Functionalist sociologists rely on measures of
socioeconomic status (SES)
A measure based on occupation, education, and income favored by functionalist sociologists as an indicator of social class position., such as education, income, and occupation, to determine someone’s social class.
| Term Social Inequality Definition conditions in which members of a society enjoy different amounts of wealth, prestige, or power | Term Power Definition the ability to exercise one’s will over others | Term objective method Definition measuring social class views class largely as a statistical category |
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What does income education and occupation measure?
Socioeconomic status (SES)
a measure of social class that is based on income, education, and occupation. (For a young person, they use parental income, education, and occupation). Absolute poverty. refers to a minimum level of subsistence that no family should be expected to live below.
In the United States, occupation is
a primary indicator of social class
, along with income, wealth, and education. … Having a professional occupation is associated with being a member of the upper-middle or upper class. To enter the professions, a person usually must hold a professional degree.
Characteristics of the principal classes
Sociologists generally posit three classes:
upper, working (or lower), and middle
.
It has assigned the quintiles from lowest to highest as lower class, lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, and upper class.
What are the classes of income?
One objective way some researchers divide individuals into economic classes is by looking at their income. From that data, they split earners into different classes such as
poor, lower-middle class, middle class, upper-middle class and wealthy
.
The class sociologist Max Weber formulated a three-component theory of stratification that saw political power as an interplay between “class”,
“status” and “group power
. ” Weber theorized that class position was determined by a person’s skills and education, rather than by their relationship to the means of production …
What are the two basic types of stratification systems?
Two basic types of stratification systems exist today:
caste systems and class systems
. Systems of stratification range from closed, in which movement between ranks is difficult, to open, in which individuals are able to move between ranks.
In Marx’s view, social stratification is
created by people’s differing relationship to the means of production
: either they own productive property or they labor for others. In Marxist theory, the capitalist mode of production consists of two main economic parts: the substructure and the Superstructure.
Numerous studies have shown that those with higher social class have better health. … Furthermore, social class is
related to psychosocial working conditions, to job control, and job demands
. High job demands are more frequent in the higher social classes and low job control is more frequent in lower social classes.
How do you classify occupation?
All workers are classified into one of
867 detailed occupations
according to their occupational definition. To facilitate classification, detailed occupations are combined to form 459 broad occupations, 98 minor groups, and 23 major groups.
- Use smooth body movements. …
- Maintain eye contact. …
- Use a confident, calm voice. …
- Take responsibility for the group. …
- Speak less and summarize others when you do. …
- Avoid explaining yourself because of insecurity. …
- Be comfortable with taking up space. …
- Avoid saying things to seek approval.
What criteria does the social class system used to stratify its members?
Access to wealth, property, power, and prestige
.
Sociologists agree that social class, determined by education, income, and occupation levels, impacts
families and shapes lives and opportunities
. Poor families have fewer material resources and opportunities, and often live in neighborhoods and school districts that are less desirable.
Researchers generally agree that the population of the United States can be divided into
the upper, middle, working and lower class
. The following gives typical characteristics social class in the United States.
