Ch 9: Introduction to Social Stratification

Which of these systems allows for the most social mobility?

Class system

The behaviors, customs, and norms associated with a class are known as:

Class traits

Are caste systems closed or open stratifications?

Closed stratification system bc ppl can do little or nothing to change their social standing. (ppl are born into their social standing)

2 types of systems of stratification are:

Closed system and open system. Closed systems allow for little change in social position. hey do not allow people to shift levels and do not permit social relationships between levels. (you can't get out of it) Open systems are based on achievement. They allow movement and interaction between layers and classes. (you can move to higher or lower class through your actions)

Do caste systems have low or high status consistency?

High status consistency bc they are usually born into what their income will be and cannot get out of that position.

Who published the Davis Moore Thesis?

Kingsely Davis and Wilbert Moore

3 types of social classes:

Lower, middle, and upper

Endogamous union is ___

Marriage to a partner from the same social background

In the United States, most people define themselves as:

Middle class

A Caste systems is ___

One in which ppl are born into their social standing and will remain in it their whole lives. Caste systems promote beliefs in fate, destiny, and the will of a higher power, rather than promoting individual freedom as a value. Ex: In the Hindu caste tradition, people were expected to work in the occupation of their caste and to enter into marriage according to their caste.

Are class systems closed or open stratifications?

Open stratification bc people are free to gain a different level of education or employment than their parents.

What factor makes caste systems closed?

People cannot change their social standings.

Which graphic concept best illustrates the concept of social stratification?

Pyramid

Are conflict theorists critical of social stratification?

Yes bc they believe that it benefits only some people, not all of society. For instance, to a conflict theorist, it seems wrong that a basketball player is paid millions for an annual contract while a public school teacher earns $35,000 a year. Stratification, conflict theorists believe, perpetuates inequality. Conflict theorists try to bring awareness to inequalities, such as how a rich society can have so many poor members.

Global stratification is ___

a comparison of the wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries as a whole. It highlights worldwide patterns of social inequality.

Intergenerational mobility is ___

a difference in social class between different generations of a family. Ex: the wealth and prestige experienced by one person may be quite different from that of his or her siblings. Ex: I could be a doctor, Gianfranco could be a hobo, Albert could a WWE wrestler, and mom/dad never went to college. We would all belong to different social classes.

Structural mobility occurs when:

a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes

Downward mobility is ___

a lowering of one's social class. Some people move downward because of business setbacks, unemployment, or illness. Ex: Dropping out of school, losing a job or getting a divorce results in a loss of income or status and, therefore, downward social mobility.

Income is ____

a person's wages or investment dividends.

Meritocracy is ___

an ideal system based on the belief that social stratification is the result of personal effort—or merit—that determines social standing. High levels of effort will lead to a high social position, and vice versa. Inheritance and pressure to conform to norms, for instance, disrupt the notion of a pure meritocracy.

Upward mobility refers to ___

an increase—or upward shift—in social class. Ex: rags-to-riches achievements of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez or Michael Jordan. Ex: Stephen King worked as a janitor prior to being published.

A class system is ___

based on both social factors and individual achievement. People are free to gain a different level of education or employment than their parents. They can also socialize with and marry members of other classes, which allows people to move from one class to another. Occupation is not fixed at birth.

Unlike Davis and Moore, Melvin Tumin believed that, because of social stratification, some qualified people were _______ higher-level job positions.

denied the opportunity to obtain

When Karl Marx said workers experience alienation, he meant that workers:

do not feel connected to their work

Based on meritocracy, a physician's assistant would:

earn a pay raise for doing excellent work

Conflict theorists view capitalists as those who:

get rich while workers stay poor. capitalists are considered the upper class and proletariats were the working class.

Social stratification systems determine social position based on factors like ___

income, education, and occupation.

Do class systems have low or high status consistency?

low status consistency bc the class is more flexible and ppl are able to move their social standing around based on their actions. Low status consistency correlates with having more choices and opportunities.

Occupational prestige means that jobs are:

not equally valued

Social stratification is a system that:

ranks society members into categories

The basic premise of the Davis-Moore thesis is that the unequal distribution of rewards in social stratification:

serves a purpose in society

Social Mobility refers to ___

the ability to change positions within a social stratification system. Individuals can experience upward or downward social mobility.

Conspicuous consumption is___

the act of buying and using products to make a statement about social standing. Ex: Some people buy expensive trendy sneakers even though they will never wear them to jog or play sports. Ex: A $17,000 car provides transportation as easily as a $100,000 vehicle, but the luxury car makes a social statement that the less expensive car can't live up to.

The GNI PPP figure represents:

the average annual income of a country's citizens. Calculating GNI PPP figures helps researchers accurately compare countries' standard of living.

Status consistency describes ___

the consistency, or lack thereof, of an individual's rank across factors such as income, education or occupation. Ex: Caste systems have a high status consistency. Ex: Class systems have lower status consistency bc they're more flexible

Standard of living is ____

the level of wealth available to a certain socioeconomic class in order to acquire the material necessities and comforts to maintain its lifestyle. The standard of living is based on factors such as income, employment, class, poverty rates, and housing affordability. Because standard of living is closely related to quality of life, it can represent factors such as the ability to afford a home, own a car, and take vacations. Ex: The U.S. has seen a steady rise in its standard of living.

Wealth is ___

the net value of money and assets a person has.

Class traits are ___

the typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class. Ex: People may associate the upper class with enjoyment of costly, refined, or highly cultivated tastes—expensive clothing, luxury cars, high-end fund-raisers, and opulent vacations. Ex: People may also believe that the middle and lower classes are more likely to enjoy camping, fishing, or hunting, shopping at large retailers, and participating in community activities. However, these examples also serve as stereotypes bc not all specific classes enjoy the same things.

What is a class?

A class consists of a set of people who share similar status with regard to factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation.

Which statement illustrates low status consistency?

A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year. B/c this person changed his economic status from poor to rich.

Exogamous marriage is ___

A union of spouses from different social categories. This happens in class systems. Marriage in these circumstances is based on values such as love and compatibility rather than on social standing or economics.

Which person best illustrates opportunities for upward social mobility in the United States?

First-generation college student

What factor makes class systems open?

They allow for movement between the classes.

Which statement represents stratification from the perspective of symbolic interactionism?

After work, Pat, a janitor, feels more comfortable eating in a truck stop than a French restaurant. (The interactions a person makes will be based on their stratification)

Which of the following scenarios is an example of intragenerational mobility?

An executive belongs to a different class than her parents.

Structural mobility is ___

a societal change that enables a whole group of people to move up or down the class ladder. Structural mobility is attributable to changes in society as a whole, not individual changes. Can be downward or upward. Ex: In the 1950s, industrialization expanded the U.S. economy, raising the standard of living and leading to upward structural mobility. (upward social mobility) Ex: In today's work economy, the recent recession and the outsourcing of jobs overseas have contributed to high unemployment rates. Many people have experienced economic setbacks, creating a wave of downward structural mobility. (downward social mobility)

Social Stratification is ___

a society's categorization of its people into rankings of socioeconomic tiers based on factors like wealth, income, race, education, and power. Stratification is an economic system based on wealth and income. Basically a person's social standing.

Symbolic interactionism is ___

a theory that uses everyday interactions of individuals to explain society as a whole. Symbolic interactionism examines stratification from a micro-level perspective. This analysis strives to explain how people's social standing affects their everyday interactions. Ex: B/c of social stratification, people interact primarily with others who share the same social standing.

What is the Davis-Moore thesis?

a thesis that argues some social stratification (different social rankings) is a social necessity. Davis and Moore believed that rewarding more important work with higher levels of income, prestige, and power encourages people to work harder and longer. They stated that the degree of skill required for a job determines that job's importance. They also stated that the more skill required for a job, the fewer qualified people there would be to do that job. Ex: a firefighter's job is more important than a grocery store cashier's bc the cashier position does not require the same skill and training level as firefighting.