Chapter 9: Social Stratification in the United States

9.3 Global Stratification and Inequality

Global stratification compares the wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries as a whole. By comparing income and productivity between nations, researchers can better identify global inequalities.

global stratification

a comparison of the wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries as a whole

intergenerational mobility

a difference in social class between different generations of a family

intragenerational mobility

a difference in social class between different members of the same generation

class

a group who shares a common social status based on factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation

primogeniture

a law stating that all property passes to the firstborn son

downward mobility

a lowering of one's social class

structural mobility

a societal change that enables a whole group of people to move up or down the class ladder

meritocracy

an ideal system in which personal effort—or merit—determines social standing

upward mobility

an increase—or upward shift—in social class

class system

social standing based on social factors and individual accomplishments

social mobility

the ability to change positions within a social stratification system

conspicuous consumption

the act of buying and using products to make a statement about social standing

status consistency

the consistency, or lack thereof, of an individual's rank across social categories like income, education, and occupation

standard of living

the level of wealth available to acquire material goods and comforts to maintain a particular socioeconomic lifestyle

income

the money a person earns from work or investments

class traits

the typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class (also called class markers)

wealth

the value of money and assets a person has from, for example, inheritance

endogamous marriages

unions of people within the same social category

exogamous unions

unions of spouses from different social categories

12. Social stratification is a system that: a. ranks society members into categories b. destroys competition between society members c. allows society members to choose their social standing d. reflects personal choices of society members

A

16. Unlike Davis and Moore, Melvin Tumin believed that, because of social stratification, some qualified people were _______ higher-level job positions. a. denied the opportunity to obtain b. encouraged to train for c. often fired from d. forced into

A

2. 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.

A

7. In the United States, most people define themselves as: a. middle class b. upper class c. lower class d. no specific class

A

9. The behaviors, customs, and norms associated with a class are known as: a. class traits b. power c. prestige d. underclass

A

14. The GNI PPP figure represents: a. a country's total accumulated wealth b. annual government spending c. the average annual income of a country's citizens d. a country's debt

C

15. The basic premise of the Davis-Moore thesis is that the unequal distribution of rewards in social stratification: a. is an outdated mode of societal organization b. is an artificial reflection of society c. serves a purpose in society d. cannot be justified

C

5. 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.

C

8. 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

4. 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

B

11. 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

17. Which statement represents stratification from the perspective of symbolic interactionism? a. Men often earn more than women, even working the same job. b. After work, Pat, a janitor, feels more comfortable eating in a truck stop than a French restaurant. c. Doctors earn more money because their job is more highly valued. d. Teachers continue to struggle to keep benefits such as health insurance.

B

18. When Karl Marx said workers experience alienation, he meant that workers: a. must labor alone, without companionship b. do not feel connected to their work c. move from one geographical location to another d. have to put forth self-effort to get ahead

B

1. 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.

B

10. Which of the following scenarios is an example of intergenerational mobility? a. A janitor belongs to the same social class as his grandmother did. b. An executive belongs to a different class than her parents. c. An editor shares the same social class as his cousin. d. A lawyer belongs to a different class than her sister.

B

13. Which graphic concept best illustrates the concept of social stratification? a. Pie chart b. Flag poles c. Planetary movement d. Pyramid

D

19. Conflict theorists view capitalists as those who: a. are ambitious b. fund social services c. spend money wisely d. get rich while workers stay poor

D

3. Which of these systems allows for the most social mobility? a. Caste b. Monarchy c. Endogamy d. Class

D

6. 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

D

9.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Social Stratification

Social stratification can be examined from different sociological perspectives—functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. The functionalist perspective states that systems exist in society for good reasons. Conflict theorists observe that stratification promotes inequality, such as between rich business owners and poor workers. Symbolic interactionists examine stratification from a micro-level perspective. They observe how social standing affects people's everyday interactions and how the concept of "social class" is constructed and maintained through everyday interactions.

9.1 What is Social Stratification

Stratification systems are either closed, meaning they allow little change in social position, or open, meaning they allow movement and interaction between the layers. A caste system is one in which social standing is based on ascribed status or birth. Class systems are open, with achievement playing a role in social position. People fall into classes based on factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation. A meritocracy is a system of social stratification that confers standing based on personal worth, rewarding effort.

9.2 Social Stratification and Mobility in the United States

There are three main classes in the United States: upper, middle, and lower class. Social mobility describes a shift from one social class to another. Class traits, also called class markers, are the typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class.

social stratification

a socioeconomic system that divides society's members into categories ranking from high to low, based on things like wealth, power, and prestige

caste system

a system in which people are born into a social standing that they will retain their entire lives

Davis-Moore thesis

a thesis that argues some social stratification is a social necessity