous marriages
Marriage to a partner from the same social background
income
Money received
Walt Rostow
One of the most influential modernization theorists, charted the route from traditional society to 'the age of high mass consumption', The Stages of Economic Growth
Class
People who have similar social status
Class system
Social factors and achievements
Which person best illustrates opportunities for upward social mobility in the United States?
a. First-shift factory worker *b. First-generation college student c. Firstborn son who inherits the family business d. First-time interviewee who is hired for a job
What factor makes caste systems closed?
a. They are run by secretive governments. *b. People cannot change their social standings. c. Most have been outlawed. d. They exist only in rural areas.
Based on meritocracy, a physician's assistant would:
a. receive the same pay as all the other physician's assistants b. be encouraged to earn a higher degree to seek a better position c. most likely marry a professional at the same level *d.earn a pay raise for doing excellent work
Feminization of poverty
acknowledges that women disproportionately make up the majority of individuals in poverty
Social mobility
being able to change positions in social status.
Structural mobility occurs when: a. an individual moves up the class ladder b. an individual moves down the class ladder c. a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes d. a member of a family belongs to a different class than his or her siblings
c. a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes
Manual Castells
capitalism dominates the city; should analyze consumption and production
Structural mobility
changes in society allow for an entire group to move in rank on a social ladder
Intragenerational mobility
difference in social class between different member in the same generation
Intergenerational mobility
difference in social class by generations
Standard of living
level of economic prosperity
Downward mobility
lowering ones social classes
Upward mobility
moving up in a social class
Meritocracy
social stratification based on personal merit
status consistency
the consistency, or lack thereof, of an individual's rank across social categories like income, education, and occupation
class traits
the typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class (also called class markers)
wealth
the value of assets owned
exogamous unions
unions of spouses from different social categories
What factor makes class systems open?
*a. They allow for movement between the classes. b. People are more open-minded. c. People are encouraged to socialize within their class. d. They do not have clearly defined layers.
In the United States, most people define themselves as: a. middle class b. upper class c. lower class d. no specific class
A. Middle class
Occupational prestige means that jobs are: a. all equal in status b. not equally valued c. assigned to a person for life d. not part of a person's self-identity
B. Not equally valued
The behaviors, customs, and norms associated with a class are known as: a. class traits b. power c. prestige d. underclass
A.class traits
Caste System
An individual born into a social status will remain there their entire life.
Socially Mobility
The ability to change positions within a social stratification system
Standard of Living
The level of wealth that is needed to maintain a certain lifestyle.
social stratification
a system by which a society ranks based on wealth, power, income
Which statement illustrates low status consistency?
a. A suburban family lives in a modest ranch home and enjoys a nice vacation each summer. b. A single mother receives food stamps and struggles to find adequate employment. *c.A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year. d. A celebrity actress owns homes in three countries.
Which of these systems allows for the most social mobility?
a. Caste b. Monarchy c. Endogamy *d. Class
