Test 5

Name: Celine Cheah

Student ID: B19030017

1.What is meant by vertical mobility and horizontal mobility?

There are two types of mobility which are vertical mobility and horizontal mobility.
Vertical mobility is the up and down status ladder due to structural changes (changes in society),
individual characteristics (racial/ethnic background) and gender, education, occupation and place
of residence.

Horizontal mobility is the movement from one job to the other within the same status category.
Horizontal mobility includes intergenerational mobility and intragenerational mobility.
Intergenerational mobility is the movement up and down the social hierarchy by family members
(father a gardener, son doctor). Intragenerational mobility is from low to higher positions (Dato’
Goh).

2. Give two effects of social positions in society.

Education
Educational attainment is tied to social class, with upper class individuals acquiring higher
degrees from more prestigious schools. Educational inequality is also perpetuated by legacy
admission. Because members of high social classes tend to be better educated and have higher
incomes, they are more able to provide educational advantages to their children as well.
Educational inequality is one factor that perpetuates the class divide across generations.

Health
Better life expectancy in higher class. Lower class greater infant mortality and subject to
diseases. Higher rate of mental illness due to stress in lower class. Health inequality refers to the
unequal distribution of environmental hazards and access to health services between
demographic groups, including social classes, as well as to the disparate health outcomes
experienced by these groups. Lower socioeconomic classes have lower levels of health insurance
than the upper class.
3. Nations are classified based on certain criteria. Complete the following table regarding the
stratification of nations.
Previously
a) First World-industralized and
capitalistic.
The First World consisted of the
U.S., Western Europe and their
allies.
Currently
Most Industrialized-High income
countries
-16% of world’s people but 31% of
world’s land. Their poor anytime better
than the middle class in LIN
-Nations with highest overall standards of
living
-60 countries including US, Canada,
Western Europe, Japan, Australia
-produce most of the world’s goods and
services
-people own most of the world’s wealth

b) Second world-communist nation Industrializing-middle income countries

The Second World was the so- -16% of world's population and 20% of
called Communist Bloc: the Soviet world’s land. Lower income and standard
Union, China and Cuba. of living above average
-76 nations including many Eastern
European countries and countries in Asia

c) Third World- nations that does not
fit into first or second. Known as
undeveloped countries. Because
many countries in the Third World
were impoverished, the term came
to be used to refer to the poor
world.
Least Industrialized-low income countries
-Low standard of living. Majority still in
rural areas and are poor.
-49% of world’s land and 68% of world’s
population.
-Earn less than $1000 a year. Dependent
on MIN.
-Become plantations and mines of MIN.
-57 nations including many countries from
Africa, Asia and Latin America

4. State three criteria used to stratify nations.

- Powerful armaments, ships, planes, nuclear energy
- Colonialists and the colonialized
- Level of technology used

According to world systems theory as articulated by sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein, core

countries are at the top of the global hierarchy as they can extract material resources and labor
from less developed countries. These core countries own most of the world’s capital and
technology, and have great control over world trade and economic agreements. Semiperipheral
countries generally provide labor and materials to core countries, which benefits core countries
but also increases income within the semiperipheral country. Peripheral countries are generally
indebted to wealthy nations, and their land and populations are often exploited for the gain of
other countries.