Soc Ch 8
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.
underclass
America's lowest tier. Members of the underclass live mainly in inner cities. Many are unemployed or underemployed
Class Traits
Class markers. typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class
When Karl Marx said workers experience alienation, he meant that workers:
Do not feel connected to their work Marx believed social stratification resulted from people's relationship to production
In the US most people define themselves as
Middle Class
Which graphic concept best illustrates the concept of social stratification
Pyramid
Class
a group who shares a common social status based off of factors like wealth income education and occupation
premogeniture
a law stating that all property passes on to the first born son
downward mobility
a lowering of ones social class
social stratification
a socioeconomic system that divides societies members into categories ranking from high to low, based on things like wealth, power, and prestige
upward mobility
an increase-upward shift- in social class
conspicuous consumption
buying and using products to make a statement about social standing (fancy car, sneakers, expensive eco friendly water bottle)
Global Stratification
comparison of wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries as a whole
JD Foster
defines the 20 percent of America's highest earners as "upper income," and the lower 20 percent as "lower income." The remaining 60 percent of the population make up the middle class
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
intergenerational mobility
difference in social class between different generations of a family
intragenerational mobility
difference in social class between the same generations of a family
Functionalism
different aspects of society exist because they serve a needed purpose
Conflict theorists view capitalists as those who:
get rich while workers stay poor. Conflict theorists against social stratification
GDP
gross domestic product, a country's average national wealth per person. The GDP is calculated (usually annually) one of two ways: by totaling either the income of all citizens or the value of all goods and services produced in the country during the year. It also includes government spending. GDP indicates a country's productivity and performance, comparing GDP rates helps establish a country's economic health in relation to other countries
lower middle class
hold bachelor's degrees or associate's degrees from two-year community or technical college
meritocracy
ideal system in which personal effort-or merit- determines social standing
Occupational Prestige
jobs are not equally valued
standard of living
level of wealth available to acquire material goods and comforts to maintain a particular socioeconomic lifestyle
income
money a person earns from investments or work
The Industrial Revolution
saw the rise of vast inequalities between countries that were industrialized and those that were not
The basic premise of the Davis-Moore thesis is that the unequal distribution of rewards in social stratification
serves a purpose in society
class system
social standing based on social factors and individual accomplishments
Caste System
system in which people are born into a social standing that they will retain their entire lives
Upper-middle-class
tend to hold bachelor's and postgraduate degrees. They've studied subjects such as business, management, law, or medicine
social mobility
the ability to change positions within a social stratification system
The GNI PPP figure represents:
the average annual income of a country's citizens
status consistency
the consistency, or lack of, of an individuals rank across social categories like income, education, and occupation
Working-class people
the highest subcategory of the lower class, often land decent jobs in fields like custodial or food service. The work is hands-on and often physically demanding, such as landscaping, cooking, cleaning, or building.
working poor
their jobs rarely offer benefits such as healthcare or retirement planning, and their positions are often seasonal or temporary. They work as sharecroppers, migrant farm workers, housecleaners, and day laborers
Symbolic interactionism
theory that uses everyday interactions of individuals to explain society. Symbolic interactionism examines stratification from a micro-level perspective. This analysis strives to explain how people's social standing affects their everyday interactions (food, music, clothing)
Davis Moore Thesis
thesis that argues some social stratification is necessary. Certain tasks in society are more valuable than others. Qualified people who fill those positions must be rewarded more than others. the degree of skill required for a job determines that job's importance
exogamous marriage
union of spouses from different social categories
endogamous marriage
unions of people with the same social category
wealth
value of money and assets a person has from, for example, inheritance
structural mobility
when societal changes enable a whole group to move up or down the class ladder