Social Class Flashcards
Social Stratification
The system by which society ranks categories of people into a hierarchy
Functionalism
States that social stratification is necessary and results from the need for those with special intelligence, knowledge, and skills to be a part of the most important professions and occupations. A harmonious equilibrium.
Socioeconomic status
Ascribed status: Involuntary, derives from clearly identifiable characteristics such as age and gender
Achieved status: Acquired through direct, individual efforts
Social Class
A category of people with shared socioeconomic characteristics
Prestige
Respect and importance tied to specific occupations or associations
Power
The capacity to influence people
Anomie
Lack of social norms, the breakdown of social bonds between individuals and society
Strain Theory
Focuses on how anomic conditions can lead to deviance and in turn reinforce social stratification
Social Capital
Benefits provided by social networks. Or, the investment people make in their society in return for rewards
Meritocracy
Advancement up the social ladder is based on intellectual talent and achievement
Social Mobility
Allows one to acquire higher-level employment opportunities by achieving required credentials and experience
Poverty
In the USA, the poverty line is determined by the government’s calculation of the minimum income required for the necessities of life
Absolute poverty
When one can’t acquire basic life necessitites
Relative poverty
When one is poor in comparison to a larger population. Ex: “Anyone one earns less than 60% of the median income is poor.” It is relative to the population, not based on a hard number value
Relative Deprivation Theory
people seek to acquire something that others possess and which they believe they should have too. They are not necessarily poor, but they may perceive that they are lacking resources or money. It is all relative.
