Social Stratification CUA Review

What is social stratification?

• The division of society into different classes based on wealth

• Ranking categories of people in a hierarchy

• The distribution of resources among citizens

• The organization of people based on age

What does social stratification categorize people into?

• Economic positions

• Categories / each layer is a class

• Political affiliations

• Geographic locations

What is horizontal mobility?

• Moving to a different country for better opportunities

• Change in occupation within the same social class

• Advancing to a higher educational level

• Shifting from rural to urban areas

What is vertical mobility?

• Change upward or downward in occupational status or social class

• Moving to a new area

• The ability to move between different regions

• Changing jobs within the same industry

What is intergenerational mobility?

• The social movement seen within one's lifetime

• The ability of a family to move to a different country

• Change in status or class from one generation to the next

• The educational progress from one generation to another

What defines a caste system?

• A system based on economic status

• Social stratification based on ascription or birth

• A system where status can be changed easily

• A classification based on education

What is the key difference between a caste system and a class system?

• Caste system is based on wealth, class system is not

• Class system allows for social mobility, caste system does not

• Caste system is newer than class system

• Class system is legally enforced, caste system is not

What distinguishes white collar jobs from blue collar jobs?

• White collar – fieldwork, Blue collar – office jobs

• White collar – labor jobs, Blue collar – management

• White collar – middle management or office jobs, Blue collar – labor jobs

• White collar – temporary employment, Blue collar – permanent employment

Which factors influence the social class one belongs to?

• Your family, race, and gender, income

• Your hobbies, interests, and education level

• Your political beliefs and affiliations

• Your age and marital status

What percentage of the US population does the Upper Class comprise, and what is their primary source of wealth?

• 1%, inherited wealth

• 15%, earned wealth

• 34%, business suits

• 30%, vocational training