1. Social Stratification
CHAPTER 9
Social Stratification
Section 1: Systems of Stratification
Section 2: The American Class System
Section 3: Poverty

2. Question: What are the major theories of social stratification?
SECTION 1
Systems of Stratification
Question:
What are the major theories of social stratification?

3. Systems of Stratification
SECTION 1
Systems of Stratification
Theory
Cause of Stratification
Criticisms
of Theory
Stratification is needed to help society function smoothly by ensuring that specific roles are performed. Higher rewards guarantee that important roles that require more skill are filled.
 Society does not provide equal access to education and jobs.
Functionalist
Conflict:
 Marxists
 American Theorists
 Rewards do not always reflect the social values of roles.
 The bourgeoisie exploit and control the proletariat to maintain wealth and power.
It fails to recognize that unequal rewards are based in part on differences in talents, skills, and desires among people.
 Groups compete for scarce resources. Those with power use it to maintain their position.

4. Question: What are characteristics of the American class system?
SECTION 2
The American Class System
Question:
What are characteristics of the American class system?

5. The American Class System
SECTION 2
The American Class System
AMERICAN CLASS SYSTEM
Upper Class: 1 percent; prestigious schools; heirs, investors, large business owners and top executives
Upper Middle Class: 14 percent; college or university; business executives and professionals
Lower Middle Class: 30 percent; high school or college; lower-level managers, skilled craftworkers, supervisors
Working Class: 30 percent; high school; factory and clerical workers, lower level salespeople, some craftworkers
Working Poor: 22 percent; some high school; laborers, service workers— gardeners, house cleaners, etc.
Underclass: 3 percent; some high school; undesirable low-paying jobs, unem-ployed, or on welfare for some time

6. Question: What groups of Americans are affected by poverty? Poverty
SECTION 3
Poverty
Question:
What groups of Americans are affected by poverty?

7. Poverty SECTION 3 Characteristics of Poor Americans Sex: Age:
 Women are the largest segment (57 percent).
 Female-headed households account for about half of all poor families.
Age:
 Children are the largest group (37 percent).
 Three times more African American and Hispanic children are poor than white children.
Characteristics of Poor Americans
Race and Ethnicity:
 African Americans and Hispanics are far more likely than white Americans to be poor.

8. Chapter Wrap-Up CHAPTER 9
1. How do caste systems and class systems differ?
2. How do the functionalist and conflict explanations of stratification differ?
3. What are the six social classes recognized by most American sociologists?
4. What is the poverty level, and how is it calculated?
5. How can poverty affect the life chances of Americans?
6. How have government programs to assist poor Americans changed in recent years?