Psychology & Sociology
This sketch explores the concept of social mobility, which refers to a shift in a person's social status. An important phenomenon that stifles social mobility is social reproduction, which occurs when social status is passed from one generation to the next. Social mobility can be either horizontal or vertical. Horizontal mobility occurs when someone changes their position in a way that doesn't change their socioeconomic status, while vertical mobility involves changes in socioeconomic status, either upwards or downwards.
A society that allows for vertical mobility based on a person's talent is called a meritocracy. In contrast, a plutocracy only allows the wealthy to have power, preventing lower classes from ascending the social hierarchy. Social mobility can also occur at intergenerational or intragenerational timescales. Intergenerational mobility involves changes in socioeconomic status between generations of a family, whereas intragenerational mobility happens within a person's lifetime. Class consciousness is when members of the lower class are aware of their disadvantages and work together to fight for change, leading to upward mobility. Conversely, false consciousness occurs when people are unaware of their social standing and do not demand change. Finally, the lesson distinguishes between absolute poverty, where a person truly does not have the means to meet their basic needs, and relative poverty (or relative deprivation), where a person feels disadvantaged compared to others despite having their basic needs met.
Lesson Outline
<ul> <li>Social mobility: a shift in a person's social status <ul> <li>Social reproduction (passage of social status from one generation to the next) can stifle social mobility. <li>Two forms of social mobility: horizontal and vertical</li> <li>Horizontal mobility - changes position without affecting socioeconomic status</li> <li>Vertical mobility - changes in socioeconomic status <ul> <li>Upward (increase) or downward (decrease) mobility./li> <li>Meritocracy - based on talent and accomplishments</li> <li>Plutocracy - power is held by wealthy individuals</li> <li>Intergenerational - mobility between generations of a family</li> <li>Intragenerational - mobility within an individual's lifetime</li> </ul> </li> <li>Class consciousness - awareness of disadvantaged status, leading to the fight for change</li> <li>False consciousness - unawareness of disadvantage, leading to inaction</li> <li>Absolute poverty - inability to meet basic needs</li> <li>Relative poverty (also called relative deprivation) - perceived lack of wealth/resources compared to others</li> </ul> </li> </ul>
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FAQs
Social mobility refers to the ability of individuals or families to move up or down the social and economic ladder within a society. This movement can be either upward (vertical mobility) or within the same social class (horizontal mobility). Social reproduction, on the other hand, refers to the processes that contribute to the persistence of social structures, values, and inequalities across generations, thereby limiting social mobility for certain groups.
Horizontal mobility is a type of social mobility that occurs when individuals change their social position within the same social class or stratum. This involves changing occupations or social roles but without significant changes in socio-economic status. Vertical mobility, in contrast, occurs when individuals move up or down the social hierarchy, resulting in a change in their socio-economic status. Examples of vertical mobility include promotions, job losses, or financial gains or losses that significantly change an individual's or family's social standing.
Meritocracy is a system in which people advance in social and economic status based on their individual abilities, education, and achievements, rather than their family background or social connections. In a meritocratic society, social mobility is expected to be higher, as individuals from various social backgrounds have equal opportunity to improve their social standing based on their hard work, skills, and talents. However, the extent to which a society is a true meritocracy can vary, and various factors (such as wealth, access to education, and discrimination) can influence the level of social mobility within that society.
Intergenerational mobility refers to the changes in socio-economic status that occur between different generations within a family. This type of mobility can be observed by comparing the social and economic position of an individual with that of his or her parents or grandparents. Intragenerational mobility, on the other hand, refers to the changes in socio-economic status of an individual within their own lifetime. This can involve moving up or down the social hierarchy as a result of various life events such as obtaining an education, finding a job, or experiencing financial successes or challenges.
Class consciousness refers to an individual's awareness of their own social position and the collective interests of their social class. With a heightened class consciousness, individuals may be motivated to work together to challenge and change social structures and inequalities, potentially leading to increased social mobility. False consciousness, however, occurs when individuals fail to recognize their social class and its relationship to broader social structures. Instead, they may attribute their social position solely to their individual efforts or abilities, thus hindering the potential for collective action and limiting social mobility opportunities. False consciousness can also be perpetuated by a plutocracy, where the wealthy few control and manipulate societal perceptions to maintain their power and influence.
