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caste system

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

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class system

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social standing based on social factors and individual accomplishments

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class traits

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also called class markers, the typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class

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class

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a group who shares a common social status based on factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation

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conspicuous consumption

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buying and using products to make a statement about social standing

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Davis-Moore thesis

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thesis that argues some social stratification is a social necessity

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downward mobility

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a lowering of one's social class

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endogamous marriages

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unions of people within the same social category

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exogamous marriages

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unions of spouses from different social categories

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global stratification

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a comparison of the wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries as a whole

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income

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the money a person earns from work or investments

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intergenerational mobility

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a difference in social class between different generations of a family

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intragenerational mobility

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a difference in social class between different members of the same generation

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meritocracy

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an ideal system in which personal effort—or merit—determines social standing

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primogeniture

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a law stating that all property passes to the firstborn son

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social mobility

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the ability to change positions within a social stratification system

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social stratification

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

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standard of living

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the level of wealth available to acquire material goods and comforts to maintain a particular socioeconomic lifestyle

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status consistency

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the consistency, or lack thereof, of an individual's rank across social categories like income, education, and occupation

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structural mobility

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when societal changes enable a whole group of people to move up or down the class ladder

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upward mobility

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an increase—or upward shift—in social class

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9.1 What Is Social Stratification?

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Stratification systems are either closed, meaning they allow little change in social position, or open, meaning they allow movement and interaction between the layers. A caste system is one in which social standing is based on ascribed status or birth. Class systems are open, with achievement playing a role in social position. People fall into classes based on factors like wealth, income, education, and occupation. A meritocracy is a system of social stratification that confers standing based on personal worth, rewarding effort.

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wealth

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the value of money and assets a person has from, for example, inheritance

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What factor makes caste systems closed?

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People cannot change their social standings.

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What factor makes class systems open?

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They allow for movement between the classes.

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Which of these systems allows for the most social mobility?

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Class

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

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First-generation college student

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Which statement illustrates low status consistency?

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A college dropout launches an online company that earns millions in its first year.

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Based on meritocracy, a physician's assistant would:

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earn a pay raise for doing excellent work

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9.2 Social Stratification and Mobility in the United States

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There are three main classes in the United States: upper, middle, and lower class. Social mobility describes a shift from one social class to another. Class traits, also called class markers, are the typical behaviors, customs, and norms that define each class.

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In the United States, most people define themselves as:

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middle class

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Structural mobility occurs when:

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a large group moves up or down the class ladder due to societal changes

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The behaviors, customs, and norms associated with a class are known as:

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class traits

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Which of the following scenarios is an example of intergenerational mobility?

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An executive belongs to a different class than her parents.

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Occupational prestige means that jobs are:

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not equally valued

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9.3 Global Stratification and Inequality

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Global stratification compares the wealth, economic stability, status, and power of countries as a whole. By comparing income and productivity between nations, researchers can better identify global inequalities.

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Social stratification is a system that:

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ranks society members into categories

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Which graphic concept best illustrates the concept of social stratification?

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Pyramid

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The GNI PPP figure represents:

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the average annual income of a country's citizens

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9.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Social Stratification

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Social stratification can be examined from different sociological perspectives—functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. The functionalist perspective states that systems exist in society for good reasons. Conflict theorists observe that stratification promotes inequality, such as between rich business owners and poor workers. Symbolic interactionists examine stratification from a micro-level perspective. They observe how social standing affects people's everyday interactions and how the concept of "social class" is constructed and maintained through everyday interactions.

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The basic premise of the Davis-Moore thesis is that the unequal distribution of rewards in social stratification:

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serves a purpose in society

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Unlike Davis and Moore, Melvin Tumin believed that, because of social stratification, some qualified people were _______ higher-level job positions.

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denied the opportunity to obtain

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Which statement represents stratification from the perspective of symbolic interactionism?

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After work, Pat, a janitor, feels more comfortable eating in a truck stop than a French restaurant.

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When Karl Marx said workers experience alienation, he meant that workers:

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do not feel connected to their work

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Conflict theorists view capitalists as those who:

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get rich while workers stay poor

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