Statuses and Subsequent Stratification

1. Statuses and Subsequent Stratification

2. Social Class in Modern Societies

3. DIMENSIONS OF CLASS • INCOME • OCCUPATIONAL WAGES AND EARNINGS FROM INVESTMENTS • WEALTH • THE TOTAL VALUE OF MONEY AND OTHER ASSETS, MINUS ANY DEBT • SOCIAL POWER • THE ABILITY TO CONTROL, EVEN IN THE FACE OF RESISTENCE • OCCUPATIONAL PRESTIGE • JOB-RELATED STATUS

4. ANCESTRY • BORN TO PRIVILEGE OR POVERTY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE • RACE AND ETHNICITY • SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES STILL EXIST WHEN COMPARING MAJORITY AND MINORITY GROUPS ON SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL VARIABLES • GENDER • IT IS STILL A MAN’S WORLD IN AMERICA • RELIGION • PROTESTANT RELIGIONS ARE STILL IDENTIFIED AS CHURCHES WHOSE MEMBERSHIP ARE MOST AFFLUENT IN AMERICA

5. THE CLASS SYSTEM • THE UPPER CLASS • 5 % OF THE POPULATION • THE MIDDLE CLASS • 45% OF THE POPULATION • THE WORKING CLASS • 30% OF THE POPULATION • THE LOWER CLASS • THE REMAINING 20% OF PEOPLE

6. THE UPPER CLASS • THE UPPER-UPPERS • THE BLUE BLOODS • MEMBERSHIP ALMOST ALWAYS BASED ON ASCRIPTION • THEY HAVE “OLD MONEY” • THEY ARE SET APART BY THE AMOUNT OF WEALTH THEIR FAMILIES CONTROL • MUCH TIME DEVOTED TO COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES • THE LOWER-UPPERS • THE WORKING RICH PEOPLE • THE “NEW RICH” BY “OLD MONEY” STANDARDS • CAN STILL FIND THEMSELVES EXCLUDED FROM CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS AND CLUBS

7. UPPER-MIDDLES • $50,000 TO $100,000 YEARLY INCOME • EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT • HIGH OCCUPATIONAL PRESTIGE • INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL POLITICS • AVERAGE-MIDDLES • LESS PRESTIGE IN OCCUPATION • FEW WHITE COLLAR, OR HIGH-SKILLED BLUE COLLAR JOBS • INCOME PROVIDES MODEST SECURITY • COLLEGE KIDS NORMALLY ATTEND STATE-SPONSORED COLLEGES

8. THE TRUE “INDUSTRIAL PROLETARIAT” • $15,000 TO $35,000 ANNUAL INCOME • ROUTINE TASKS AND LESS SATISFACTION • FEWER CHILDREN GO TO COLLEGE (ONLY ONE-THIRD) • SENSE OF FATALISM TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES • MUST LOOK DOWN TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES • “AT LEAST I HAVE A JOB”

9. THELOWER CLASS • LACK OF FULL-TIME WORK; LITTLE INCOME • 1996: ALMOST 40 MILLION AMERICANS FELL INTO THIS GROUP • LIMITED SCHOOLING: NEARLY FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE • CHILDREN FEEL IMPACT OF LABEL AND SEE LITTLE HOPE FOR FUTURE • WELFARE MAY BE VIEWED AS ONLY HOPE

10. WAYS IN WHICH CLASS MATTERS TO YOU • HEALTH • AMOUNT AND TYPE OF HEALTH CARE • CULTURAL VALUES • TOLERANCE AND GRATIFICATION • POLITICS • DEGREE OF INVOLVEMENT AND OUTLOOKS • FAMILY AND GENDER • TYPE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND SOCIALIZATION PRACTICES

11. UPWARD • CLIMBING UP FROM A LOWER CLASS • DOWNWARD • FALL DOWN FROM A HIGHER SOCIAL CLASS • HORIZONTAL • REMAIN IN THE SAME CLASS, WHILE MOVING BETWEEN JOBS • INTRAGENERATIONAL MOBILITY • MOVEMENT THAT TAKES PLACE WITHIN ONE PERSON’S LIFETIME • INTERGENERATIONAL MOBILITY • MOVEMENT THAT TAKES PLACE ACROSS GENERATIONS WITHIN A FAMILY • GENERAL TRENDS • FAIRLY GOOD FOR MALES WHEN CONSIDERED INTERGENERATIONALLY

12. THE TRUTH ABOUT MOBILITY • AMONG MEN, MOBILITY HAS BEEN FAIRLY HIGH • LONG-TERM TREND HAS BEEN UPWARD • INTRAGENERATIONAL MOBILITY IS INCREMENTAL, NOT DRAMATIC • SHORT-TERM TREND HAS BEEN THAT OF STAGNATION WITH SOME INCOME POLARIZATION • MOBILITY BY INCOME (1980 - 1996) • RICHEST FIFTH OF AMERICANS HAVE HAD A WINDFALL WITH RESPECT TO INCOME • THIRD AND FOURTH FIFTHS HAVE SEEN MINOR INCREASES IN INCOME • THE TWO LOWER FIFTHS HAVE SEEN THEIR INCOME FALL

13. SOCIAL INEQUALITY MEANS POVERTY • POVERTY • RELATIVE (IN RELATION TO OTHERS) • ABSOLUTE (LIFE CAN BE THREATENED) • POVERTY THRESHOLD • IN 1993, FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR THE POVERTY THRESHOLD WAS SET AT $14,763 ANNUAL INCOME • EXTENT OF POVERTY IN AMERICA • 15.1% OF AMERICANS ARE SO CLASSIFIED • 12.5% OF AMERICANS ARE “MARGINALLY POOR” • A TOTAL OF 51.8 MILLION AMERICANS • REALITY CHECK • ROUGHLY 50% OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN CLASSIFIED AS POOR ENDURE HUNGER ON A DAILY BASIS IN AMERICA

14. WHO ARE THE POOR? IS POVERTY MORE PRONOUNCED AMONG CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR POPULATION? • AGE • IN 1993, 22.7% OF ALL CHILDREN WERE POOR • RACE AND ETHNICITY • TWO-THIRDS OF ALL POOR ARE WHITE, BUT... • IN 1993, 33% OF ALL AFRICAN AMERICANS AND 30.6% OF ALL LATINOS LIVED IN POVERTY • GENDER • THE FEMINIZATION OF POVERTY: • LOWER PAYING JOBS • TEENAGE PREGNANCY • DIVORCE AND SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS

15. THE HOMELESS • NO PRECISE COUNT • HOW COULD THERE EVER BE? • EXPERTS “GUESS-TI-MATE” • 500,000 ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT • 1.5 MILLION AT SOME TIME DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR • TYPICAL VICTIM • FEMALE-HEADED, SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY WITH A COUPLE OF CHILDREN • CAUSES • THEY ARE POOR • LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS • ONE-THIRD ARE SUBSTANCE ABUSERS • ONE-FOURTH SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESSES

16. EXPLAINING POVERTY BASICALLY, ONE HAS TWO CHOICES: • CULTURE OF POVERTY THEORY • BLAME THE POOR FOR THEIR SITUATION. • SOCIETY OFFERS CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITY TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL GAIN. • THOSE WHO ARE POOR SIMPLY ELECT TO BE POOR. THEY REFUSE TO APPLY THEMSELVES AND ONLY HAVE THEMSELVES TO BLAME. • STRUCTURAL THEORY OF POVERTY • SOCIETY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING UP HOW RESOURCES ARE DISTRIBUTED AND IS THEREFORE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POVERTY IN AMERICA. • LACK OF JOBS, LACK OF HOPE, AND ANOMIC ATTITUDES ARE JUST PART OF A VERY STRATIFIED ECONOMIC SYSTEM. • POOR PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY A CONSEQUENCE OF THE CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM.

17. HOW PERCEPTIONS OF BEAUTY AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF SOCIAL LIFE COMBINE TO FORM A SYSTEM THAT GIVES MEN THE UPPER HAND

18. “THE RULE OF FATHERS” A FORM OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN WHICH MALES DOMINATE FEMALES • MATRIARCHY • SOCIAL DOMINANCE BY WOMEN • SEXISM • BELIEF THAT ONE SEX OR THE OTHER IS INNATELY INFERIOR OR SUPERIOR • UNTOLD LOSSES WHEN CONSIDERING HOW MUCH TALENT HAS BEEN LOCKED OUT • INEVITABILITY OF PATRIARCHY • IS BIOLOGY DESTINY? SHOULD WOMEN RULE? • MARGARET MEAD’S RESEARCH

19. THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS AND GENDER WHAT IS FEMININE AND MASCULINE? HOW DO WE ACQUIRE SUCH DISTINCTIONS?

20. IT STARTS IN THE FAMILY • SELECTIVE ABORTION • SOCIAL VALUE AND DEATH • IS IT A BOY OR GIRL? • COLOR-CODING GENDER • HANDLING OF CHILDREN • BE A GOOD “LITTLE MAN” • IT’S OK TO BE A TOM-BOY • WHY WOULDN’T A GIRL WANT TO BE A BOY? • BUT, WHAT IF A BOY ACTS TOO MUCH LIKE A GIRL?

21. PEER GROUPS USE NORMATIVE CONCEPTIONS OF GENDER • PRESSURES TO TAKE PART IN BEHAVIORS THAT ARE NORMATIVE TO AGE AND GENDER • PLAYING GAMES (JANET LEVER, ‘78) • BOYS AND “VICTORY” TEAM SPORTS • TEACHES COMPETITION, RULES, WINNING • GIRLS AND “COOPERATIVE” GAMING • GAMES TEACH INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AND THE VALUE OF SHARING AND COOPERATION

22. THE MEDIA • WHITE MALES HAVE CENTER STAGE • MINORITIES OF ALL KINDS LOCKED OUT • WOMEN RECEIVE ROLES BASED ON SEX APPEAL • THE “BEAUTY MYTH” • EATING DISORDERS • EMOTIONAL STRESS • IDEAL IMAGING

23. ALMOST 60% OF ALL WOMEN WORK OUTSIDE OF THE HOME • ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND SERVICE SECTOR JOBS MAKE UP THE TYPE OF WORK DONE BY ONE-HALF OF ALL WORKING WOMEN • MANY WOMEN RETURN HOME FROM WORK TO BEGIN THEIR “SECOND SHIFT” • ON AVERAGE, WOMEN EARN 71 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR EARNED BY MEN (1992) • LARGELY DUE TO TYPE OF WORK DONE • CORPORATE WOMEN AND THE GLASS CEILING • RECENTLY, 20% OF RICHEST AMERICANS IDENTIFIED BY FORBES WERE WOMEN

24. IN WHAT WAYS MIGHT AMERICAN TRADITIONS CLOAK WOMEN IN A SHROUD OF LIMITATIONS? • GIVEN THE ECONOMIC REALITIES, WOMEN CERTAINLY QUALIFY • AT ALL LEVELS IN THE CLASS SYSTEM, WOMEN HAVE: • LESS INCOME • LESS WEALTH • LESS EDUCATION, AND • LESS POWER THAN MEN • PATRIARCHY PROVIDES WOMEN WITH SOCIAL STANDING, FIRST THEIR, AND THEN THEIR HUSBANDS

25. Race and Ethnicity

26. RACE • SHARED BIOLOGICALLY TRANSMITTED TRAITS DEEMED “SOCIALLY SIGNIFICANT” • CAUCASIAN: LIGHT SKIN, FINE HAIR • NEGROID: DARKER SKIN, COARSE HAIR • MONGOLOID: BROWN SKIN, DISTINCTIVE EYES • ETHNICITY • SHARED CULTURAL HERITAGE • DIVERSITY IN AMERICA: IS IT CELEBRATED? • RACE, ETHNICITY, AND ASSIMILATION • THOSE CONSIDERED MOST DIFFERENT FROM THE DOMINANT RACE AND ETHNICITY WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY IN ASSIMILATING

27. In the Year 2050 • DEMOGRAPHICS of the United States • 1990 * • WHITE 80% OF POPULATION • BLACK 12% • HISPANIC 9% • ASIAN 3% • 2050 • WHITE 53% OF POPULATION • HISPANIC 21% • BLACK 16% • ASIAN 10%

28. DOMINANT RACIAL GROUP • WHITE AMERICA • THE RACIAL GROUP THAT HAS WITHIN ITS POWER THE ABILITY TO EXPLOIT AND CONTROL OTHER GROUPS, EVEN IN THE FACE OF RESISTANCE • THOSE IN A PLACE OF SOCIAL ADVANTAGE • WHITE PRIVILEGE • THE FACT THAT WHITES, BY VIRTURE OF THEIR RACIAL IDENTITY, RECEIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION IN ALMOST ALL FACETS OF SOCIAL LIFE

29. WE SURE DO SHARE A LOT IN COMMON! • GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS • SHARE A “DISTINCT IDENTITY” • RACE, SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, THE POOR • SUBORDINATION • OFTEN SADDLED WITH LOWER STATUS • STEREOTYPES, STIGMA, AND LABELING • GROUP SIZE (NUMBERS) • WOMEN IN AMERICA OUTNUMBER MEN • BLACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA OUTNUMBER WHITES

30. (30.9% live in poverty) (33.1% live in poverty) (14.0% live in poverty) (25.0% live in poverty)

31. UNDERSTANDING PREJUDICEA FEW BASIC TERMS MUST BE UNDERSTOOD • PREJUDICE • NEGATIVE, RIGID, AND IRRATIONAL GENERALIZATION ABOUT AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE • STEREOTYPING • A PREJUDICED DESCRIPTION OF AN ENTIRE CATEGORY OF PEOPLE

32. COGNITIVE LEVEL • THE IDEA OR THOUGHT • JEWISH PEOPLE ARE GREEDY • EMOTIONAL LEVEL • ATTACHING FEELINGS TO IDEA • LEARNING TO FEEL ANGER TOWARDS WHITES • ACTION-ORIENTATION LEVEL • PREDISPOSITION TO ACT • MORE LIKELY TO VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY ATTACK A TARGETTED GROUP

33. A VERY POWERFUL AND DESTRUCTIVE FORM OF PREJUDICE THAT REMAINS VERY MUCH ALIVE TODAY • THE BELIEF THAT ONE RACIAL CATEGORY IS INNATELY SUPERIOR OR INFERIOR TO ANOTHER • INDIVIDUAL RACISM • INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM • RECALL WHAT RACE IS AND SEE THE IRRATIONAL THOUGHT PROCESS • THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “PURE RACE” THESE DAYS; A CONTINUUM • RACE IS BIOLOGICAL, BUT WHAT PEOPLE MAKE OF IT IS SOCIAL

34. SCAPEGOAT THEORY • BLAMING OTHERS FOR PERSONAL TROUBLES • TARGET SELECTION AND THEN AGGRESSION • AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY • THE “ARCHIE BUNKER” THEORY • CULTURE OF PREJUDICE • THE SOCIALIZATION EXPERIENCE • IT’S “NORMAL” FOR PEOPLE TO PREJUDGE OTHERS • CONFLICT THEORY • SELF-JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RICH AND POWERFUL IN AMERICA • USE OF “RACE CARD” BY MINORITY GROUPS CAN LEAD TO “WHITE BACKLASH” MOVEMENTS

35. IT’S A MATTER OF ACTION, NOT ATTITUDE • VERBALIZATION • JOKES, COMMENTS, RACIAL SLURS • EXCLUSION • KEEPING PEOPLE MARGINAL • AVOIDANCE • NOT TRAVELING IN CERTAIN AREAS • PHYSICAL ABUSE • PHYSICAL ATTACKS • GENOCIDE • SYSTEMATIC KILLING OFF OF A GROUP

36. PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION BEGIN AS ETHNOCENTRIC ATTITUDES • AS A RESULT, GROUPS CAN BE PLACED IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY ARE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED AND LABELED • A GROUP’S SITUATION, OVER TIME, IS THUS EXPLAINED AS A RESULT OF INNATE INFERIORITY RATHER THAN LOOKING AT THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF REASONS; THE CYCLE THEN REPEATS ITSELF

37. SOME FOLKS ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET BEYOND THE SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS OF COLOR • PLURALSIM • DISTINCT GROUPS WITH PARITY • ASSIMILATION • ADOPTION OF MAJORITY GROUP CULTURE • INTERBREEDING • SEGREGATION • PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL DISTANCE • DE JURE AND DE FACTO SEGREGATION • GENOCIDE • ONE GROUP “KILLS OFF” ANOTHER GROUP

38. Aging and the Elderly

40. GERONTOLOGY THE STUDY OF AGING AND THE ELDERLY • BIOLOGICAL CHANGES AND ATTITUDES • ATTITUDE DEPENDS ON SOCIETAL VALUES • IN AMERICA, A DIM VIEW OF SUCH CHANGES IS TAKEN • PHYSICAL CANGES • GRAYING OF HAIR • WRINKLES • LOSS OF HEIGHT • DECLINE IN STRENGTH • CHRONIC ILLNESSES SET IN • REALITY • 70% OF THOSE OVER 65 REPORT GOOD HEALTH • WELL-TO-DO PEOPLE HAVE IT BETTER SINCE THEY CAN AFFORD PREVENTIVE CARE • MINORITY GROUP MEMBERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO REPORT POOR HEALTH

41. WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN???FULL MENTAL CAPABILITIES REMAIN UNTIL AROUND THE AGE OF 70, THEN DECLINE • ADVANCING AGE DOES NOT MEAN CERTAIN IMPAIRMENT OF MENTAL ABILITIES • SOME RESEARCH REPORTS INCREASES IN MATH AND VERBAL SKILLS • PERSONALITY CHANGES • THE ELDERLY CAN BECOME MORE INTROSPECTIVE WITH MORE “SELF-AWARENESS” • MAJOR SHIFTS IN PERSONALITIES DO NOT NORMALLY TAKE PLACE

42. FINDING MEANING • COPING AND RESULTANT PERSONALTY TYPES • DISINTEGRATED AND DISORGANIZED PERSONALITIES • LIFE FULL OF DESPAIR • PASSIVE-DEPENDENT PERSONALITIES • MAY PLAY THE “OLD ROLE” TOO WELL, SEEK ASSISTANCE WHEN THEY DON’T ACTUALLY NEED IT • DEFENDED PERSONALITIES • LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, BUT FEARFUL OF AGING • INTEGRATED PERSONALITIES • COPE WELL WITH AGING PROCESS, ACCEPT THE INEVITABILITIES

43. SOCIAL ISOLATION • THE DEATH OF A SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND RETIREMENT CAUSE ISOLATION • ISOLATION IS A LEADING CAUSE OF ANXIETY IN THE ELDERLY • THREE-FOURTHS OF WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS REPORT LONELINESS AS THEIR MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM • WOMEN SUFFER FROM THIS MORE THAN MEN, DUE TO LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY RATES • FAMILIES OFFER THE ELDERLY THE SOCIAL CONTACT THAT IS NEEDED • DAUGHTERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO VISIT PARENTS THAN SONS

44. REDUCED PAY NOT ONLY MEANS LESS SOCIAL PRESTIGE, BUT CAN SIGNAL A LOSS OF PURPOSE IN LIFE • THE ELDERLY NEED A “TRANSITION PLAN” TO MINIMIZE PERSONAL DISRUPTIONS AND LOSS OF PRESTIGE • VOLUNTEER WORK • PART-TIME WORK • RETIREMENT IS A RECENT IDEA IN INDUSTRIALIZED SOCIETIES WITHIN THE LAST CENTURY • VAST DIFFERENCE EXISTS BETWEEN PEOPLES’ ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ELDERLY AND RETIREMENT • ALL MANDATORY RETIREMENT LAWS WERE REMOVED BY 1987, HOWEVER... • 75% OF MEN AND 84% OF WOMEN ARE NO LONGER IN THE LABOR FORCE AT AGE 65 IN THE UNITED STATES

45. THE POOR HOUSE SCENE • SOME COSTS RISE FOR THE ELDERLY • MEDICAL CARE • HOUSING COSTS • UTILITIES • SOCIAL SECURITY IS STILL THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF INCOME • THOSE ELDERLY WHO FALL BELOW THE POVERTY LINE AT AGE 65 EQUALS 12.2% COMPARED TO 9.9% AT AGES 55-59 • RETIREMENT INCOMES ARE UP, EXCEPT FOR WOMEN AND MINORITY GROUP MEMBERS • CHILDREN MAY HAVE TO PLAY A MORE IMPORTANT ROLE IN CARING FOR THEIR PARENTS

46. ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY COMES IN MANY FORMS, RANGING FROM PASSIVE NEGLECT TO EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND EVEN FINANCIAL ABUSE • HOW MANY SUFFER FROM ABUSE? • MORE THAN ONE MILLION A YEAR • UNDER-REPORTING IS A PROBLEM • MAJOR CAUSES • STRESS FROM CARING FOR THEM • “SANDWICH GENERATION” • CARING FOR KIDS AND PARENTS • MOST LIKELY IN FAMILIES WHERE ELDERLY PERSON SUFFERS FROM A SERIOUS MEDICAL SITUATION • TESTING FOR ASSISTANCE OFTEN LEAVES NEEDY FAMILIES “OUT IN THE COLD” BECAUSE CUTOFF LIMITS ARE SET LOW

47. PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE ELDERLY • BLATANT AGEISM • DENY A PERSON A JOB DUE TO AGE • SUBTLE AGEISM • WAYS WHICH CULTURE PERPETUATES STEREOTYPES OF THE ELDERLY • NEGATIVE CARTOON IMAGES • JOKES AND OTHER VERBALIZATIONS • MINORITY GROUP STATUS? • NO, BUT THE GROUP DOES HAVE CHARACTERISTIC PLEASURES AND CHALLENGES

48. DEATH HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED FROM SOMETHING ACCEPTED AND ORDINARY INTO SOMETHING VERY EXTRAORDINARY • STAGES OF DYING • DENIAL • ANGER • NEGOTIATION • RESIGNATION • ACCEPTANCE • HOSPICE AND THE “GOOD DEATH” • HELPING WITH BEREAVEMENT • PROFOUND LOSS AND DISORIENTATION