SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

REVIEWER CUCUECO

The basic component of social

organization, which refers to the
ranking of individuals and groups
in any given society.
Hierarchal arrangement and
establishment of social categories,
as well as status and their
corresponding roles
May be viewed as:
i.
Social Structure differentiation of status
and social roles into
ranked orders
ii.
Social Process -splitting
up of society into social
categories that develop
into social groups
cooperating,competing,
conflicting - for
iii.
Social Problem - involves
bitter feelings of
discontent and of strong
demands for equality or
social justice.
A. Concepts in Social
Stratification
1. Attribution
2. Stereotype
3. Self-Fulfilling prophecies
4. Social Comparisons
5. A fair world
6. Just world hypothesies
Differentiation - Refers how
things or people can be
distinguished from one another.
(e.g. Skin, colors of hair)
Stratification - Refers to the
ranking of things or people,
separating them into
categories.
B. Dimensions of Stratification

1. Wealth and Income

Income of family
depends on what
earn and own.
Wealth - What
people own(often
inherited)
Income - How
much people get;
amt of money
person/group
receives.
2. Inequalties of Power
ability to control
ones own life
(personal power)
And to control or
influence the
actions of others
(social power)
Power is a
fundamental and
inherent element
in all human
interaction
3. Inqualities of prestige
The social recognition
that a person or group
receives from others.
The esteem, respect, or
approval
that is granted by an
individual
Provides people with a
sense of
worth and respect, a
feeling that somehow
they are accepted by
others
C. Theories of Social
Stratification
1. Conflict Theory
Stratification is the result
of struggle among
people.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Exploiters- strives to
maintain its advantage
over subordinate groups.
In a capitalist society, the
struggle takes place
between:
i.
Bourgeosie capitalist who own
the means of
production
ii.
Proletariatworkers who sell
their labor
Four Ways of Wealth
Distribution
Acc. to need - basic economic
needs of all the people
are satisfied. Material needs
not included
Acc. to want - distributed
according to what people
desire and request. Material
needs now included.
Acc. to what is earnedpeople who live according to
this system become
themselves the source of
their own wealth.
Acc. to what can be taken by using whatever means. In
this system, everyone
ruthlessly attempts to acquire
as much wealth as possible
disregarding others.

2. Functionalist Theory

Kingsley Davis
elaborated the idea that
stratification plays an
important function in
society, joined by Wilbert
Moore.
Argument states that diff
jobs that have to be filled

in the society are not

equally important, not
everyone is equally
capable to them that's
why stratification exists.
3. Open system

Also called as class

system
Positions are awarded the
basis of merit, and rank is
tied to individual
achievements.
Open Stratification is
based primarily on
economic
criteria(income))
Opportunity for social
mobility, individuals can
move up or down the
class scale, and can
improve their status can
improve or decline.
Class membership
depends on
characteristics, which the
individual can control.
The class system in
modern industrial society
is the best example of an
open system of
stratification.

A. Closed System
a closed system based
on ascribed status
(birth)
Nothing can be done
to affect mobility and
no chances of
changing ones social
position
B. Estate System

closed system of
stratification in which a
persons social position
is based on ownership
of land, birth, or
military strength.
segment of society
that has legally
established rights and
duties.
stratification system of
medieval Europe,
consisting of three
groups or estates:
Nobility, Clergy, Serfs
Nobility
wealthy and
powerful families
that ruled the
country and
owned the land.
Don't work.
Clergy the
Roman Catholic
Church was a
political power
at this time,
owning vast
tracts of land
and collecting
taxes from
commoners; the
church sold
offices, and the
wealthy could
buy positions
Serfs
commoners(far
mers,carpenters,
servants) was
extremely rare
for a person to
move out of this
estate.

C. Typical of the Class

System according to
Fichter:
1.

2.

3.

The Upper Class

Great Wealth
Recognize one another
Recognized by others by
reputation and lifestyle
Has influence in the
societys basic economic
and political structure
isolates itself from the
rest of the society
The Upper-Middle Class
Successful business
and professional
people
Usually below the
top in the
organizational
hierarchy
Often have a
college education,
own property, and
have money
savings
Active in civic
groups
The Lower-Middle Class
High school or
vocational
education
graduates w/
modest incomes
Lesser
professionals,
clerical and sales
workers, and upperlevel manual
laborers
Emphasize
respectability and
security

Politically and
economically
conservative

4. The Working Class

Blue-collar workers
Keep the countrys
machinery going
Live adequately but
with little left over
for luxuries
Very much involved
with their extended
families
Many have not
finished high school
5. The Lower Class
Bottom of the
economic ladder
Little education or
occupational skills
Unemployed or
underemployed
Often have many
problems
Have little
knowledge of world
events
Not involved with
their communities
D. Indicators of Social
Mobility
1. Power
In poor countries, usually
attributed to people who
have the wealth and
position
People Empowerment
movement aimed at
liberating poor people
from poverty, and
powerless people from
their situation
2. Prestige

Consists of the approval

and respect on
individual or group
receives from other
members of society
2 kinds of
prestige:
i.
Esteem - open to
all consists of
appreciation and
respect a person
wins in daily
interpersonal
relationships
ii.
Honor - more
difficult to achieve
- acquire
prestige simply by
virtue of their
positions and
social statuses
3. Wealth
a.k.a Economic
Indicator
Total economic assets of
the individual or a
family
E. Social Mobility
the movement of an
individual/group w/in a
stratification system
that changes the
individual/groups status
in society.
I.

i.

ii.

Types of Social
Mobility:
Vertical mobility
movement of individuals
from lower to higher status
in a social stratification
system.
Upward mobility
promotion in rank in army

iii.
iv.

v.

vi.

F.

Downward mobility
demotion
Horizontal mobility
movvement that involves a
change in status w/ no
change in social class.
- changing in ones
occupation, marrying into a
certain family and other.
Physical Mobility
known as Geographical
Migration, movement of
people from one
geographical spot to
another.
Forced relocation of large
groups of people,
dispossession of unwanted
people, voluntary
permanent migration.
Role Mobility
individuals perform one
action at a time which
result in a shifting from role
to role.
Factors Affecting Social
Mobility
1. Hardwork - True to
society adopting the open
system of stratification.
Rags to Riches success
stories
2. Social Structure Sometimes serve as an
enhancing or deterring
factor
During period of
expansion, the number
of professional and
technical jobs increases
In times of need, one
who's on lower class but
has skills can rise to the
social ladder

3. Societal Norms and

Values - The value
people place in education
can lead individuals to
advancement to higher
social strata
4. Level of Education - By
obtaining higher
education, one can be
able to climb up the
social ladder and be able
to move away the
poverty line
5. Marriage - Marriage to
someone with higher
social stratum can pull
the other to his/her social
stratum
In Filipino context, when
a girl marries a rich man,
family also climbs social
ladder.
6. Luck - Filipinos believe
that swerte is one way
for them to move to a
higher social stratum.
This is the primary reason
why games of luck such
are very popular in the
country