Sociology Chapter 7: Stratification

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Questions and Answers

What is achieved status?

Statuses that are the results of individual efforts and accomplishments.

What is ascribed status?

Statuses that are based on social valuations of factors beyond individuals' control, such as race, gender, or age.

What is a caste system?

A closed system of social inequality in which status is determined at birth.

What is class structure?

The relatively stable division of society into groups with sharply unequal resources and life chances. Signup and view all the answers

What is a closed stratification system?

A social class system in which it is difficult or impossible to move up the social hierarchy. Signup and view all the answers

What is the corporate class?

The social class consisting of people who have a great deal of bureaucratic authority in major corporations. Signup and view all the answers

What is income?

What people earn during a particular time period, either from employment or investments. Signup and view all the answers

What defines the lower class?

The social class that includes people who do not own property and frequently have no job. Signup and view all the answers

What is the middle class?

The social class that comprises people who own relatively little property but have high to middle income. Signup and view all the answers

What is an open stratification system?

A system in which there are few obstacles to social mobility and rank is tied to individual achievement. Signup and view all the answers

What does prestige refer to?

Social esteem, respect, or approval awarded to people for admirable attributes. Signup and view all the answers

What is social class?

People who occupy the same layer of a system of social stratification. Signup and view all the answers

What is social mobility?

The movement of people from one social position to another, either upward or downward. Signup and view all the answers

What is stratification?

The division of society into layers of people with unequal amounts of a given resource. Signup and view all the answers

What is structural mobility?

Changes in the number and kinds of occupations available in a society. Signup and view all the answers

What does the upper class consist of?

Families who own large amounts of property and derive authority from it. Signup and view all the answers

What is wealth?

What people own and can draw on in times of need. Signup and view all the answers

What defines the working class?

People who own little or no property and sell their labor for a living. Signup and view all the answers

What are life chances?

The opportunity to realize long life and happiness in a social system. Signup and view all the answers

What is opportunity structure?

An ascribed status that enables better social position and life chances. Signup and view all the answers

What is horizontal mobility?

The movement of people from one social position to another without significant change in status. Signup and view all the answers

What is power?

The ability to get others to do what you want even when they do not want to. Signup and view all the answers

The dimensions of stratification include ______.

Wealth, Income, Power, Prestige. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Achieved and Ascribed Status

Achieved status results from individual efforts and accomplishments, reflecting personal success.
Ascribed status is determined by factors beyond individual control, such as race, gender, or age, assigning social value from birth.

Caste and Class Systems

Caste system enforces strict social inequality, dictating status at birth without possibility of mobility.
Class structure, as proposed by Karl Marx, describes society divided into groups with unequal resources, determined by property ownership and production roles.

Stratum Mobility

Closed stratification systems create barriers for upward mobility, restricting individuals to their birth class.
Open stratification systems enable social mobility based on merit and individual achievement, allowing movement between classes.

Corporate class consists of individuals with significant authority in corporations, typically without ownership.
Lower class includes those with little or no property, often unemployed and lacking authority or prestige.
Middle class comprises individuals with moderate property and middle to high income, divided into upper and lower middle classes.
Upper class consists of families owning substantial property and wielding considerable authority.

Economic Factors

Income refers to earnings within a specific timeframe, derived from jobs or investments.
Wealth denotes ownership of assets that can provide financial support and be inherited by descendants.

Mobility and Life Chances

Social mobility indicates movement between social positions, either upward or downward.
Structural mobility involves changes in occupational availability, impacting the workforce's employment status.
Life chances represent the opportunities for achieving long life and happiness within a social structure.

Prestige is the social esteem awarded for admirable qualities, influencing status in society.
Opportunity structure allows individuals, through ascribed status, to improve their social standing and life outcomes.
Horizontal mobility describes the transition between social positions without any significant change in status.

Dimensions of Stratification

Key dimensions of social stratification include wealth, income, power, and prestige, shaping individual positions within society.

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Description

Test your knowledge of key concepts in Sociology Chapter 7: Stratification. This quiz focuses on important terms like achieved status, ascribed status, and caste system, helping you understand the different layers and dynamics of social inequality. Perfect for students preparing for exams or wanting to reinforce their learning.