Explaining Stratification
Sociology
1. Deficiency Theory
• Economic stratification occurs because of the
individual’s variations in ability.
• Not a sociological issue but an issue that
involves Biology and Psychology.
• Ex. The Upper class obtain and retain their
rewards because they are smarter, harder
working, etc.
• Theory was popular in the late 19th century
(Social Darwinism).
Deficiency Theory
• If they are right…then helping the
disadvantaged is a waste of money.
• Propose ending programs like Head Start and
AFDC.
• Most sociologist do not agree with this theory:
– Ignore social structures
– Blames the victim
2. Davis-Moore Thesis
• Functionalism
• Inequality serves two vital functions
1. It motivates people to work hard
2. It ensures that the key statuses in society are
occupied by highly capable people.
Replaceability: easier to replace garbage
collectors than brain surgeons.
Davis-Moore thesis
• How can we lure people to become brain
surgeons? Give them substantial rewards
(power, wealth, and prestige).
• Critics of this theory:
Some people enjoy upper-class status, not b/c
of merit but b/c of their ancestors.
Gender bias: social workers, teachers, and
child care provides receive relatively low
salaries.
Continue from previous slide
• Which occupations do we reward?
Most important occupations should be paid
the most….why are rock stars, athletes, and
movie actors paid millions of dollars…way
more than doctors and soldiers.
3. Conflict Theory
• Karl Marx
• Power is in the hands of those groups in
society that own the means of production.
Those who do not own the means are less
powerful and have less wealth b/c of that.
• Ruling class: Bourgeoisie
• Workers/other classes: proletariat
• The dominant class benefits from maintaining
its control and power.
Marx
• Lower class must obtain Class consciousness:
must become aware of their standing in
society.
• Ruling class does not want Class
consciousness to happen!
• Ruling class wants False consciousness:
subordinate groups believe that they deserve
to be where they are at in society.
Marx
• Evaluation:
• His work led to the development of the
Conflict Perspective.
• False consciousness has been applied in many
different context: race/ethnic/gender
oppression.
• Criticism: The theory is too simplistic
4. Symbolic Interactionism
• How does class impact patterns of everyday
social life?
• Important to examine status symbols
• Examples:home (mansion or public housing),
clothing (clothes worn on the job) old expression “in
the working class your name goes on your shirt…in
the middle class, on the door of your office or
desk…in the upper class, on your company”.
• Nonmaterial status: the way you speak.
New Topic
• Research Techniques used in
Sociology to rank individuals
according to social class.
Three popular methods
• 1. Reputational method: individuals in the
community are asked to rank other
community members based on what they
know of their lifestyle.
• 2. Subjective method: individuals are asked
to determine their own social rank.
• 3. Objective method: sociologists define
social class by examine one’s income,
occupation, and education.
Exam
• 50 multiple choice questions
• Review the “prestige ranking chart in the
textbook”
• Extra credit questions: written.
• Exam worth 100 points.
• Chapter 8