Key Concepts
The ranking of individuals and groups in a society according to wealth, power, and prestige.
What is social stratification?
The number of major social classes typically recognized in America.
What are five?
Wages and salaries are examples of this type of income.
What is earned income?
Moving up or down the class ladder compared to your parents’ class.
What is intergenerational mobility?
Compared to many other nations, this is much higher in the U.S., often leaving graduates in debt.
What is the cost of college?
This is a person’s social standing, often based on income, education, and occupation.
What is socioeconomic status (SES)?
This class is often associated with manual labor jobs, sometimes called “working class.”
What is the blue-collar?
A tax system where higher earners pay a higher percentage of their income.
What is progressive taxation?
Hiring a family member for a job instead of the most qualified applicant.
What is nepotism?
This type of healthcare system is common in other nations but not in the U.S.
What is universal healthcare?
This type of stratification system allows individuals to move up or down in status.
What is an open system?
Occupations that typically require college education and involve office/professional work.
What is white-collar work?
A tax system where everyone pays the same percentage of their income.
What is a flat tax?
When success is based on skills and achievements, not connections.
What is meritocracy?
Many European nations tax the wealthy at higher rates than the U.S. through this type of taxation system.
What is progressive taxation?
A widespread belief that hard work alone leads to success in America.
What is the Horatio Alger Myth?
These are earnings from investments, inheritance, or property ownership.
What is unearned income?
A tax system where lower-income people pay a higher percentage of their income.
What is regressive taxation?
The idea that the American class system is more open than it actually is often supports this myth.
What is the Horatio Alger Myth?
Americans often rely on private employers for this essential benefit, while other countries guarantee it through government.
What is health insurance?
The mistake of attributing someone’s outcomes to personal traits instead of social structures.
What is the Fundamental Attribution Error?
When the wealthy pass down advantages like wealth or social networks to their children, it is an example of this type of mobility influence.
What is intergenerational social mobility (or advantage)?
The debate between whether wealth comes from structural factors or individual effort reflects this major sociological theme.
What is the causes of Social Mobility?
A society with little to no opportunity for social mobility is known as this.
What is a closed stratification system?
This cultural ideal emphasizes upward mobility and success through hard work, often compared to other nations where social safety nets are stronger than individual ambition.
What is the American Dream?