Sociology: Chapter 7
Social Class
A system of stratification based on access to such resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige
Middle Class
Social class composed primarily of white collar workers with a broad range of education and incomes
Lower-Middle Class
Social class consisting of mostly blue collar or service industry workers who are less likely to have a college degree
Upper-Middle Class
Social class consisting of mostly highly educated professionals and managers who have considerable financial stability
Social Reproduction
The tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as class status is passed down from one generation to the next
Heterogamy
The tendency to choose romantic partners who are dissimilar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership
Homogamy
The tendency to choose romantic partners who are similar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership
Digital Divide
The unequal access to computer and internet technology, both globally and within the United States
Social Inequality
The unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society
Meritocracy
A system in which rewards are distributed based on merit
Feudal System
A system of social stratification based on hereditary nobility who were responsible for and served by a lower stratum of forced laborers called serfs
Intersectionality
A concept that identifies how different categories of inequality (race, class, gender, etc.) intersect to shape the lives of individuals and groups
White Collar
A description characterizing lower-level professional and management workers and some high skilled laborers in technical jobs
Blue Collar
A description characterizing skilled and semiskilled workers who perform manual labor or work in service or clerical jobs
Caste System
A form of social stratification in which status is determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed
Simplicity Movement
A loosely knit movement that opposes consumerism and encourages people to work less, earn less, and spend less, in accordance with nonmaterialistic values
Socioeconomic Status
A measure of an individual's place within a social class system; often used interchangeable with "class"
Relative Deprivation
A relative measure of poverty based on the standard of living in a particular society
Status Inconsistency
A situation in which an individual holds differing and contradictory levels of status in terms of wealth, power, prestige, or other elements of socioeconomic status
Open System
A social system with ample opportunities to move from one class to another
Closed System
A social system with very little opportunity to move from one class to another
Upper Class
An elite and largely self-sustaining group who possesses most of the country's wealth
Absolute Deprivation
An objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care
Just-World Hypothesis
Argument that people have a deep need to see the world as orderly, predictable, and fair, which creates a tendency to view victims of social injustice as deserving of their fates
Everyday Class Consciousness
Awareness of one's own social status and that of others
Structural Mobility
Changes in the social status of large numbers of people as a result of structural changes in society
Culture of Poverty
Entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead to the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot
Federal Poverty Line
Federal index that defines "official" poverty in the United States based on household income; updated annually
Hypogamy
Marrying "down" in the social class hierarchy
Hypergamy
Marrying "up" in the social class heirarchy
Intragenerational
Movement between social classes that occurs during the course of an individuals lifetime
Intergenerational Mobility
Movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next
Working Poor
Poorly educated manual and service workers who may work full-time but remain near or below the poverty line
Social Stratification
The division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy
Residential Segregation
The geographical separation of the poor from the rest of an area's population
Slavery
The most extreme form of social stratification, based on the ownership of people
Vertical Social Mobility
The movement between different class statuses, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility
Social Mobility
The movement of individuals or groups within a hierarchical system of social classes
Horizontal Social Mobility
The movement of individuals or groups within a particular social class, most often a result of changing occupations
Underclass
The poorest group, comprising the homeless and chronically unemployed who may depend on public or private assisstance
Disenfranchisement
The removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means
Prestige
The social honor people are given because of their membership in well-regarded social groups
Apartheid
The system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991
Cultural Capital
The tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and other cultural assets that help us gain advantages in society