Social Stratification
Social Stratification
A. What is Social Stratification?
1. Social stratification is defined as a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy
a. There are four fundamental principles of stratification:
• Social stratification is a characteristic of society -- not just due to individual differences
• Social stratification persists over generations
• Yet, most societies allow some sort of social mobility or changes in people 's position in a system of social stratification
• Social mobility may be upward, downward, or horizontal
• Social stratification is universal but variable (it changes)
• Social stratification involves both inequality and beliefs
2. Social Stratification is patterned social inequality. It is also the unequal distribution of societal resources. Saying that inequality is patterned indicates that the differences occur:
a. on a wide-scale basis
b. with regularity
c. and along lines of certain specific, identifiable characteristics (race, class, and gender)
3. Stratification is usually based on three major premises:
a. Power: the ability to impose one’s will on others
b. Prestige: the respect given by others
c. Property: forms of wealth
4. Patterned: if we know whether a person or group possesses or does not possess certain traits, then we will be able to predict with reasonable accuracy how this person or group is likely to fare in the social hierarchy
a. Social Hierarchy: A set of ranked statuses
5. Social Inequality: Some types of people systematically experience advantages in society while other types of people are systematically disadvantaged in our society
a. Some members of our society are thought of as haves, and others are thought of as have-nots.
b. The determination of who is socially advantaged and who is included among the ranks of the socially disadvantaged is based, in part, on certain characteristics these individuals possess and, in part, on how society values or devalues these
A. What is Social Stratification?
1. Social stratification is defined as a system by which society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy
a. There are four fundamental principles of stratification:
• Social stratification is a characteristic of society -- not just due to individual differences
• Social stratification persists over generations
• Yet, most societies allow some sort of social mobility or changes in people 's position in a system of social stratification
• Social mobility may be upward, downward, or horizontal
• Social stratification is universal but variable (it changes)
• Social stratification involves both inequality and beliefs
2. Social Stratification is patterned social inequality. It is also the unequal distribution of societal resources. Saying that inequality is patterned indicates that the differences occur:
a. on a wide-scale basis
b. with regularity
c. and along lines of certain specific, identifiable characteristics (race, class, and gender)
3. Stratification is usually based on three major premises:
a. Power: the ability to impose one’s will on others
b. Prestige: the respect given by others
c. Property: forms of wealth
4. Patterned: if we know whether a person or group possesses or does not possess certain traits, then we will be able to predict with reasonable accuracy how this person or group is likely to fare in the social hierarchy
a. Social Hierarchy: A set of ranked statuses
5. Social Inequality: Some types of people systematically experience advantages in society while other types of people are systematically disadvantaged in our society
a. Some members of our society are thought of as haves, and others are thought of as have-nots.
b. The determination of who is socially advantaged and who is included among the ranks of the socially disadvantaged is based, in part, on certain characteristics these individuals possess and, in part, on how society values or devalues these