Chapter 7: Social Class: The Structure Of Inequality

absolute deprivation

An objective measure of poverty, defined by the inability to meet minimal standards for food, shelter, clothing, or health care

blue collar

A description characterizing workers who perform manual labor

caste system

A form of social stratification in which status is determined by one's family history and background and cannot be changed

closed system

A social system with very little opportunity to move from one class to another

apartheid

The system of segregation of racial and ethnic groups that was legal in South Africa between 1948 and 1991

cultural capital

The tastes, habits, expectations, skills, knowledge, and other cultural dispositions that help us gain advantages in society

culture of poverty

Antrenched attitudes that can develop among poor communities and lead the poor to accept their fate rather than attempt to improve their lot

digital divide

The experience of unequal access to computer and internet technology, both globally and within the United States

disenfranchisement

The removal of the rights of citizenship through economic, political, or legal means

everyday class

Consciousness awareness of one's own social status and that of others

feudal system

A system of social stratification based on a hereditary nobility who were responsible for and served by a lower stratum of forced laborers called serfs

heterogamy

Choosing romantic partners who are dissimilar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership

homogamy

Choosing romantic partners who are similar to us in terms of class, race, education, religion, and other social group membership

horizontal social mobility

The occupational movement of individuals or groups within a social class

hypergamy

Marrying "up" in the social class hierarchy

hypogamy

Marrying "down" in the social class hierarchy

intergenerational mobility

Movement between social classes that occurs from one generation to the next

intragenerational mobility

The movement between social classes that occurs during the course of an individual's lifetime

just-world hypothesis

Argues that people have a deep need to see the world as orderly, predictable, and fair, which creates a tendency to view victims of social injustice as deserving of their fates

meritocracy

a system in which rewards are distributed based on merit

middle class

Composed primarily of "white collar" workers with a broad range of incomes; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population white collar a description characterizing workers and skilled laborers in technical and lower-management jobs

open system

A social system with ample opportunities to move from one class to another

prestige

The social honor people are given because of their membership in well-regarded social groups

relative deprivation

A relative measure of poverty based on the standard of living in a particular society

residential segregation

The geographical separation of the poor from the rest of the population

simplicity movement

A loosely knit movement that opposes consumerism and encourages people to work less, earn less, and spend less, in accordance with nonmaterialistic values

slavery

The most extreme form of social stratification, based on the legal ownership of people

social class

A system of stratification based on access to such resources as wealth, property, power, and prestige

social inequality

The unequal distribution of wealth, power, or prestige among members of a society

social mobility

The movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchal system of social classes

social reproduction

The tendency of social classes to remain relatively stable as social class status is passed down from one generation to the next

social stratification

The division of society into groups arranged in a social hierarchy

socioeconomic status (SES)

A measure of an individual's place within a social class system; often used interchangeably with "class"

status inconsistency

a situation in which there are serious differences between the different elements of an individual's socioeconomic status

structural mobility

Changes in the social status of large numbers of people due to structural changes in society

underclass

The poorest Americans who are chronically unemployed and may depend on public or private assistance; they constitute about 5 percent of the U.S. population

upper class

A largely self-sustaining group of the wealthiest people in a class system; in the United States, they constitute about 1 percent of the population and possess most of the wealth of the country

upper-middle class

Mostly professionals and managers who enjoy considerable financial stability, they constitute about 14 percent of the U.S. population

vertical social mobility

The movement between different class statuses, often called either upward mobility or downward mobility

wealth

A measure of net worth that includes income, property, and other assets

white collar

A description characterizing workers and skilled laborers in technical and lower-management jobs

working class or lower-middle class

Mostly "blue collar" or service industry workers who are less likely to have a college degree; they constitute about 30 percent of the U.S. population

working poor

Poorly educated workers who work full-time but remain below the poverty line; they constitute about 20 percent of the U.S. population