Question

Education — Social Stratification and Social Mobility – Essay

Answer 1

In any society there are a great many people who want to climb up into its upper strata. Since only a few succeed in doing this, and since, under normal conditions, the vertical circulation does not have an anarchical character, it seems that in any society there is a mechanism which controls the process of vertical circulation. This control seems to consist in the first place, in testing individuals with respect to their suitableness for the performance of a definite social function; in the second place, in the selection of individuals for a definite social position; 1 in the third place, in a corresponding distribution of the members of a society among different social strata, in their promotion, or in their degradation. In other words, within a stratified society, there seem to exist not only channels of vertical circulation, but also a kind of a “sieve” within these channels which sifts the individuals and places them within the society. The essential purpose of this control is to distribute the individuals so that each is placed according to his talents and able to perform successfully his social function. Wrongly placed, individuals do their social work poorly; and, as a result, all society suffers and disintegrates. Though there scarcely has existed any society in which the distribution of individuals has been quite perfect, in complete accordance with the rule “Everybody must be placed according to his ability,” 2 nevertheless, many societies have existed for a long time and this very fact means that their mechanism of social testing, selecting, and distributing their members has not been wholly bad and has performed its function in a more or less satisfactory way. The problems to be discussed now are: What re
The objective of this book is to present a systematic analysis of the American occupational structure, and, thus, of the major foundation of the stratification system in this society. Processes of social mobility from one generation to the next and from career beginnings to occupational destinations are considered to reflect the dynamics of the occupational structure. By analyzing the patterns of these occupational movements, the conditions that affect them, and some of their consequences, one attempts to explain part of the dynamics of the stratification system in the United States. The inquiry is based on a considerable amount of empirical data collected from a representative sample of over 20,000 American men between the ages of 20 and 64. The survey of" Occupational Changes in a Generation" was carried out as an adjunct to the monthly" Current Population Survey" of the Bureau of the Census. The analysis of the data collected in the survey constitutes the bulk of the material reported in the present book, although occasionally other sources are drawn on as well. As the comparative data from a variety of societies needed for refining the theory of stratification are not available in this study, it has been supplemented with data from mobility surveys

Answer 2

Answer:

Social change involves alteration of the social order of a society. It may include changes in social institutions, social behaviours or social relations.Social change is way human interactions and relationships transform cultural and social institutions over time, having a profound impact of society. ... Relationships have changed, institutions have changed, and cultural norms have changed as a result of these social change movements.Social groups include two or more people who interact and share a sense of unity and common identity. Primary groups are small and characterized by close, personal relationships that last a long time. Secondary groups include impersonal, temporary relationships that are goal-oriented.