social classes

(noun)

Social class (or simply "class") is a set of concepts in the social sciences and political theory centered on models of social stratification in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories.

Related Terms

  • social group
  • social norms

Examples of social classes in the following topics:

  • Social Classes

    • Social class is often hard to define; in fact, many people dispute the existence of social classes in the United States.
    • Perhaps the simplest model to define social class is a three-tiered approach that includes the rich, the middle class, and the poor.
    • Social class can have a profound effect on consumer spending habits.
    • Marketers must be very aware of the social class of their target market.
    • A marketer should understand the dynamic of the social class as well.
  • Social Class

    • Most social scientists agree that society is stratified into a hierarchical arrangement of social classes.
    • Meanwhile, some scholars deny the very existence of discrete social classes in American society.
    • In spite of debate, most social scientists agree that in the U.S. there is a social class structure in which people are hierarchically ranked.
    • Sociologists studying class distinctions since the 1970s have found that social classes each have unique cultural traits.
    • Nonetheless, the impact of class culture on delineating a social hierarchy is significant.
  • Class Structure in the U.S.

    • American society is stratified into social classes based on wealth, income, educational attainment, occupation, and social networks.
    • Most social scientists in the U.S. agree that society is stratified into social classes.
    • In spite of debate, most social scientists do agree that in the U.S. people are hierarchically ranked in a social class structure.
    • Many sociologists dispute the existence of such class mobility and point to the ways in which social class is inherited.
    • Thus social classes form social groups so large that they feature considerable internal diversity and any statement regarding a given social class' culture should be seen as a broad generalization.
  • Religion

    • Social class is associated with individuals' religious affiliations and practices but not with religiosity itself.
    • Variations in SES across denomination reveal a correlation between religious affiliation and social class.
    • Members of each social class show a range of religiosity.
    • On the other hand, income, and therefore social class, is related to an individual's denomination.
    • Explain how social class relates to religious affiliation, denomination and religiosity
  • Social Class in the U.S.

    • Most social scientists agree that American society is stratified into social classes, based on wealth, education, and occupation.
    • In the United States, most social scientists agree that society is stratified into a hierarchical arrangement of social classes.
    • One social class model proposed by sociologists posits that there are six social classes in America.
    • Nonetheless, the impact of class culture on the social hierarchy is significant.
    • Many sociologists dispute the existence of such class mobility and point to the ways in which social class is inherited.
  • Politics

    • The higher one's social class, the higher their levels of political participation and political influence.
    • Educational attainment, an indicator of social class, can predict political participation.
    • Social class impacts one's level of political participation and political influence.
    • Those who vote as members of a social class can be said to be participating in identity politics.
    • Some groups have combined identity politics and Marxist social class analysis and class consciousness.
  • Consequences of Social Class

    • One's position in the the social class hierarchy has far-reaching effects on their health, family life, education, etc.
    • In the United States, a person's social class has far-reaching consequences.
    • Social class refers to the the grouping of individuals in a stratified hierarchy based on wealth, income, education, occupation, and social network (though other factors are sometimes considered).
    • Social class in the United States is a controversial issue, with social scientists disagreeing over models, definitions, and even the basic question of whether or not distinct classes exist.
    • More complex models that have been proposed by social scientists describe as many as a dozen class levels.
  • Social Class

    • Social class has a significant impact on one's physical health, ability to receive adequate medical care, and life expectancy.
    • Social class affects the access to healthy living conditions in particular neighborhoods.
    • Social class position, thus, affects one's access to good public health and better living environments.
    • Hurricane Katrina revealed many disparities in social class in the U.S.
    • Identify the various ways social class plays a role in access to and quality of health care
  • Class

    • Social class refers to the grouping of individuals in a stratified social hierarchy, usually based on wealth, education, and occupation.
    • Social class refers to the grouping of individuals into positions on a stratified social hierarchy.
    • Class is an object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, anthropologists and social historians.
    • According to the class social theorist Karl Marx, class is a combination of objective and subjective factors.
    • The upper class is the social class composed of those who are wealthy, well-born, or both.
  • Power and Inequality

    • Social inequality refers to relational processes in society that have the effect of limiting or harming a group's social status, social class, and social circle.
    • Social inequalities exist between ethnic or religious groups, classes and countries, making the concept a global phenomenon.
    • In modern Western societies, stratification is broadly organized into three main layers: upper class, middle class, and lower class.
    • The upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of the wealthiest members of society, who also wield the greatest political power.
    • The process of being ranked can be changed by the person being ranked, and it can differ based on race, gender, and social class.
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