Module 9

• Society is composed of different groups with different social structures, that is some groups are higher or lower than other groups. All societies of any size, large or small have a social structure.
• Though, as societies grow larger, more often different groups are formed within them. Social stratification results when one group has a functional importance in the community while others do not.
• Social stratification is an inherent character of all societies. It is historical as we find it in all societies, ancient and modern; and it is universal as it exists in simple or complex societies.
• Social stratification


  The system of social standing where people are ranked and ordered in society
• Social differentiation


  How people can be distinguished from one another based on characteristics like skin color, race, abilities etc.
• Indicators of social stratification


  • Status (ascribed or achieved)
  • Prestige
  • Power
  • Wealth
  • Sources of income
  • Occupation
  • Education
  • Types of house dwellings
  • Location of residence
  • Kinship or family
• Open system of social stratification

  • Encourages people to strive and achieve
  • People in the same class have similar opportunities, lifestyles, attitudes, behavior and socio-economic positions
  • Based on achievement, allows movement and interaction between layers and classes
  • People have equal chance to move up or down the classes
• Closed system of social stratification

  • Rigid, fixed and immutable
  • Membership is determined by birth
  • Little or no social mobility
  • Caste system is an example
• Ethnic system of social stratification


  • Based on ethnic or racial differences
  • Ethnic groups are ranked in a hierarchy
  • Ethnic identity is ascribed at birth and difficult to change
• Different societies have different explanations of why people should be unequal
• The idea that social inequality plays a vital role in the smooth operation of society is consistent with the structural-functional approach.
• Open system


  The class structure encourages people to strive and achieve something. People belonging to one social class have similar opportunities, 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 open system


  • Upper Class
  • Middle Class
  • Lower Class
• Upper Class


  • Great wealth and sources of income, elite wealthy group in the society, high reputation in terms of power and prestige, live in exclusive residential area, belong to exclusive private clubs, strong political influence, own several cars and properties, children study in exclusive schools
• Middle Class


  • Upper-middle class: highly educated business and professional people with high incomes, such as doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers, and CEOs. Lower-middle class: people with lower incomes, such as managers, small business owners, teachers, and secretaries. Generally command of high income, college education, live in comfortable homes, own properties, have some money savings, and active in community activities.
• Lower Class


  • Typified by poverty, homelessness, and unemployment. Upper-lower class: working class or laborers, have acquired little education, little time to be involved in civic and community activities, underemployed, have many socio-economic problems, with little or no luxuries at all. Lower-lower class: unemployed, or no source of income except by begging or dependent from private and government relief, live in squatter areas, under the bridge, in street corridors, or with no house at all, may be involved in drug addiction and criminalities.
• Closed system


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


  • Caste System
  • Estate System
• Caste System


  • Rigid social contact, people are born and die in their caste, contact between and among the caste is minimal and governed by a set of rules, existed for centuries in India including the Brahmans, Kahatryias, Vaishyus, and Shudrus.
• Estate System


  • Social standing is based on ownership of land, birth, or military strength, individuals born into one of the estates remained there throughout life but in extreme cases there is social mobility, three major estates in Europe: nobility, clergy, and the peasants.
• Ethnic system


  Social stratification based on national origin, language and religion, ethnic groups have a sense of identity and interact more freely with those belonging to the same ethnic category, colonizers perceived themselves to be occupying the upper social class than the Filipinos or the natives whom they called as Indios, immigrants usually belong to a lower status than the inhabitants, ethnic minority groups are considered inferior than the others.
• Social mobility


  Movement within the social structure, from one social position to another, a change in social status, all societies provide some opportunity for social mobility but the extent varies.
• Types of social mobility

  • Social mobility
  • Geographical mobility
  • Role mobility
• Social mobility


  • Upward (vertical) mobility: movement of people or groups from one status to another, involves change in class, occupation or power. Downward (horizontal) mobility: change in position without the change in status, a change in position within the rage of the status.
• Geographical mobility


  • Voluntary movement of people from one geographical area to another due to change in residence, commuting, business trips, voluntary migration. Forced migration: forced relocation or residence, eviction, dispossession of unwanted people, transportation of slaves.
• Role mobility


  • Individual's shifting from role to role, every member of a society has roles to play, different situations call for enactment of various roles.
• 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.
• Directions: Complete the table by listing down the assumptions of the three theoretical perspectives (Structural – Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic-Interactionism) on social stratification.
• Theoretical Perspectives


  • Structural - Functionalism
  • Conflict Theory
  • Symbolic-Interactionism
• Directions: Differentiate the three social classes under open system by completing the graphic organizer below.
• Social Classes


  • Upper Class
  • Middle Class
  • Lower Class
• Directions: Answer the following questions briefly but substantially. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper. Your answers will be scored based on the rubrics below.
• 1. How is social stratification differ from social differentiation?
• 2. How is open system of social stratification differ from closed system of social stratification?
• 3. Does inequality of prestige exist in the Philippines? Explain.
• Directions: Look for a person (a local figure) whom you consider very successful today, that is he/she started as a poor person until he/she succeeded in life (political, education, business, religious field). Write his/her success story. Use a separate paper for your output. You will be graded based on the rubrics below.
• Name of the Successful Person:
• Present Position: