Chapter 11 Stratification and Global Inequality Key terms

social stratification A society’s system for ranking people hierarchically according to such attributes as wealth, power, and prestige. closed stratification system A stratification system in which there are rigid boundaries between social strata.

open stratification system A stratification system in which the boundaries between social strata are easily crossed. social mobility Movement by an individual or group from one social stratum to another.

upward mobility Movement by an individual or group to a higher social stratum. downward mobility Movement by an individual or group to a lower social stratum.

caste A social stratum into which people are born and in which they remain for life. ascribed status A position or rank that is assigned to an individual at birth and cannot be changed

achieved status A position or rank that is earned through the efforts of the individual. class A social stratum that is defined primarily by economic criteria such as occupation, income, and wealth.

status group A category of people within a social class, defined by how much honor or prestige they receive from the society in general. life chances The opportunities that an individual will have or be denied throughout life as a result of his or her social-class position.

structural mobility Movement of an individual or group from one social stratum to another that is caused by the elimination of an entire class as a result of changes in the means of existence. spatial mobility Movement of an individual or group from one location or community to another.

status symbols Material objects or behaviors that indicate social status or prestige. deference The respect and esteem shown to an individual.

demeanor The ways in which individuals present themselves to others through body language, dress, speech, and manners. power The ability to control the behavior of others, even against their will.

authority Power that is considered legitimate both by those who exercise it and by those who are affected by it. objective class In Marxian theory, a social class that has a visible, specific relationship to the means of production.

subjective class In Marxian theory, the way members of a given social class perceive their situation as a class. class consciousness A group’s shared subjective awareness of its objective situation as a class.

intragenerational mobility A change in the social class of an individual within his or her own lifetime. intergenerational mobility A change in the social class of family members from one generation to the next.