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Sociology Chapter 9 Flashcards
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Sociology Chapter 9 Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What is social stratification?

A socioeconomic system that divides society's members into categories ranking from high to low, based on wealth, power, and prestige.

What are stratification systems?

Systems that can be closed or open, affecting social mobility.

What distinguishes a caste system?

A system in which people are born into a social standing that they will retain their entire lives.

What defines a class system?

<p>Social standing based on social factors and individual accomplishments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is wealth?

<p>The value of money and assets a person has.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is income?

<p>The money a person earns from work or investments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a meritocracy?

<p>An ideal system in which personal effort—or merit—determines social standing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does status consistency refer to?

<p>The consistency of an individual's rank across social categories.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is social mobility?

<p>The ability to change positions within a social stratification system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these systems allows for the most social mobility?

<p>Class System</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which person best illustrates opportunities for upward social mobility in the United States?

<p>First-generation college student.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What factor makes caste systems closed?

<p>People cannot change their social standings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What factor makes class systems open?

<p>They allow for movement between the classes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement illustrates low status consistency?

<p>A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the United States, most people define themselves as:

<p>Middle class.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is upward mobility?

<p>An increase—or upward shift—in social class.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is downward mobility?

<p>A lowering of one's social class.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is intergenerational mobility?

<p>A difference in social class between different generations of a family.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is intragenerational mobility?

<p>A difference in social class between different members of the same generation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are class traits?

<p>The typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Structural mobility occurs when:

<p>A large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Social Stratification Overview

  • Social stratification is a system that categorizes society's members into ranked groups based on wealth, power, and prestige.
  • Two types of stratification systems:
    • Closed systems (e.g., caste systems) allow little to no movement in social position.
    • Open systems (e.g., class systems) enable movement and interaction among different social layers.

Caste and Class Systems

  • Caste System: Individuals are born into a specific social standing that remains unchanged throughout their lives.
  • Class System: Social standing is determined by a combination of factors such as wealth, income, education, and personal accomplishments.

Key Definitions

  • Wealth: The total value of money and assets owned, often inherited.
  • Income: Earnings from work or investments.
  • Class: Groups sharing a common social status influenced by wealth, occupation, and education.

Marriage and Social Categories

  • Exogamous Unions: Marriages between spouses from different social categories.
  • Endogamous Marriages: Unions within the same social category.

Meritocracy

  • Defined as a system where social standing is based on personal merit and effort.
  • An ideal meritocracy rewards individuals like physician's assistants with raises for excellent performance.

Status Consistency

  • Refers to the uniformity of an individual's rank across various categories such as income and education.
  • Low status consistency example: A college dropout becomes financially successful through entrepreneurship.

Social Mobility in the United States

  • Three main social classes in the U.S.: upper, middle, and lower class.
  • Social Mobility: The ability to move between social classes.
    • Upward Mobility: An increase in social class.
    • Downward Mobility: A decrease in social class.

Generational Mobility

  • Intergenerational Mobility: Changes in social class across generations within a family.
  • Intragenerational Mobility: Class differences among members of the same generation.

Societal Changes and Mobility

  • Structural Mobility: Occurs when societal factors enable large groups to move up or down the class ladder.
  • Class traits, or markers, are behaviors, customs, and norms defining each class, with most people in the U.S. identifying as middle class.

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Description

Test your understanding of social stratification with these flashcards covering Chapter 9. Explore the differences between closed and open systems, and the roles of class and caste in society. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their knowledge of key sociological concepts.

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