1. Large group of people who rank close to one another in wealth, power and prestige Social class influences our behaviors, ideas and attitudes.

2. Social Status Status- a position that someone occupies in society or a social group. Everyone occupies several statuses Status Set- all the statuses or positions that an individual occupies – Son or Daughter, Worker, Date, Student Your status changes through time

3. 2 Types of Statuses 1. Ascribed Involuntary (You don’t ask for it) Race, Sex, Ethnicity, parents social class 2. Achieved Voluntary (You accomplish or earn it) Student, friend, parent, job title

4. Status Symbols Items used to identify a status Positive Symbols Wedding Rings Uniforms Guns and Badges Negative Symbols DUI bumper sticker

5. Master Statuses A status that cuts across the other statuses that an individual occupies Burger Flipper & Student Status of Inconsistency 14 year old college student Hugh Hefner

6. Roles & Groups Roles- are the behaviors, obligations, and privileges attached to a status. – Role is played, a status is occupied Role Exit is when you end a role – Divorce or Leaving a job Groups are people who have something in common and believe its significant – Family or Organized groups

7. Social Institutions Organized means that each society develops to meet its basic needs – Family, education, religion, economics, politics, etc… Industrialized societies tend to be more formal Tribal societies tend to be informal

8. Mass Media Media shapes public opinion The big question who controls it? 1983, about 50 corporations owned most of the media in the U.S. 1987 down to 29 & by 1990 down to 23 Today 6 major companies “The Big 6” Time Warner, Walt Disney, Viacom, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., CBS Corporation and NBC Universal

9. Mass Media Today they represent the interests of the political elite Knowing who controls the media is important to understanding our society

10. Functionalist No society is without social institutions Every society must meet its basic needs – Functional Requisites 1.Replacing Member 2.Socializing new members 3.Producing and distributing goods and services 4.Preserving order 5.Providing a sense of purpose

11. Conflict Perspective Powerful groups control society’s institutions, manipulating them in order to maintain their own position and wealth Only small group of people have the nations wealth They sit on the boards and work with govt. They have the ability to pass laws and get things to benefit their own interest