Stratification Flashcards
Stratification
society’s way of categorizing people
Wealth
accumulation of money and assets
Income
wages earned
Social standing is influence first by
parents
Caste
closed, static system based on birth
Class
open, dynamic system based on free will and meritocracy
Standard of Living
level of wealth available to acquire necessities and comfort
Standard of living is defined by
income, poverty rate, employment rate, housing access
The top 1%
owns 30% of the total wealth
Feminization of Poverty
women are more likely to be poor
Occupation affects your social standing by
impacting standard of living, giving you different levels of prestige
Middle class is
shrinking as income decreases but corporations make more
Class is determined by
wealth/income and the level of control you have over your own life
Upper Class
almost unrestricted access to goods and services
Upper Middle Class
more educated, can go on vacations, higher quality healthcare, usually work in managerial positions, more job security
Lower Middle Class
some education, struggle to maintain lifestyle, less job security
Lower Class
physically demanding jobs, living paycheck to paycheck
Working Poor
unskilled labor with little to no benefits, can’t provide for themselves
Underclass
no job, may be homeless or dependent on government programs
Social mobility
ability to change class position
Intergenerational
class is different from parents
Intragenerational
class changes during your lifetime
Structural mobility
the societal structure changes
Class traits
typical norms and behaviors of a certain class
Davis and Moore Hypothesis
the greater the importance of a social role, the greater the reward; jobs that require more skill need incentives
Conflict theory
stratification benefits some not all, and class systems perpetuate inequality
Symbolic interactionism
we interact with those with similar statuses
Conspicuous Consumption
buying products to look a certain class
