Social Mobility
Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households, or other categories of
people within or between social strata in a society. It is a change in social status relative to
one's current social location within a given society.
Example and types
An example of this is a nurse who leaves one hospital to take a position as a nurse at another
hospital. Vertical mobility, in contrast, involves moving from one social level to another. A
promotion in rank in the Army is an example of upward mobility, while a demotion in rank is
downward mobility
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Horizontal mobility involves moving within the same status category. An
example of this is a nurse who leaves one hospital to take a position as a nurse
at another hospital.
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Vertical mobility, in contrast, involves moving from one social level to another. A
promotion in rank in the Army is an example of upward mobility, while a
demotion in rank is downward mobility.
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Intergenerational mobility refers to a change in social standing across
generations, such as occurs when a person from a lower‐class family graduates
from medical school
Causes of Social Mobility:
(1) Dissatisfaction from previous condition: The people stick to the same
condition does not fulfil the purpose of new social ways of living. They
leave it and attend to the new condition of life.
(2) Adoption of new conditions: The people leaving the vious conditions
adopt the new ones which are functional according to the new ways of
living. This adoption of new way of living is called.
(3) Industrial and Technological Development: The development of
technology and industry brings about a have in the socio economic
structure of society. The modes of living of the people are changed which
bring about change in attitudes, ideas, habits, customs and sentiment of the
people. It means total socio-cultural life is changed. He we get social
mobility.
(4) Education: The progress of education is imperative in n industrially
advanced society. The development of technology industry and education
are simultaneous processes being correlated. Advancement in education
makes a society mobile.
(5) Urbanization: The development of urban population and modern
attitude is called urbanization It is also attached with the development of
education, technology and industry. These factors are interrelated
together. The population of Faisalabad showed the highest increment
(927%) in 1961-72 census. This factor of urbanization is being guessed due
to high rate of expansion in technology industry and education
in this city.
(6) Means of communication and Transportation: The means of
communication and transportation play great role in bringing about
social change. The people get traditional attitudes changed and
accept modern ways of living by these sources of information.
Biggest barriers to social mobility
Class, race, income, family background and disabilities have historically been
pointed to as the root cause of education inequality and social mobility. This
remains indisputable, but in recent reporting on social mobility, geography
has also emerged as a recognised barrier.
 How to improve social mobility
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Admissions: reforming education through random justice. Admissions to
schools and universities are tilted in countless ways to the already
advantaged.
Behaviour: from 'me' culture to 'we' culture.
Community: restoring local prospects and pride.
Decent work: the need for skills to pay the bills.