Sociology Ch. 7 Flashcards
the division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy
social stratification
the unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society
social inequality
the most extreme form of social stratification, based on the legal ownership of people
slavery
a form of social stratification in which status is determined by one’s family history and background and cannot be changed
caste system
the system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991
apartheid
a system of stratification based on access to such resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige
social class
a measure of an individual’s place within a social class system; often used interchangeably with “class”
socioeconomic status
a concept that identifies how different categories of inequality (race, class, gender, etc.) intersect to shape the lives of individuals and groups
intersectionality
an elite and largely self-sustaining group who possess most of the country’s wealth; they constitute about 1 percent of the U.S. population
upper class
social class consisting of mostly highly educated professionals and managers who have considerable financial stability; they constitute about 14 percent of the U.S. population
upper-middle class
social class composed primarily of white collar workers with a broad range of education and incomes; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population
middle class
a description characterizing lower-level professional and management workers and some highly skilled laborers in technical jobs
white collar
social class consisting of mostly blue collar or service industry workers who are less likely to have a college degree; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population
working class or lower-middle class
a description characterizing skilled and semi-skilled workers who perform manual labor or work in service or clerical jobs
blue collar
poorly educated manual and service workers who may work full-time but remain near or below the poverty line; they constitute about 13 percent of the U.S. population
working poor
the poorest group, comprising the homeless and chronically unemployed who may depend on public or private assistance; they constitute about 12 percent of the U.S. population
underclass
a situation in which an individual holds differing and contradictory levels of status in terms of wealth, power, prestige, or other elements of socioeconomic status
status inconsistency
a system of social stratification based on a hereditary nobility who were responsible for and served by a lower stratum of forced laborers called serfs
feudal system
a measure of net worth that includes income, property, and other assets
wealth
the social honor people are given because of their membership in well-regarded social groups
prestige
the tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as class status is passed down from one generation to the next
social reproduction
the tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and other cultural assets that help us gain advantages in society
cultural capital
awareness of one’s own social status and that of others
everyday class consciousness
the tendency to choose romantic partners who are similar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership
homogamy
the tendency to choose romantic partners who are dissimilar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership
heterogamy
marrying “up” in the social class hierarchy
hypergamy
marrying “down” in the social class hierarchy
hypogamy
the movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchical system of social classes
social mobility
a social system with very little opportunity to move from one class to another
closed system
a social system with ample opportunities to move from one class to another
open system
movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next
intergenerational mobility
the movement between social classes that occurs during the course of an individual’s lifetime
intragenerational mobility
the movement of individuals or groups within a particular social class, most often a result of changing occupations
horizontal social mobility
the movement between different class statuses, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility
vertical social mobility
changes in the social status of large numbers of people as a result of structural changes in society
structural mobility
a relative measure of poverty based on the standard of living in a particular society
relative deprivation
an objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care
absolute deprivation
federal index that defines “official” poverty in the United States based on household income; updated annually
federal poverty line
entrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot
culture of poverty
argues that people have a deep need to see the world as orderly, predictable, and fair, which creates a tendency to view victims of social injustice as deserving of their fates
just-world hypothesis
the geographical separation of the poor from the rest of an area’s population
residential segregation
the removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means
disenfranchisement
the unequal access to computer and Internet technology, both globally and within the United States
digital divide
a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit
meritocracy
the unequal distribution of assets across a population
wealth gap
a loosely knit movement that opposes consumerism and encourages people to work less, earn less, and spend less, in accordance with nonmaterialistic values
simplicity movement
