1. Get a book!
2. Open to page 260
3. You need your graphic
organizer
Sociology Chapter 8
Social Stratification
Mrs. McVey
Stratification = Layers
Definition of Social Stratification
Division of society (groups) based on
wealth, power, and prestige
Ranking of people or groups according to
their unequal access to scarce resources
(money)
– Social class: segment of society whose
members hold similar amounts of resources
and share values, norms, and an identifiable
lifestyle
Karl Marx
Bourgeoisie: class that owns the means of
production (have the money, factories, etc.
the employers)
Proletariat: class that labors without
owning the means of production
(employees, workers)
Income vs. wealth
Income: amount of money received by an
individual or group over a specific time
period (your paycheck)
Wealth: total economic resources held by
a person or group (stocks, savings
account, house, car, investments)
Power v. Prestige
Power: the ability to control the behavior of
others, even against their will
– Jesse Jackson, Obama
Prestige: recognition, respect, and
admiration attached to social positions
– MLK jr., Oprah
P. 248 photo/assessment
P. 248 #2
Who has power? Who has prestige?
– At school
– At your house
– In our country
Sociological Theories of
Stratification
Conflict Theory—inequalities exist because
people are willing to exploit (use) others
– False consciousness: adoption of the ideas of the
dominant class by the less powerful class
Symbolic Interactionism—socialized to accept
the existing stratification structure (we are taught
social class)
Functionalist theory—most qualified people
fill the most important positions (everyone
has a function in society)
P. 252 assessment
Stratification Cartoons
Use 3 “panes” to construct a cartoon that
illustrates each sociological theories view
on social stratification.
It can include your opinion
If you need to use more than one “pane”
per theory to illustrate your point, you may
Does NOT have to be in color (but you can
if you want)
Stratification Cartoon
Conflict Theory
Symbolic
Interactionism
Functionalilsm
DEFINE according to
chap 8 – key words
DEFINE according to
chap 8 – key words
DEFINE according to
chap 8 – key words
Draw a picture that
describes this theory as
it pertains to social class
Draw a picture that
describes this theory as
it pertains to social class
Draw a picture that
describes this theory as
it pertains to social class
Pie Chart
On the back of your stratification cartoon,
Create a pie chart depicting social classes in
American (according to p.254 In your book)
Color each social class a different color (6)
Social class: segment of society whose members hold
similar amounts of resources and share values, norms, and
an identifiable lifestyle
You will turn this in on Monday at end of class
Social Class Pie Chart
Social Classes in America
Class consciousness—identification with the
goals and interests of a social class
– Upper Class (1%)
Investors, heirs, CEO
– Upper Middle Class (14%)
– Middle Class (30%)
– Working Class (30%)
Roofers, truck drivers, clerical workers
Below average income, lack insurance/retirement benefits,
unstable jobs
– Working Poor (13%)
Low skilled jobs at lowest pay
– Poverty for a family of 4 in 2000 $17,603
– Underclass (12%)
Unemployed, public assistance, lack of education or skills,
physical or mental disabilities
Pie chart from page 254
Poverty in America
Absolute poverty: the absence of enough
money to secure life’s necessities
– Absolutely nothing
Relative poverty: measure of poverty
based on the economic disparity between
those at the bottom of society and the rest
of society
– Compared to others…
Identifying the poor
Minorities are disproportionately
represented
– Poverty rate for whites 7.5%
– Poverty rate for African Americans and
Hispanics is 23%
Feminization of Poverty
Trend in the United States where women
and children are making up an increasing
proportion of the poor
– Wage gap
– Can’t keep regular work if they are the only
ones caring for children
– Lack of child-care and its expensive
http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/unitedstates/quick-facts/nebraska/percent-ofpeople-of-all-ages-in-poverty#map
http://www.nccp.org/profiles/NE_profile_7.
html
Social Mobility
Social mobility is the movement of people
between social classes
– Vertical mobility is moving upward or
downward in occupational status or social
class
Example: I invented something awesome and went
from my teacher’s salary to a millionaire over
night!
– Horizontal mobility is a change in occupation
within the same social class
Example: I decided I no longer wanted to be a
teacher and became a fireman (fireWOMAN)