ucsp m9

• Social stratification is an inherent character of all societies
• Social differentiation


  How people can be distinguished from one another based on characteristics like skin color, hair color, race, mental and physical ability
• Social stratification


  The ranking of people in a society, where people are separated into social categories that are ranked as higher or lower
• Indicators of social stratification

  • Sources of income
  • Occupation
  • Education
  • Types of house dwellings
• Ascribed status


  Statuses assigned or given by society based on fixed categories like sex, family background, race, and ethnic heritage
• Achieved status


  Statuses earned by the individual through their talent, skills, occupation and perseverance
• Prestige


  The evaluation of status
• Power


  The ability to influence other people
• Prestige


  A person's position in society that enables them to have resources or opportunities
• Wealth


  The amount of resources a person has
• Income


  The money a person receives
• Occupations


  • Professionals
  • Non-professionals (clerks, drivers, etc)
  • Proprietors of small business
  • Skilled workers
  • Semi-skilled workers
  • Unskilled workers
• Examination of the mentioned occupations indicates disparities in prestige, income and power
• Educational attainment


  • Masteral or doctoral degree holder
  • College graduate
  • High school graduate
  • Elementary school drop-out
• Possession of any of these educational backgrounds may characterize the person's status in the community
• Types of house dwellings

  • Permanent house (concrete and excellent in appearance)
  • Semi-permanent house (semi-concrete and very good in appearance and construction)
  • Temporary house (wood and fair in appearance and construction)
  • Poorly constructed house (houses found in squatter areas, or those considered below-the-bridge houses)
• Power, prestige and wealth are also attached to the location of residence
• In the Philippines, when a person belongs to the Ayala's, Soriano's, Zobel's, Villar's, that person is regarded as belonging to the upper class (rich) status
• Children of sultans and datus are highly regarded as rich
• If a person is from a family whose house is situated in the squatter's area, that person is regarded as poor or belonging to lower class status
• Open system


  The class structure is an open system. It encourages people to strive and achieve something. People belonging to one social class have similar opportunities, similar lifestyles, attitudes, behavior and possibly similar socio-economic positions. It is based on achievement, allow movement and interaction between layers and classes. One person can move up or down to class through intermarriages, opportunities, or achievement. People have equal chance to succeed.
• Categories in an open system

  • Upper Class
  • Middle Class (Upper-middle class, Lower-middle class)
  • Lower Class (Upper-lower class, Lower-lower class)
• Closed system


  Accommodates little change in social position. They do not allow people to shift levels and do not permit social relationships between levels.
• Types of closed systems

  • Caste system
  • Estate system
• Ethnic system


  Social stratification based on national origin, language and religion. Ethnicity sets segments of society apart and each group has a sense of identity.
• Social mobility


  The movement within the social structure, from one social position to another. It means a change in social status.
• Types of social mobility

  • Social mobility (upward, downward)
  • Geographical mobility (voluntary, forced)
  • Role mobility
• Structural-Functionalism


  • Stratification is necessary to induce people with special intelligence, knowledge, and skills to enter the most important occupations. Stratification is necessary and inevitable.
• Conflict Theory


  • Stratification results from lack of opportunity and from discrimination and prejudice against the poor, women, and people of color. It is neither necessary nor inevitable.
• Symbolic-Interactionism


  • Stratification affects people's beliefs, lifestyles, daily interaction, and conceptions of themselves.
• Social stratification


  The division of society into categories, ranks, or classes
• Social inequality


  The unequal sharing of scarce resources and social rewards
• Theoretical perspectives on social stratification

  • Structural-Functionalism
  • Conflict Theory
  • Symbolic-Interactionism
• Structural-Functionalism


  • Inequality exists because it helps assure that the most qualified people fill the most important positions
• Conflict Theory


  • Inequality exists because some people are willing to exploit others
• Symbolic-Interactionism


  • Focuses on how people's social standing affects their everyday interactions and understandings
• In a caste system, social status is inherited and cannot be changed
• In an open system of social stratification, people can move from one level to another through acquiring skills and hard work
• A factory worker's son earns his way through college and becomes a physics engineer

  This is an example of vertical mobility
• Isidra moves from a job as a computer programmer to a job as a Web page designer

  This is an example of horizontal mobility