The Changing American Society: Demographics and Social Stratification

Demographics What are they? What are they? Population Size and Distribution Population Size and Distribution Occupation Occupation Education Education Income Income Age Age

American Generations Pre-Depression Pre-Depression Depression Depression Baby Boomers Baby Boomers Generation X Generation X Generation Y Generation Y Millenials Millenials

Pre-Depression Generation Born before 1930s Born before 1930s AKA Mature market/seniors AKA Mature market/seniors Characteristics Characteristics Gerontographics Gerontographics Healthy indulgers Healthy indulgers Ailing outgoers Ailing outgoers Healthy hermits Healthy hermits Frail recluses Frail recluses

Depression Generation million people 35 million people Age gracefully Age gracefully

Baby Boomers million!! 80 million!! Characteristics Characteristics Higher education Higher education “Empty nest” “Empty nest” Physical needs Physical needs Active retirement Active retirement

Generation X “Slackers”/ “Lost Generation” “Slackers”/ “Lost Generation” Technology Technology Increasingly important Increasingly important Less physical Less physical

Generation Y Characteristics Characteristics Technologically advanced Technologically advanced More geared toward teens More geared toward teens

Millenials 1994-?? 1994-??

Social Stratification Societal Rank Societal Rank What affects it? What affects it? Societal Class System Societal Class System Status crystallization Status crystallization

U.S. Social Structure Upper Class- 14% Upper Class- 14% Upper-upper class Upper-upper class Lower-upper class Lower-upper class Upper-middle class Upper-middle class Middle Class- 70% Middle Class- 70% Middle class Middle class Working class Working class Lower Class- 16% Lower Class- 16% Upper-Lower class Upper-Lower class Lower-Lower class Lower-Lower class

The Upper Class Upper-Upper Class Upper-Upper Class Aristocratic Aristocratic Lower-Upper Class Lower-Upper Class “New rich” “New rich” Athletes Athletes Conspicuous consumption Conspicuous consumption Nouveaux rich Nouveaux rich Upper-Middle Class Upper-Middle Class Successful professionals and busines people Successful professionals and busines people

The Middle Class The Middle Class The Middle Class Majority of white collar, high-paid blue collar Majority of white collar, high-paid blue collar Balance current consumption and future plans Balance current consumption and future plans The Working Class The Working Class Skilled and semi-skilled blue collar workers Skilled and semi-skilled blue collar workers Working Class Aristocrats Working Class Aristocrats Backbone of America Backbone of America “A working class hero is something to be.”- John Lennon “A working class hero is something to be.”- John Lennon

The Lower Class Upper-Lower Class Upper-Lower Class Minimum wage Minimum wage Few benefits Few benefits Usually have a high school degree or less Usually have a high school degree or less Lower-Lower Class Lower-Lower Class Government assistance Government assistance “Sin products” “Sin products”

Measurement of Social Class Single-item Index Single-item Index Problems Problems Multi-item Index Multi-item Index Hollingshead Index of Social Position Hollingshead Index of Social Position Warner’s Index of Status Characteristics Warner’s Index of Status Characteristics Census Bureau’s Index of Socioeconomic Status Census Bureau’s Index of Socioeconomic Status Problems Problems