2. Class Stratification & Mobility

Question 1

Income

Answer 1

Amount of money an individual makes annually
Ex) the money you get for the work you do

Question 2

Wealth

Answer 2

Sum of all of the material assets (property, stocks, etc) that an individual has
Ex) All the money and things you own like $5, bike, toys

Question 3

Class

Answer 3

Group of people with similar economic circumstances (income and wealth)
Ex) a group of people who have similar money or things, like those who have the same amount of toys

Question 4

Status

Answer 4

Label that people have denoting their style of life, resources, rights, or privileges
Ex) if your teacher claps for a kid who helped everyone, that kid has high status in the class

Question 5

Power

Answer 5

Ability of an individual for their personal thoughts and behaviors to influence desired physical or social outcomes whether through formal or informal influence. THE CAPACITY TO INFLUENCE
Ex) if your line leader in the class, you get to decide who goes where, which is your power

Question 6

Upper class

Answer 6

Corporate CEOs and other people who are at the “top” of society. Their wealth affords them power that influences cultural norms and values
Ex) like a family who has a huge house, fancy cars, and can buy lots of toys

Question 7

Middle class

Answer 7

People who perform labor in positions below those in upper class. These people often make enough to live comfortably, but depending on the position, are frequently at risk of loosing these luxuries; upper and lower
Ex) a family who. Has a nice house, a car, and can buy toys sometimes

Question 8

Lower class

Answer 8

People who perform “low skill” labor (often physical) for a wage. This wage is often barely enough to survive, meaning living paycheck to paycheck
Ex) small. House not many toys

Question 9

Upper middle class

Answer 9

People who own BA or other post secondary degrees and receive a wage that allows them and their family to enjoy vacations and a high end healthcare/ education
Ex) family with nice house, a car, and lots of toys

Question 10

Lower middle

Answer 10

People who own BA associates or technical degrees often supervised by those in upper middle class and 1st to get cut during economic change
Ex) small house, one car, few toys

Question 11

Working class

Answer 11

People who perform minimum wage labor or other jobs that require little formal training or prior experience
Ex) family where parents go to work to help pay for the house, food, and clothes

Question 12

Under working class

Answer 12

People who either understand underemployment ( hop frequently between short term jobs) or unemployed people likely to be living in poverty or homeless
Ex) someone who works only a little and still struggles to buy food and toys

Question 13

Prestige

Answer 13

Extent that an occupation (job field) is respected by larger society
Ex) a doctor is often respected for their job, so they have high prestige.

Question 14

Esteem

Answer 14

Reputation and individual has within a single occupation
Ex) when you share your toys and everyone says “ your really kind”

Question 15

Socioeconomic status (SES)

Answer 15

The composite (added up) measure of income, wealth, occupation, education, and other elements of status
Ex) if a family has a nice house, some toys, and people like them, they have higher (SES). If a family has a small house and fewer toys they have lower (SES)

Question 16

SES stands for what term?

Answer 16

Socioeconomic status

Question 17

Social mobility

Answer 17

Ability for an individual to move between different social strata (class levels). This can be upward or downward
Ex) if a family who didn’t have many toys gets a bigger house and more toys later, they moved up. Or if a family looses toys and has less later have moved down

Question 18

Life chances

Answer 18

Extent to which an individual has favorable life experiences and living conditions
Ex) 2 kids: one has books, good food, safe home; they have good life chances. Another kid doesn’t have many books or toys; they have fewer life chances