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
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