Key terms Flashcards
Social stratification
The way in which society is structured into a hierarchy of strata that are unequally ranked
Social class
A group of people with the same social and economic status
Status
A position someone has in society
Minority group
A category of people lacking power; can be based on factors like age
Ageism
Discrminination against someone based on their age
Discrimination
When an individual or group suffers a disadvantage because of their characteristics
DIfference between industrial and traditional societies
Industrial societies used technology for mass production, while traditional ones are still predominanlty agricultural
Closed society
A society where social mobility between different levels of stratification is not possible
Open society
A society where social mobility is possible and people can move up or down between the different levels of stratification
Ascribed status
A social position fixed at birth and given to individuals by their society, over which they have no control
Achieved status
A social position that is earned on the basis of an individual’s talents, abilities or effort
Life chances
The opportunities that people have to improve their lives
Wealth
Money,savings and property that can be bought or sold to generate income
Income
Sum of earnings and resources received by an individial or household from work or other sources
Welfare state
The way in which governments try to provide for the less well of and reduce social inequality
Meritocracy
A society where individual’s achieve the level that their talents and abilities deserve
Redistribution of wealth
A way of achieveing greater equality by giving some of the wealth of the better off to those who are less wealthy
Dependency culture
A set of values that make people lose the ability to look afetr themselves. They become dependent on, for example, welfare benefits
Underclass
A group of people below the working class that is effectively cut off from the rest of society
Reserve army of labour
People who are employed when the economy is booming or when they are needed, but then unemployed when they aren’t needed
Racism
Discrimination against an individual or group because of their percieved race or ethnicity
Institutional racism
When the way an organisation works has racist results, even when individuals do not intend this
Scapegoating
When individuals or groups are blamed and sometimes punished for something which is not their fault
Skilled worker
Workers who need skills acquired through training to perform their work
Unskilled worker
Workers who need minimal training to perform their work
Gendered division of labour
The way societies ecpect women to be responsible for some tasks and men for others
Proleterianisation
The theory that the lower levels of the middle class are becoming working class
Market situation
the economic situation of a group of workers in relation to others
