Sociology Chap 8

a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy

a change in position within the social hierarchy

social stratification based on ascription, or birth

social stratification based on both birth and individual achievement

social stratification based on personal merit

the degree of uniformity in a person's social standing across various dimensions of social inequality

a shift in the social position of large numbers of people due more to changes in society itself than to individual efforts

cultural beliefs that justify particular social arrangements, including patterns of inequality

the functional analysis claiming that social stratification has beneficial consequences for the operation of society

people who own and operate factories and other businesses in pursuit of profits

people who sell their labor for wages

the experiences of isolation and misery resulting from powerlessness

lower-prestige jobs that involve mostly manual labor

higher-prestige jobs that involve mostly mental activity

a composite ranking based on various dimensions of social inequality

buying and using products because of the "statement" they make about social position

earnings from work or investments

the total value of money and other assets, minus outstanding debts

a change in social position occurring during a person's lifetime

upward or downward social mobility of children in relation to their parents

the lack of resources of some people in relation to those who have more

a lack of resources that is life threatening

the trend of women making up an increasing proportion of the poor

• is a trait of society 
• carries over from one generation to the next 
• supported by a system of cultural beliefs that defines certain kinds of inequality as just 
• takes two general forms: caste and class

• based on birth (ascription)
• permit little or no social mobility
• common in traditional, agrarian societies

• based on both birth and meritocracy 
• permit some social mobility 
• common in modern industrial and postindustrial societies

marx saw people's classes defined by the