Introduction to Sociology

Watch It

Watch the selected first few minutes of this video to learn about stratification in general terms. You’ll learn some key principles regarding social stratification, namely that:

• 
  Stratification is universal, but varies between societies;
  
• 
  It is a characteristic of society and not a matter of individual differences; in other words, we need to use the sociological imagination to understand social stratification and see it as a social issue and not just an individual problem;
  
• 
  It persists across generations, although it often allows for some degree of social mobility;
  
• 
  Stratification continues because of beliefs and attitudes about social stratification
  

https://youtu.be/SlkIKCMt-Fs

TRY IT

1. 
   Which graphic concept best illustrates the concept of social stratification?
   
   1. 
      Bar graph
      
   2. 
      Pie chart
      
   3. 
      Pyramid
      
   4. 
      Flag poles
      

2. 
   Social stratification is a system that
   
   1. 
      Ranks society members into categories
      
   2. 
      Allows society members to choose their social standing
      
   3. 
      Reflects personal choices of society members
      
   4. 
      Destroys competition between society members
      

Check your answers at the end of this document

Thinking Deeply About Inequality

How do you think wealth should best be distributed in the United States? Check out this interactive animation on economic inequality from the Economic Policy Institute.

Link To Learning

Imagine that the United States is divided into quintiles (bottom 20%, second 20%, middle 20%, fourth 20%, and top 20%).

How do you think wealth is distributed in the United States? What percentage would you attribute to each quintile?
What do you think is the ideal distribution?
Now watch the video “Wealth Inequality in America” and compare your responses to the actual distribution of wealth. Keep in mind that these numbers are from 2012, but the rates of inequality have not improved since then.