Social Stratification

Social Stratification is a society’s categorization of people into socio economic strata, based upon their occupation
and income, wealth and social status, or derived power (social and political). As such, stratification is the relative social
position of person within a social group, category, geographic region, or social unit.

Social Stratification is distinguished as three social classes.

1. The upper class- consists of the elite families who are the most prolific and successful in their respective areas.
These are the groups of people who are stockholders, investors, and who live in an exclusive neighborhood. They
own many house; mingle with the same class, and value heritage most over wealth.
2. The middle class – These are mostly professional people like lawyers, doctors, managers, owner of small
businesses, executives, etc. They live in spacious house, situated in best suburbs. Their income can afford them a
comfortable lifestyle. They value education most since education to them is the most important measure of social
status.
3. The lower class – these are the office and clerical workers, skilled and unskilled craftsman, farm employees,
underemployed and indigent families. They live in smaller houses. They are short of revenue, education or
trainings, acquaintance, and communication. They depend on their pay check

Social Desirables
Social desirables is the extent that a person is considered to be a valuable member of a social group. “Social
desirability is a way of being admired by a group.
a. Wealth – refers to the total value of everything that a person or family owns, minus any debts owned (Farley,
1990).
b. Power- is defined as the ability to control the behavior of others, even against their will. Many sociologist agree
that people with more wealth tend to be more powerful (Thio, 1998)
c. Prestige – is the esteem or respect that society grants for behavior or qualities. It is based on the status of a
person, and determined by the positive and negative social estimation of honor.

Social Mobility
The ability of the individuals or groups to move upward or downward in status based on wealth, occupation,
education, or some other social variable.
a. Horizontal Mobility – movement of a person from one social position to another of the same rank e.g. teacher in
a barrio school is transferred to a school in a town
b. Vertical Mobility –movement of a person from one social position to another of a different rank. E.g. teacher
who become a principal
c. Intergenerational Mobility- involves changes in the social position of children relative to their parents e.g.
parents who are rich but their children become poor.
d. Intragenerational Mobility – involves changes in person’s social position within his/her adult life e.g. a poor
boy who struggle to become a successful doctor.

Social Inequality
The existence of uneven opportunities and rewards for a diverse social position or statuses within a group or
society is referred to as social inequality. Social inequality occurs when resources in a given society are distributed
unevenly, generally through norms of allocation that brings about specific patterns along lines of socially defined
categories of persons. Economic inequality, described on the basis of unequal distribution of income or wealth, is the most
frequently studied type of social inequality.
a. Gender Inequality
b. Racial and Ethnic Inequality
Discrimination- an act depriving minorities of equal treatment and are kept in a lower status by the
dominant member of the society and the resistance of equality
Prejudice – is a negative attitude toward the members of a particular group.
Stereotyping – refers to our propensity to picture all member of a particular category as having the same
qualities
Ethnocentrism –is the belief that our own nation, race, or group is the best
Scapegoating - this is a situation when people encounter problems that they do not know how to solve,
often they feel frustrated.
Racism – is the thinking that one’s own race is superior and has the right to control or direct others.

c. Other Minorities
d. Global Inequality

Sources of Social, Cultural and Political Change

1. Innovation – the act or process of introducing new ideas, devices or method
2. Diffusion – Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural beliefs and social activities from one group to another. The
mixing of world cultures through different ethnicities, religions and nationalities has increased with advance
communication, transportation and technology.
3. Acculturation and Assimilation
 Acculturation- is a process in which members of one cultural group adopt the beliefs and behavior of
another group.(adaptation of culture upon contact)
Assimilation – is a gradual process by which a person or group belonging to one culture adopts the
practices of another, thereby becoming a member of that culture. (blending/fusing two cultures)
4. Social Contradiction and Tension
Social Contradiction – the social/economic contradictions are different from all others that they apply to
humans, and so they describe qualities specific to social/interest groups/social classes, and the resolution would be
inside human social structures.
Tension - social tension usually result from the conscious pursuit of exclusive values by individuals
and/or social groups. The individual members and groups always widen or narrow their claims on society for life,
liberty of movement, property and other desirable things by competing against one another.

New Challenges to Human Adaptation and Social Change

1. Global Warming and Climate Change
Global Warming – a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally
attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and
other pollutants
Climate Change –a change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from
the mid 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide
produced by the use of fossil fuels.
2. Transnational Migration and Overseas Filipino Worker
Transnational Migrants are those person who having migrated from one nation-state to another, live
their lives across borders, participating simultaneously in social relations that embed them in more than one-
nation state.
Overseas Filipino Worker is a person of Filipino origin who works and lives outside of the Philippines.

Responding to Social, Cultural and Political Change

1. Inclusive Citizenship – Is a governing policy that focuses on legal equality for each citizen. The policies
focus on the rights that the government provides for its citizens, such as equal voting rights, equal right to
serve in the military, equal right to marry, equal tax responsibilities and equal right to represent others in
your government
2. New Forms of Media and Social Networking – media, which is the plural form of the word medium,
refers to the collective or different communication tools used to store and deliver variety of information
and data. Most media are associated with communication media such as print media, the press, movies,
etc. In short, media refers to all print, digital, and electronic means of communication.
New media is the generic term for the many different forms of electronic communication that are
made possible through the use of computer technology.
Social Networking – a more casual form of social media. The most popular example of social
networking is the well-used Facebook.
3. Social Movements – are type of group action. They are large, sometimes informal, groupings of
individuals or organizations which focus on specific political or social issues. In other words, they carry
out, resist, or undo a social change.