CHAPTER 9 Social Stratification

THE STUDY OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPSTHE STUDY OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPSSOCIOLOGYSOCIOLOGY

CHAPTER 9Social Stratification

Section 1: Systems of Section 1: Systems of StratificationStratification

Section 2: The American Class Section 2: The American Class SystemSystem

Section 3: PovertySection 3: Poverty


Objectives:

Identify the characteristics of Identify the characteristics of caste systems and class caste systems and class systems.systems.

Contrast the major theories of Contrast the major theories of social stratification.social stratification.

Section 1: Systems of Stratification


social stratificationsocial stratification – division of society – division of society into categories, ranks, or classesinto categories, ranks, or classescan be based on either achieved or can be based on either achieved or

ascribed statusascribed statuscan be open or closedcan be open or closed

social inequalitysocial inequality – the unequal sharing – the unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewardsof scarce resources and social rewards

Characteristics of Caste and Class Systems



Characteristics of Caste and Class Systems

Caste SystemCaste System:: Closed and lifelongClosed and lifelong

Immobility and Immobility and inherited statusinherited status

Based on specific Based on specific occupationsoccupations

Ascribed statusAscribed status exogamy, endogamyexogamy, endogamy

Class SystemClass System:: Open and mobileOpen and mobile

Reward is determined Reward is determined by achieved statusby achieved status

Property, prestige, Property, prestige, and power are and power are

important (Weber)important (Weber) bourgeoisie, bourgeoisie,

proletariatproletariat



social class social class – grouping of people with similar – grouping of people with similar levels of wealth, power, and prestigelevels of wealth, power, and prestige

wealth wealth – made up of assets (value of – made up of assets (value of everything one owns) and income (money everything one owns) and income (money earned through salaries, investments, or earned through salaries, investments, or capital gainscapital gains in the U.S. the richest 1% of the population in the U.S. the richest 1% of the population

controls more than 1/3 of the wealthcontrols more than 1/3 of the wealthchart page 208chart page 208

Dimensions of Social Stratification



power power – the ability to control the behavior of others, with or – the ability to control the behavior of others, with or without their consentwithout their consent based on force, possession of special skills, knowledge, based on force, possession of special skills, knowledge,

social status, personal characteristics, custom/traditionsocial status, personal characteristics, custom/tradition prestige prestige – respect, honor, recognition, or courtesy an individual – respect, honor, recognition, or courtesy an individual

receives from other members of societyreceives from other members of society based on income, occupation , education, family, residences, based on income, occupation , education, family, residences,

possessions, club membershipspossessions, club memberships chart page 209 chart page 209

socioeconomic statussocioeconomic status – SES, rating that combines social factors – SES, rating that combines social factors such as educational level, occupational prestige, residence, such as educational level, occupational prestige, residence, income, used to determine an individual’s relative position in income, used to determine an individual’s relative position in the stratification systemthe stratification system

Dimensions of Social StratificationSection 1: Systems of Stratification


Major Theories of Social Stratification Functionalist TheoristsFunctionalist Theorists – view stratification as a – view stratification as a

necessary feature of the social structure and argue necessary feature of the social structure and argue that the more important a role and the more skill that the more important a role and the more skill needed to perform it, the higher the reward, without needed to perform it, the higher the reward, without varying rewards may jobs would not be filled and varying rewards may jobs would not be filled and society could not functionsociety could not function fails to recognize not everyone has equal access fails to recognize not everyone has equal access

to resources, ignores the talented in lower classes to resources, ignores the talented in lower classes that because of stratification may not be able to that because of stratification may not be able to contribute to society, cannot explain why rewards contribute to society, cannot explain why rewards sometimes do not reflect the social value of a rolesometimes do not reflect the social value of a role



Conflict TheoristsConflict Theorists – view stratification – view stratification as a result of conflict over scarce as a result of conflict over scarce resources and argue that groups gain resources and argue that groups gain power then use that power to power then use that power to maintain it, based on Marxmaintain it, based on Marxfails to recognize that unequal fails to recognize that unequal

rewards are based on differences in rewards are based on differences in talent, skill, and desiretalent, skill, and desire

Major Theories of Social Stratification



Objectives:

Identify the characteristics of the Identify the characteristics of the American class system.American class system.

Explain how different motivations Explain how different motivations and cultural values influence the and cultural values influence the American class system.American class system.

Section 2: The American Class System


open systemopen system law forbids discrimination based on law forbids discrimination based on

ascribed characteristics such as race or ascribed characteristics such as race or gendergender

in theory, all have equal access to in theory, all have equal access to resourcesresources

rate of social mobility is not equal for rate of social mobility is not equal for all segments of societyall segments of society

The American Class System



reputational method reputational method – individuals are – individuals are asked to rank other community members asked to rank other community members based on what they know of their based on what they know of their character and lifestylecharacter and lifestyle

subjective method subjective method – individuals are asked – individuals are asked to determine their own social rankto determine their own social rank

objective method objective method – sociologists define – sociologists define social class by income, occupation, and social class by income, occupation, and educationeducation

Determining Social Class



1% upper class1% upper class 14% upper-middle class14% upper-middle class 30% lower-middle class30% lower-middle class 30% working class30% working class 22% working poor22% working poor 3% underclass3% underclass

major difference in classes is income, major difference in classes is income, lifestyle, beliefslifestyle, beliefs

chart page 214chart page 214

Social Classes in the United StatesSection 2: The American Class System


The American Class System Upper ClassUpper Class – attend prestigious universities; – attend prestigious universities;

owners of large businesses, investors, heirs to owners of large businesses, investors, heirs to family fortunes, top business executives; 1 family fortunes, top business executives; 1 percent of populationpercent of population

Upper Middle ClassUpper Middle Class – attend college or – attend college or university, business executives, professionals; university, business executives, professionals; 14 percent of population14 percent of population

Lower Middle ClassLower Middle Class – high school, some college; – high school, some college; lower-level managers skilled craftworkers, lower-level managers skilled craftworkers, supervisors; 30 percent of populationsupervisors; 30 percent of population



The American Class System Working ClassWorking Class – high school education; – high school education;

factory workers, clerical workers, lower level factory workers, clerical workers, lower level salespeople, some craft-workers; 30 percent salespeople, some craft-workers; 30 percent of populationof population

Working PoorWorking Poor – some high school; laborers, – some high school; laborers, service workers; 22 percent of populationservice workers; 22 percent of population

UnderclassUnderclass – some high school; undesirable, – some high school; undesirable, low-paying jobs, unemployed, on welfare; 3 low-paying jobs, unemployed, on welfare; 3 percent of populationpercent of population



social mobility social mobility – the movement between or within – the movement between or within social classes or stratasocial classes or strata horizontal mobility horizontal mobility – movement within a social – movement within a social

classclass vertical mobility vertical mobility – movement between social – movement between social

classes, upward or downwardclasses, upward or downward intergenerational mobility intergenerational mobility – status differences – status differences

between generations in the same family between generations in the same family (parent’s social class vs. their own current class)(parent’s social class vs. their own current class)

structural factors that affect upward mobility structural factors that affect upward mobility include advances in technology, changes in include advances in technology, changes in merchandising patterns, and increase in educationmerchandising patterns, and increase in education

Social MobilitySection 2: The American Class System


Motivations and Cultural Values Influence the American Class SystemValues influence Americans to try to Values influence Americans to try to

do better financially than their do better financially than their parents and to help their children parents and to help their children do the samedo the same

Most Americans remain in the same Most Americans remain in the same social class as their parentssocial class as their parents



Objectives:

Identify the groups of Americans Identify the groups of Americans that are affected by poverty.that are affected by poverty.

Describe the steps that have Describe the steps that have been taken by the federal been taken by the federal government to lessen the government to lessen the effects of poverty.effects of poverty.

Section 3: Poverty


More than 31 million people (11% of the More than 31 million people (11% of the population) live below the poverty level.population) live below the poverty level.

poverty poverty – a standard of living that is – a standard of living that is below the minimum level considered below the minimum level considered adequate by society, a relative measureadequate by society, a relative measure

poverty level poverty level – defined by the U.S. Bureau – defined by the U.S. Bureau of Census, the minimum annual income of Census, the minimum annual income needed by a family to surviveneeded by a family to survive

Defining Poverty

Section 3: Poverty


Poverty Level:Poverty Level: determined by calculating the cost of providing an determined by calculating the cost of providing an

adequate diet, based on the U.S. Dept. of adequate diet, based on the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s minimum nutritional standardsAgriculture’s minimum nutritional standards

this number is then multiplied by three (research this number is then multiplied by three (research has indicated that poor people spend 1/3 of their has indicated that poor people spend 1/3 of their income on food)income on food)

adjusted each year to reflect the cost of livingadjusted each year to reflect the cost of living usually stated for a family of 4usually stated for a family of 4 chart page 221chart page 221

reconsiderations based on changes in spending reconsiderations based on changes in spending habits since the 1960shabits since the 1960s

Defining PovertySection 3: Poverty


Groups Affected By Poverty AgeAge – children are the largest group – children are the largest group

(37%); three times more African (37%); three times more African American and Hispanic children are poor American and Hispanic children are poor than whitesthan whites

GenderGender – women are the largest segment – women are the largest segment (57%); female-headed households (57%); female-headed households account for about half of all poor familiesaccount for about half of all poor families

Race and EthnicityRace and Ethnicity – African Americans – African Americans and Hispanics are far more likely than and Hispanics are far more likely than white Americans to be poorwhite Americans to be poor

Section 3: Poverty


The Effects of Poverty Poor and wealthy members of society differ in the Poor and wealthy members of society differ in the

range of their life chances and behavior patterns.range of their life chances and behavior patterns. life chanceslife chances – the likelihood that individuals have of – the likelihood that individuals have of

sharing in the opportunities and benefits of societysharing in the opportunities and benefits of society health, life expectancy, housing, educationhealth, life expectancy, housing, education the lower the social class, the less opportunity to the lower the social class, the less opportunity to

share in the benefit of societyshare in the benefit of society life expectancy life expectancy – the average number of years a – the average number of years a

person born in a particular year can expect to liveperson born in a particular year can expect to live inadequate nutrition and less access to medial inadequate nutrition and less access to medial

carecare

Section 3: Poverty


patterns of behaviorpatterns of behaviorhigher divorce rate higher divorce rate committing crimecommitting crime

people living in poverty are more likely people living in poverty are more likely to commit crimes that police pursue to commit crimes that police pursue more aggressivelymore aggressively

victims of crimevictims of crime

The Effects of PovertySection 3: Poverty


Government Responses To Poverty Government attempts to reduce inequality through Government attempts to reduce inequality through

various social-welfare programs using two approaches:various social-welfare programs using two approaches: Transfer PaymentsTransfer Payments – redistribution of money among – redistribution of money among

various segments of society; taking a percentage of various segments of society; taking a percentage of the money collected through taxes and funneling it the money collected through taxes and funneling it to groups that need public assistance (poor, to groups that need public assistance (poor, unemployed, elderly, disabledunemployed, elderly, disabledSupplemental Security Income (SSI): provides Supplemental Security Income (SSI): provides

income support for people age 65 and older, the income support for people age 65 and older, the blind, and disabled with childrenblind, and disabled with children

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): cash payments to families with childrencash payments to families with children

Section 3: Poverty


SubsidiesSubsidies - transfer goods and services rather - transfer goods and services rather than cashthan cashFood Stamp Program: people receive Food Stamp Program: people receive

coupons or cards that can be used to buy coupons or cards that can be used to buy foodfood

housing, school luncheshousing, school lunchesMedicaid: health insurance program for the Medicaid: health insurance program for the

poorpoorMedicare: government-sponsored health Medicare: government-sponsored health

insurance program for people 65 and olderinsurance program for people 65 and older

Government Responses To Poverty

Section 3: Poverty

Documents

CHAPTER 9 Social Stratification