Chapter 12 / KHAN Foundation 10 Flashcards
glass ceiling effect
the idea that women are more poorly represented in higher positions in companies
caste system
little social mobility; large social stability
role in life is determined by background (family and marriage)
caste vs class vs metirocroacy
caste → born into a social class; little mobility, large stability
class → combination of background and individual ability/efforts; more mobility, less stability
meritocracy → social position achieved based SOLELY on individual merit (background is irrelevant)
social reproduction
transmission of social inequality from one generation to the next
ex. People with rich parents end up wealthy themselves; poor families give birth to kids in poor neighborhoods, with less access to education and opportunities, and they grow up to be poor also
educational systems..
value the social and cultural capital of wealthy people than that of poor people
reinforces social stratification and social reproduction
theory of structural poverty
based on the concept of “holes” in the structure of society rather than poverty due to the action of the individual
social class
a category of people who share a similar socioeconomic position in society
ascribed vs achieved status
ascribed → involuntary status derived from characteristics such as age, gender, and skin colour
achieved → status acquired from individual efforts
prestige
the amount of positive regard society has for a given person or idea
(ex. certain occupations have high prestige)
power
the ability to affect others; behaviour through real or perceived rewards and punishments
based on the unequal distribution of valued resources
Karl Marx / marxist theory
a theory that if/when the working class or “have-nots” develop class consciousness and realize that by working together as a unit they could overcome their exploitation and take control of the economic system
class consciousness
when the working class realizes that as a class, they have solidarity against the owners or the “haves”
false consciousness
a barrier to class consciousness
a misperception of one’s actual position within society
when the “have-nots” are unable to see how bad the conditions are to assemble into a revolting group that Marx envisioned
anomie
accelerates social inequality
a lack of social norms
the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and society
include excessive individualism and isolated
strain theory
focuses on how anomic conditions can lead to deviant
