Social Inequality Key Words

Question 1

Social stratification

Answer 1

When society is split into groups 
The groups with most status,power and wealth go to the top
Social class is a type of stratification

Question 2

Social inequalities

Answer 2

Different groups within society have different life chances

Question 3

Social class

Answer 3

A group of people sharing a similar economic position in terms of occupation status and wealth
In Britain it is stratified like this

Question 4

Life chances

Answer 4

Opportunities and experiences people have
People in different classes have different life chances
E.g. Richer people have a higher life expectancy

Question 5

Social mobility

Answer 5

The movement of people from one social class to another 
You can move up or down 
It happens in an open socially mobile society

Question 6

Caste system

Answer 6

Social stratification that existed in India in which people could not move out of the position they were born into
This is a closed society where ascribed status is more important than achieved status

Question 7

Upper class

Answer 7

Top of class system 
Consists of lords and ladies , entrepreneurs and well paid celebrities

Question 8

Middle class

Answer 8

Group of people who may own or be managers of a business

People who have a job which you’re needed ti go to university to get the job e.g. Teachers,solicitors

Question 9

Working class

Answer 9

The group within society who tend to have manual/physical jobs e.g. Builder
Or routine jobs e.g. Supermarket worker

Question 10

Under class

Answer 10

People at the very bottom of the social class system 
Might be there due to lack of opportunities (structural explanation)
Or their own attitude e.g. Immediate gratification (cultural explanation of poverty)

Question 11

Sexism

Answer 11

Discrimination based on gender

Question 12

Racism

Answer 12

Discrimination based on ethnicity

Question 13

Ageism

Answer 13

Discrimination based on age

Question 14

Glass ceiling

Answer 14

The informal barrier that makes it difficult for women to get the top jobs in work
This might exist because of women’s choices or discrimination

Question 15

Institutional racism

Answer 15

Where the police allow racism within their organisation

This may be one reason why there are more ethnic minority groups in prison than white people

Question 16

Wealth

Answer 16

The assets owned by a person e.g. House car savings etc

Question 17

Income

Answer 17

The amount of money a person receives regularly

Question 18

Absolute poverty

Answer 18

Lacking the bare necessities to survive e.g. Food water etc

Question 19

Relative poverty

Answer 19

When someone does not have what most people have in society eg phone computer car etc

Question 20

Subjective poverty

Answer 20

When a person feels like they are modding out on things such as status power etc
The elderly may experience this as they feel like a burden

Question 21

Environmental poverty

Answer 21

When someone lives in an area that is ugly dirty unsafe and lacks amenities that can make life easier e.g. Doctor supermarket etc

Question 22

Social exclusion

Answer 22

When people are unable or feel unable to participate in society
This may be influenced by debt neighbourhood etc
Like subjective poverty

Question 23

Poverty trap

Answer 23

When people can’t make the most of chances to save money
E.g. Can’t afford to but in bulk so have to buy the expensive option
Or living in an area in which it’s more expensive to insure a car than s rich person living in a nicer area

Question 24

Scrounger

Answer 24

Someone who is willing to take benefits from society or even make the most of it without doing anything for it e.g. Work

Question 25

Welfare dependency

Answer 25

Someone who relies on benefits from the government as their only type of income

Question 26

Cycle of deprivation

Answer 26

A person born into poverty is most likely to stay in poverty for the rest of their life

Question 27

Life cycle of poverty

Answer 27

The belief that people aren’t in poverty all their life but end up in poverty at different times of their life e.g. A pensioner

Question 28

Language deprivation

Answer 28

When a person doesn’t speak English as their first language or uses a lot of slang

Question 29

Equality act 2010

Answer 29

A law introduced to give all social groups protection against discrimination

Question 30

Cultural explanation of poverty

Answer 30

The new right explanation which suggests the poor are poor because they don’t try hard enough so it’s their fault e.g. Scroungers

Question 31

Structural explanation of poverty

Answer 31

Marxist belief that the poor are poor because they don’t get equal life opportunities as others

Question 32

Achieved status

Answer 32

A persons position in society based on how hard they worked to get there

Question 33

Ascribed Status

Answer 33

A persons position beyond their control

Not earned rather something they were born with e.g. Sex ethnicity religion