Sociology Unit 3: Social Structure & Stratification (old)

pink collar Jobs

"women's" jobs such as nanny, waitress, bank teller, meter maid, florist, hairstylist, receptionist, personal shopper, dental assistant, travel agent

upper class

1% of population; Old Money and New Money; Attend prestigious universities; owners of large businesses, investors, heirs to family fortunes, top business executives

Caste System

A closed system of social inequality in which status is determined at birth; scarce resources and rewards are distributed on the basis of ascribed status

working poor

13% of population; Some high school; minimum wage laborers, housecleaners, service workers

underclass

3% of population; Generations of poverty and unemployment; undesirable low paying jobs, unemployed, on welfare

working class

30% of population; manual labor or blue-collar workers, high school education; vocational training. Examples: electrician, factory workers, clerical workers, truck driver

middle class

40% of population; professional jobs, college educated, white-collar

mediation

A form of accommodation that involves calling in a third party who acts as an advisor/counselor to help the two parties reach an agreement

compromise

A form of accommodation when two parties both give up something to come to an agreement

arbitration

A form of accommodation where a third party makes a decision that is binding on both parties

truce

A form of accommodation which brings a temporary halt to a conflict until a compromise is reached

relative poverty

A measure of poverty that is unique to each society; standard of living as compared to the economic standards of living for other people within their society

unemployment assistance

A program that pays benefits to workers who have lost their job

Closed stratification system

A social class system which it is difficult or impossible to move up the social hierarchy

poverty

A standard of living that is below the minimum level considered adequate by society, a relative measure

Open stratification system

A stratification system in which there are few obstacles to social mobility, positions are awarded on the basis of merit, and rank is tied to individual achievement

exchange

A type of social interaction taken in an effort to receive a reward in return for actions; involves reciprocity

accommodation

A type of social interaction that is the state of balance between cooperation and conflict; give a little - take a little

competition

A type of social interaction that occurs when two or more persons oppose each other to achieve a goal that only one of them can attain

conflict

A type of social interaction when people deliberately attempt to oppose, harm, or control another person by force; purpose is to defeat the opponent

SNAP (CalFresh in CA)

A welfare program that provides food stamps for purchasing nutritious food

Functionalist Theory of Stratification

Max Weber's Theory that says stratification is necessary to help society run smoothly and ensure that certain roles are performed

Class System

An open system in which scarce resources and rewards are determined based on achieved status; talent and individual effort allow movement up and down ladder

poverty level

Defined by the U.S. Bureau of Census, the minimum annual income needed by a family to survive; the income level below which the government considers poor

Marx Theory of Social Stratification

Defines social class in terms of who owns the means of production. Society is divided into two groups - the bourgeoisie (owners) and the proletariat (labor)

Social stratification

Division of society into categories, rank, or classes

Social Security

Federal program of disability and retirement benefits that covers most working people

Social class

Grouping of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and prestige

Conflict Theory of Stratification

Karl Marx's Theory that says groups compete for scarce resources, which causes social inequality; Those with power shape policy to keep power

Wealth

Made up of assets and income

vertical mobility

Movement between social classes (ex: promotion)

horizontal mobility

Movement within a social class (ex: job transfer)

master status

One's dominant status -- the status a person most identifies themselves at a given point in their lives.

Socioeconomic status (SES)

Rating that combines social factors such as educational level, occupational prestige, residence, income, used to determine an individual's relative position in the stratification system.

new money

Recently acquired wealth through own efforts (Oprah, Bill Gates, Kardashians)

Prestige

Respect, honor, recognition, or courtesy an individual receives from other members of society

Weber's Theory of Social Stratification

Social class consists of three factors: wealth, power, prestige.

cooperation

Social interaction when two or more people work together to achieve a common goal

intergenerational mobility

Status differences between generations in the same family

Power

The ability to control the behavior of others, with or without their consent

absolute poverty

The absence of enough money to secure life's necessities

life expectancy

The average number of years a person born in a particular year can expect to live

role set

The different roles attached to a single status.

life chances

The likelihood that individual will share in the opportunities and benefits of society; includes health, length of life, housing, and education

poverty line

The minimum level of income deemed adequate; currently it is $26,500 for a family of 4 (2022)

social mobility

The movement between or within social classes or strata

Social inequality

The unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards

social structure

a network of related statuses & roles that guide human interaction

role performance

a person's actual role behavior

WIC (Women, Infants, and Children)

a program that provides help for nutrition and health care to low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

a welfare program that gives cash aid and services to eligible needy California families

role strain

conflict within a status; when a person has difficulties fulfilling the role expectations of a single status

government assistance

financial help from the government, such as welfare, food stamps, section 8 housing, medicaid, free lunch programs

blue collar jobs

jobs that involve manual labor, such as construction, mechanic, bus driver, cook, plumber, warehouse

status

socially defined position in a group

role expectation

socially determined behaviors attached to a role

achieved status

status acquired through your own effort

intragenerational mobility

status difference within a person's lifetime

ascribed status

status that is assigned according to things outside your control, not earned

social institution

system of statuses, roles, values, & norms that is organized to satisfy basic needs of society. Examples: family, religion, education, economic institutions, political institutions

role

the behavior assigned to status

role conflict

the conflict between 2 statuses; fulfilling the role expectation in one status makes it difficult to fulfill the role expectations in another status

old money

the inherited wealth of established upper-class families or royalty. You family has money for GENERATIONS (Hiltons, Fords, Kennedys, Rockefellers)

transfer payments

welfare and other supplementary payments that a state or the federal government makes to individuals; it is the government's attempt to reduce social inequality by redistributing money among various segments of society

reciprocal roles

when people of 2 related statuses interact with each other, like husband-wife, doctor-patient, athlete-coach, student-teacher