Social stratification Flashcards
Social Class
category of people who share a similar socioeconomic position in society
Ascribed Status
derives from clearly identifiable characteristics
Achieved Status
acquired via direct, individual efforts
Prestige
amount of positive regard society has for a given person or idea
Power
ability to affect others’ behavior through real or perceived rewards and punishments
Marxist Theory
proletariat will overthrow the bourgeoisie and the entire capitalist economy by developing class consciousness
Class Consciousness
organization of the working class around shared goals and recognition of a need for collective political action
False Consciousness
major barrier to class consciousness. A misperception of one’s actual position within society
Anomie
lack of social norms, or the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and society
Strain Theory
how anomic conditions can lead to deviance
Anomic conditions
include excessive individualism, social inequality, and isolation; which leads to an erosion of social solidarity
Social Capital
Considered the investments people make in their society in return for economic or collective rewards
Cultural Capital
benefits that one receives from knowledge, ability, and skills
Strong ties
peer group and kinship contacts. Quantifiably small but qualitatively powerful
Weak Ties
social connection that superficial, but there are large number of them
intersectionality
compounding of disadvantage seen in individuals who belong to more than one oppressed group
Social Mobility
ability to acquire higher-level employment opportunities given proper credentials and experience requirements
Intragenerational
changes in social status happen within a person’s lifetime
Intergenerational
changes are from parents to children
Meritocracy
Based on intellectual talent and achievement. Means for a person to advance up the social ladder
plutocracy
ruled by the upper class
Upward Mobility
positive change in a person’s status, which results in a higher position
Downward Mobility
negative change in a person’s status, which results in a lower position
Vertical Mobility
movement from one social class to another. E.g. – upward/downward social mobility
Horizontal Mobility
change in occupation or lifestyle that remains within the same social class
Poverty
Defined by low SES and lack of possessions or financial resources
Social Reproduction
poverty can be passed down from one generation to the next
Culture-of-Poverty explanation
Lifestyle of poverty, powerlessness, isolation and even apathy is handed down from one generation to another as a feature of society
Structural Poverty
theory that is based on the thought that poverty is caused by “holes” in the structure of society
Absolute level
poverty is a SES condition in which people do not have enough money, or resources to maintain a quality of living that includes basic life necessities
Relative Level
one is poor in comparison to the larger population in which they live
Poverty Line
defined by government calculations for the minimum income requirements for families to acquire the minimum necessities of life
Suburbanization
migration pattern of the middle class to suburban communities
Urban Decay
previously functional portion of a city deteriorates and becomes decrepit over time
Urban Renewal
city land is reclaimed and renovated for public or private use
World System Theory
categorizes countries and emphasizes the inequalities of the division of labor at the global level
Core Nations
focus on higher skill, and higher-paying production while exploiting peripheral nations (lower skilled production)
Semi-peripheral nations
work towards becoming core nations, while have many characteristics of peripheral nations
Incidence
number of new cases of illness per population at risk in a given amount of time
Prevalence
measure of the number of cases of an illness overall (whether new or chronic) per population in a given amount of time
Morbidity
burden or degree of illness associated with a given disease
Mortality
refers to deaths caused by a given disease
Second Sickness
exacerbation of health outcomes caused by social injustice
Medicare:
patients over 65, those with end-stage renal disease, and those with ALS
Medicade
covers patients who are in significant financial need
