Social Status
A social position that someone occupies within a group or society
Serve as guides for behavior
Two categories: ascribed and achieved
Ascribed Status
These are involuntary and not chosen
Examples: Sex, ethnicity, social class we're raised in
Achieved Status
Something we earn or become due to our efforts
Examples: Occupations, spouse, a friend
Master Status
The social position that is dominant to all other status positions
Status Symbols
Signs that identify a status
Example: Uniforms, badges, or wedding rings
Status Inconsistency
Having a mismatch among the statuses
Example: 14 year old college student
Social Role
The behaviors, obligations, and expectations from society attached to a status
We occupy a status; we play a role
Role Performance
The particular emphasis or interpretation that we give a role
Our "style" of that role (how WE behave as a daughter, friend, etc.)
Role Strain
The struggle of meeting all the expectations of a SINGLE role
Role Conflict
The competing expectations of MULTIPLE roles in a person's life
Bureaucracy
Type of formal organization designed to accomplish a specific goal, task, or production outcome in the most efficient manner
5 Characteristic of a Bureaucracy
1. A hierarchical authority structure
2. Division of Labor
3. Written Rules
4. Written communications and records
5. Impersonality/ replacibility
Rationalization of Society
Max Weber
Bureaucracies, with their rules and emphasis on results, would increasingly dominate our lives
Social Stratification
The way in which a society organizes itself so that individuals know their place or social position
Ranks members of society according to their relative wealth, power, and prestige
Organizing Principles of Stratification
Each society organizes differently, depending on their cultural beliefs
Over time, these become infused into the structure of society
Social Mobility
The degree to which a person can move from his or her social position established at birth
Can be open or closed-more open, the more vertical movement can occur
6-tier ladder of social class
Top-Bottom
1. Capitalist
2. Upper middle
3. Lower middle
4. Working
5. Working Poor
6. Underclass
Capitalist
Prestigious University
Investors and heirs, a few top executives
$1,000,000+
Top 1%
Upper Middle
College or university
Professionals and upper managers
$125,000+
15%
Lower Middle
High school or college, often apprenticeship
Semi-professionals and lower managers, foreman
About $60,000
34%
Working
High school
Factory workers, clerical workers, low-paid retail sales, and craftspeople
About $36,000
30%
Working Poor
High school and some high school
Laborers, service workers, and low-paid sales
About $19,000
15%
Underclass
Some high school
Unemployed and part-time, on welfare
Under $12,000
5%
Race
The biological characteristics with which one is born
Physical traits that separate people into groups
Ethnicity
Refers to people who identify with one another on the basis of common ancestry and cultural heritage
Stereotype
Over-simplified descriptions applied to every person in a category
Prejudice
An unfair and established generalization about an entire category of people
Discrimination
The behaviors and actions taken because of a prejudicial belief system concerning a group
Sex
The biological characteristics that distinguish males from females
Gender
The behavior patterns and personality traits associated with being female and male
Socially constructed
A social status and a personal identity
Gender Role
Social expectations regarding the proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of males and females
Vary in cultures/ society
Occupational Segregation
The social tendency for men and women to be employed in different occupations
The Pay Gap
Women who work full time earn an average of 72% of average full time working male
Reasons for Pay Gap
1. Choice of careers
2. Child penalty
The Glass Ceiling
The invisible barrier that prevents women from reaching the executive suite
Women are steered into support roles so it's harder to get promotions