Social Structure, Social Stratification, and Social Inequality
Social Structure, Social Stratification, and Social
Inequality
Social Structure
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the distinctive, stable arrangement of institutions whereby human beings
in a society interact and live together.
Types of Social Structure
·
Macro-level Social Structure base on World Systems Theory
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Core Nations – production based on technology
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Peripheral Nations – production base on technology and relies on cheap labor
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Semi-peripheral Nations – production based on a mixture of intermediate levels of machinery and
labor.
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Society – organization
of people who share a common territory, and government and cooperate to secure the
survival of the group.
·
Mid-level Social Structure
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Primary Groups – a group in which one exchanges implicit items, such as love, caring,
concern, support, etc. Examples of these would be family groups, love
relationships, crisis support groups, and church groups.
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Secondary Groups - are large groups whose relationships are impersonal and goal-oriented.
People in a secondary group interact on a less personal level than in a primary
group, and their relationships are generally temporary rather than long-lasting.
·
Micro-level Social Structure
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Status – describes the position a person occupies in a
particular setting. We all occupy several statuses and play the roles that may
be associated with them.
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Roles – the
behavior expected of an individual who occupies a given social position or
status. A role is a comprehensive pattern of behavior that is socially
recognized, providing a means of identifying and placing an individual in a
society.
Social Mobility
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Refers to the movement of individuals or groups from one position of a
society’s stratification to another.
·
Types of Mobility
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Horizontal Mobility – the movement of individuals or groups from one position or role to
another within the same social class.
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Vertical Mobility – the movement or displacement of individuals or groups from one social
class to another.
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Intergenerational Mobility – the extent to which some key characteristics and outcomes of
individuals differ from those of their parents.
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Intragenerational Mobility – a person's social movements throughout his or her lifespan.
Social Stratification
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Refers to the classification of group members according to certain
criteria which may differ according to the nature of the group. The structured ranking
of people in society perpetuates unequal economic rewards and power in society.
Social Inequality
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Describes a condition in which members of a society have different
amounts of wealth, prestige, and power.
