Social Stratification
Social Stratification * Refers to the ranking individuals and groups in any given society * Tends to be transmitted from one generation to another * Is the hierarchical arrangement and establishment of social categories that may evolve into social groups as well as of statuses and their corresponding roles * May be viewed as a social structure, as a social process, or as a social problem
Basic Concepts of Inequality 1. Attributions – attributions play a very vital role in social stratification. It assigns to people different attributes as a result of differences 2. Stereotype – one assumes that persons who fall into a particular category on the basis of certain characteristics also have many characteristics that we assume to belong to that category 3. Self-fulfilling prophecies – once we categorize people through assigning a stereotype, our perception of their behavior if filtered through that stereotype 4. Self comparison – social scientist find that people need to compare themselves with others in order to establish for themselves what kind of people they are. 5. A fair world – related to the key of comparison in social life are beliefs about justice or the fair distribution of rewards. 6. Just world hypothesis – according to this, people like to believe that there is justice, that people get what they deserve.
Social Stratification System * Differentiation refers to how things or people can be distinguished from one another. * Stratification refers to the ranking of things or people or objects.
Dimensions of Stratification 1. Wealth and income – the income of any family depends on what its members earn and what they own. 2. Inequalities of power – sociologists define power as the ability to control one’s life (personal power) and to control or influence the actions of others (social power). 3. Inequalities of prestige – prestige of individuals and groups may be defined as the social recognition that a person
Basic Concepts of Inequality 1. Attributions – attributions play a very vital role in social stratification. It assigns to people different attributes as a result of differences 2. Stereotype – one assumes that persons who fall into a particular category on the basis of certain characteristics also have many characteristics that we assume to belong to that category 3. Self-fulfilling prophecies – once we categorize people through assigning a stereotype, our perception of their behavior if filtered through that stereotype 4. Self comparison – social scientist find that people need to compare themselves with others in order to establish for themselves what kind of people they are. 5. A fair world – related to the key of comparison in social life are beliefs about justice or the fair distribution of rewards. 6. Just world hypothesis – according to this, people like to believe that there is justice, that people get what they deserve.
Social Stratification System * Differentiation refers to how things or people can be distinguished from one another. * Stratification refers to the ranking of things or people or objects.
Dimensions of Stratification 1. Wealth and income – the income of any family depends on what its members earn and what they own. 2. Inequalities of power – sociologists define power as the ability to control one’s life (personal power) and to control or influence the actions of others (social power). 3. Inequalities of prestige – prestige of individuals and groups may be defined as the social recognition that a person