social stratification. part one: the basics definition: how society is sorted into groups (aka...

Social Stratification

Part ONE: The Basics

• DEFINITION: how society is sorted into groups (aka “strata”) based on different access to scarce resources and social rewards

• Resources & Rewards:• Ex: Education, stable job and

bank loan• Unequal access/sharing leads

to social inequality


• Is there a stratification system at MHS?

• Do certain groups have more access to resources and rewards?

Discussion Question:

• Today, all societies use social stratification

• Some countries are more stratified than others

• Stratification systems impose inequalities that persist for generations


• Social Stratification is influenced by wealth, power, and prestige

• Wealth:• Net worth; assets minus

debt• Wealth

Distribution in America • Power:• Capacity to influence people

& events in order to obtain wealth & prestige


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QPKKQnijnsM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QPKKQnijnsM

• Prestige:• An individual’s status

among his peers and in society


Social Stratification• Which careers do you think are most

prestigious? Least prestigious? Do you agree??

Part TWO: Systems of Stratification

Caste System

• Position based on ascribed status

• Fixed, closed boundaries• Not much potential for social

mobility• Endogamy; exogamy not

permitted• Status consistency

• Position based on achieved status

• Open boundaries• Greater potential for social

mobility• Endogamy not required;

exogamy allowed• Less status consistency

Class System

Social Class

• DEFINITION: a group of people who share similar levels of wealth, influence and status (SES)

• Sociologists use THREE methods to determine one’s social class

Social Class

• Objective Method: analyzes “hard” facts

• Subjective Method: asks people what they think of themselves

• Reputational Method: asks what people think of others

Socioeconomic Status

• DEFINITION: a rating that determines an individual’s relative position within the system of stratification

• Three Factors:• Education• Occupation• Income

Part THREE: Social Stratification in the US

Hot Button Question:Why are wealthy people wealthy?

Why are poor people poor?

• They either inherit the money, work hard for it, or scam people…or all 3.

• Partially because of the situation they were born in and their socialization, partially because of their determination and work ethic

• They were born into money, or worked hard for their success

• There is no one answer…wealthy people have more money to make money off of & they work very hard to get it

• They work and were given good opportunities

• Because of choices made by them throughout life

Student Responses…Wealthy people are wealthy because…

• They obtain wealth by working well-paying jobs, investing/saving their money & by making smart financial decisions

• They are the in most cases the ones that worked the hardest

• They have made some type of effort to get the money they have

• Because they are raised well, hard-working, and/or lucky

• They either worked their *** off all their lives or they’ve become wealthy from a past generation that worked their butt off


• They have the ability to stay wealthy by maybe manipulation, discretion, and some stay wealthy keeping poor the poor

• They could own their own business, or have a very advanced job at a major company where they are paid good money. In my opinion, not all wealthy people deserve to be wealthy. Some are only wealthy b/c of money they inherited from their parents, so in reality they worked for nothing

• Wealthy people are almost always afforded unique opportunities from birth

• Because of their parents…or b/c they’re attractive and married into it


• Because our capitalist economic system is being hindered by socialist methods from our government. These socialist policies are to blame for the worrying pattern of the wealthy remaining wealthy through generations, and the poor and homeless being unable to find more success. After all, capitalism guarantees an equal chance of finding success for all, not guaranteed success for all…but hey, if you prefer that comfort, please move to France and let the USA do its own thing.


• They work hard to earn a living. They save their money wisely in order to remain wealthy.

• They worked harder or smarter than everyone else.

• They are smart, work hard, and work in fields that are their strengths.

• They went the extra mile to succeed and have the best education to get the best paying job.


• They have money.• They either inherited the money or

they know how the world works.• They can afford excess.• They either have an amazing job,

or got money passed down.• Often wealthy people are wealthy

because they are born into a family who has collected wealth for many years.


• They either didn’t try or didn’t want to work hard

• Of bad financial decisions, not having enough money to overspend/live beyond their means

• They have not made smart financial decisions

• They have not done anything, therefore they are poor

• Usually because they are lazy or stupid

Student Responses…Poor people are poor because…

• They are lazy and don’t work as hard as wealthy people.

• They are lazy and don’t do enough for themselves and probably do drugs.

• Poor people don’t know how to invest and save their money. Also, they don’t take advantage of the education given to them.

• They don’t want to try as hard as those who are wealthier.

• They want to work for someone instead of being an entrepreneur.

• They are unwilling to work or have bad luck.


• Each person has a “hand” dealt to them in life. Intelligence, as well as social opportunities such as wealth, schooling and peer group influences our goals and outcomes

• In most cases, I don’t think poor people work any less hard – they just didn’t necessarily have the same advantages of others

• Poor people usually haven’t had access to the resources needed to break the cycle of poverty

• They were born into poverty


• They have lower income jobs.• They either lost a job, grew up in a

poor environment, don’t have an education, or couldn’t afford an education, or are just lazy and live off the government.

• They were either born into a poor family and had less opportunities or did not work hard.

• The poor are poor because of their pre-existing situation, economic tragedies that happened in their life, and their low access to higher paying jobs.

• Poor people may not have the same opportunities as the wealthy.


• Some people are wealthy because they worked hard to get a good job. Some people are poor because they haven’t worked for money. HOWEVER, more often people are born into a social class that gives them either advantages or disadvantages in society.

And Finally…

Lower Class

• 15–20% of population• Less than $23,000/year

Lower Class

• Characteristics:• Poverty, homelessness,

unemployment• (Absolute poverty v. relative

poverty)• Most do not have high school

diplomas• Lack of adequate housing,

food, clothing, safety, medical care, etc.

Working Class

• 30–40% of population• Median: males ($40,000) &

females ($26,000)

• Minimally educated, though generally have high school diplomas

• Manual labor

Working Class

• Working poor:• Unskilled workers• Dishwashers, cashiers,

maids, servers, etc.

• Minimum wage; underpaid• No opportunity for career

advancement; “dead-end job”

• Blue Collar:• Skilled workers;

trade• Carpenters, plumbers,

electricians, truck drivers, police officers, etc.

• Better wages than the working poor

Working Class

Middle Class, “Sandwich”

• 40–50% of population• Median: males ($70,000) &

females ($50,000)• Lower Middle:• Less education (B.A.) with

lower incomes• Upper Middle:• Highly educated (M.A, PhD)

with higher incomes

Upper Class• 1–3% of population• Generally 250,000+• Top 1% owns 33% of

total wealth

Upper Class

• Lower-Upper:• “New” money• Made from investments,

business ventures, etc.

Upper Class

• Upper-Upper:• “Old” money• Aristocratic,

high-society, inheritance

Generally have an M.A. or higher

Manual, though skilled labor

Generally have a B.A.

May or may not have a high school education

Characterized by “new” money

Part FOUR: Theory

Structural-Functionalism

vs.Conflict Theory

Stratification: Theory

Stratification: Theory• Functionalism:• Social

stratification is a necessary component of society; the linkage of greater rewards to more important social positions benefits society as a whole; USEFUL & INEVITABLE

• Conflict:• Social

stratification is the result of social conflict; differences in social rewards serve the interests of some while harming the interests of others; ONLY USEFUL TO SOME PEOPLE

Stratification: Theory• Functionalism:• Matches

talents & abilities to appropriate jobs

• Values & beliefs that legitimize social inequality are shared throughout society

• Conflict:• Ensures that

large amounts of talent & ability will NOT be developed

• Values & beliefs tend to reflect the interests of the more powerful members of society

Part FIVE: Social Mobility

Social Mobility

• Definition: the movement between or within social classes or strata

• An important feature of the open class system

Types of Social Mobility

• Horizontal Mobility: movement within a social class or stratum

• Does not involve any major change in a person’s wealth, power, or prestige

• Most common


• Vertical Mobility: movement between social classes or strata

• Can be upward or downward


• Intragenerational Mobility: a change in social position that occurs during a person's lifetime

• Intergenerational Mobility: form of vertical mobility in which status differs between generations in the same family

• Absolute vs. Relative social mobility

http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/multimedia/video/2011/economic-mobility-and-the-american-dream



social stratification. part one: the basics definition: how society is sorted into groups (aka...

Documents

wealthy people wealthy

system of stratification

group of people

people events

answerwealthy people

poor people poor

wealthy becausethey

hard factssubjective