Sociology Ch 21- Social Stratification

A system by which society categorizes people, and ranks them in a hierarchy.

• social layers

• social class

• social stratification

• social categorization

---------------- universal, but ________. It shows up in every society on the planet, but what exactly it looks like -- how it divides and categorizes people, and the advantages or disadvantages that come with that division -- vary from society to society.

• Stratification, variable

• Categorization, variable

• Stratification, consistent

• Categorization, consistent

Why is stratification a characteristic of society, and not a matter of individual differences?

• We see the effects of social stratification on people, independent of their personal choices or traits

• Children of wealthy families are more likely to live longer and be healthier, to attend college, and to excel in school than children born into poverty.

• Both answers are acceptable

• None of the above

What is a key principle of stratification?

• There is no resistance against it.

• People can't agree with it.

• There is none.

• It persists across generations.

Changes in position within the social hierarchy.

• horizontal mobility

• social mobility

• social stratification

• structural mobility

Changing positions without changing your standing in the social hierarchy. This is common in the US.

• horizontal mobility

• social mobility

• social stratification

• structural mobility

When a large number of people move around the hierarchy because of larger societal changes. When a recession hits, and thousands of people lose their jobs and are suddenly downwardly mobile, that's structural mobility.

• horizontal mobility

• social mobility

• social stratification

• structural mobility

How to categorize people, and they also define the inequalities of a stratification system as being normal, even fair. Put simply: if people didn't believe that the system was right, it wouldn't last.

• system of inequalities

• society's cultural beliefs

• society's tradition

• societal hierarchy

This system tends to be extremely rigid and allow for little social mobility. In these systems, social position is based on ascribed status, or the social position you inherit at birth.

• closed system of stratification

• open system of stratification

• unjust system of stratification

• fair system of stratification

This system allows for much more social mobility, both upward and downward. Social position tends to be achieved, not ascribed.

• closed system of stratification

• open system of stratification

• unjust system of stratification

• fair system of stratification