Social Mobility: Intergenerational and Intragenerational (10A) - Psych & Soc

1. What is exchange mobility?

   Mobility where upward moves are offset by downward moves, keeping stratification stable. Zero-sum system where gains equal losses in society.

2. What is vertical mobility?

   Status change that involves a change in social class. Moves between different socioeconomic levels.

3. Identify the mobility type: A person is promoted from cashier to store manager.

   Upward intragenerational mobility. Same person advances within their career lifetime.

4. What is status attainment?

   Process by which education and work lead to adult socioeconomic status. Blau-Duncan model tracks how background affects achievement.

5. What is the difference between absolute mobility and relative mobility?

   Absolute: overall change; Relative: change in rank vs others. Absolute measures total gains; relative measures position compared to peers.

6. What is horizontal social mobility?

   Change in occupation/status with similar socioeconomic rank. Job switch at same prestige level (e.g., teacher to nurse).

7. What is the "poverty trap" as a barrier to social mobility?

   Self-reinforcing poverty due to limited resources and opportunities. Lack of education, health, and capital perpetuates disadvantage.

8. What is "cultural capital" in explanations of social mobility?

   Cultural knowledge and skills that promote educational/occupational success. Elite behaviors and tastes advantage those from higher classes.

9. Identify the mobility type: a factory worker becomes an engineer after training.

   Upward intragenerational mobility. Individual rises in class through skill acquisition.

10. What is the difference between income mobility and wealth mobility?

    Income mobility concerns earnings; wealth mobility concerns net assets and debt. Income is flow; wealth is accumulated stock of resources.

11. What is social reproduction in stratification studies?

    Transmission of social class advantages across generations. Parents pass class position to children through resources.

12. Which mobility concept is best measured by comparing a child's SES to the parent's SES?

    Intergenerational mobility. Requires generational comparison across family lines.

13. What is the "American Dream" as a sociological mobility ideal?

    Belief that merit and effort enable upward mobility. Cultural narrative that hard work guarantees success.

14. What is intragenerational social mobility?

    Change in social class within an individual's lifetime. Occurs during one person's career or life span.

15. Which option best defines meritocracy?

    Status attainment primarily based on individual ability and effort. Success depends on talent and hard work, not background.

16. What is downward social mobility?

    Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Often due to job loss, illness, or economic downturns.

17. Which option describes intragenerational mobility: (A) moving from clerk to manager (B) child exceeds parent's status?

    A. Within generation means changes in one's own lifetime.

18. What is horizontal (lateral) social mobility?

    Status change without a change in social class rank. Job changes at same prestige level (e.g., teacher to nurse).

19. What is an open stratification system?

    A system with mobility possible; status is largely achieved. Merit and effort determine position more than birth circumstances.

20. Identify the mobility type: Many people rise in income due to an economic boom.

    Structural mobility. Society-wide growth lifts many people's economic positions.

21. What is the key distinction between ascribed status and achieved status?

    Ascribed is assigned at birth; achieved is earned through actions. Ascribed = born with it; achieved = worked for it.

22. Identify the mobility type: a factory closure forces many workers into lower-paying jobs.

    Structural downward mobility. Economic change forces workers into worse positions.

23. Identify the mobility type: A manager is laid off and later works in retail.

    Intragenerational downward mobility. Same person's status declined within their lifetime.

24. What is meritocracy in relation to social mobility?

    System where advancement is based primarily on individual ability and effort. Assumes equal opportunity but ignores structural barriers.

25. Identify the mobility type: a lawyer becomes a professor with similar prestige and income.

    Horizontal mobility. Different job but equivalent social standing.

26. What is a key difference between structural mobility and exchange mobility?

    Structural shifts the distribution; exchange keeps it constant. Structural creates new positions; exchange just swaps existing ones.

27. Which option best describes an open stratification system?

    A system that permits movement between social strata. Allows class changes through effort or circumstances.

28. What is social reproduction in the context of mobility?

    Intergenerational transmission of social status across generations. Explains how class advantages persist across generations.

29. What is a caste system?

    Closed stratification with status fixed at birth. Social position determined by birth family, not personal merit.

30. What is cultural capital as it relates to social mobility?

    Valued knowledge and skills that facilitate status attainment. Includes education, tastes, and behaviors that signal class.

31. Identify the concept: In a closed system, upward moves require equal downward moves overall.

    Exchange (circulation) mobility. Describes competitive mobility in fixed hierarchies.

32. Identify the mobility type: A teacher becomes a journalist with similar prestige.

    Horizontal (lateral) mobility. Both jobs have comparable social standing despite field change.

33. Identify the term: A factory closure forces many workers into lower-paying jobs.

    Structural downward mobility. Economic changes force workers into lower positions.

34. Identify the term for being tracked into low-wage work due to discrimination and limited options.

    Social stratification via labor market segmentation. It occurs when biases and structural divisions confine groups to inferior job sectors with limited advancement.

35. What is intragenerational social mobility?

    Change in social status within the same individual's lifetime. Tracks status changes from career start to retirement.

36. What is intergenerational social mobility?

    Change in social position between parents and their children. Compares offspring's status to their parents' status.

37. Identify the mobility type: many workers move into service jobs after manufacturing declines.

    Structural mobility. Economic changes force sectoral job transitions.

38. What is "social capital" in explanations of social mobility?

    Resources gained from social networks that facilitate advancement. Connections provide job opportunities and career mentorship.

39. What is a caste system?

    Closed stratification with fixed, hereditary social status. Rigid hierarchy where birth determines unchangeable social rank.

40. What is downward social mobility?

    Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Results in reduced class standing or income.

41. Identify the type of mobility: Person is promoted from clerk to manager in one career.

    Intragenerational upward mobility. Same person advances within their own working life.

42. What is status attainment?

    Process by which individuals achieve social position via education and occupation. Links education and career choices to social outcomes.

43. What is the "glass ceiling" as it relates to social mobility?

    Invisible barrier limiting advancement for women and minorities. Prevents qualified individuals from reaching top positions.

44. Identify the mobility type: A teacher becomes a police officer with similar pay and prestige.

    Horizontal mobility. Job change maintains same social class level and prestige.

45. Identify the mobility type: A nurse becomes a physician within 10 years.

    Intragenerational upward mobility. Same person advances career within their working lifetime.

46. What is intergenerational social mobility?

    Change in social position between parents and their children. Compares offspring's social status to their parents' position.

47. Identify the mobility type: A manager is laid off and later works in a lower-paid service job.

    Intragenerational downward mobility. Individual loses status within their lifetime due to job loss.

48. Identify the mobility type: Many workers move up because new high-skill jobs appear.

    Structural mobility. Economy-wide changes created opportunities for mass advancement.

49. Which option reflects relative mobility: (A) higher income than parents (B) higher income rank than peers?

    B. Relative compares rank position, not absolute amounts.

50. What is socioeconomic status (SES) most commonly based on?

    Education, occupation, and income. These three factors determine social class position.

51. Identify the mobility type: A child of factory workers becomes an engineer.

    Intergenerational upward mobility. Child surpasses parents' occupational and educational level.

52. What is relative mobility?

    Movement in rank compared with others, independent of overall economic change. Focuses on position in social hierarchy, not absolute gains.

53. What is upward social mobility?

    Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Improves one's class standing through advancement.

54. What is social mobility in sociology?

    Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Refers to changes in class, status, or position in society's hierarchy.

55. What is horizontal social mobility?

    Status change with little or no change in social rank. Job change at same hierarchical level, like lateral career moves.

56. What is social mobility in sociology?

    Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Refers to changes in position within society's hierarchy.

57. What does a high intergenerational income elasticity indicate about mobility?

    Low mobility; children's income strongly depends on parents' income. Higher elasticity means less opportunity for class change.

58. Identify the term: A teacher becomes a social worker with similar pay and prestige.

    Horizontal mobility. Lateral move between equivalent status positions.

59. What is a closed stratification system?

    A system with little mobility; status is largely ascribed. Birth circumstances largely determine lifelong social position.

60. What is an open stratification system?

    A system with relatively high mobility based on achievement. Allows movement through education and career advancement.

61. What is social reproduction (intergenerational inequality persistence)?

    Transmission of social advantage or disadvantage across generations. Maintains class structure despite individual mobility.

62. Which type of mobility best fits: a child of physicians becomes a physician?

    Low intergenerational mobility (high social reproduction). Child maintains parent's high status profession.

63. What is intergenerational social mobility?

    Change in social class between a person and their parents. Compares an individual's class to their parents' class.

64. Which option is an example of intergenerational upward mobility: A) child becomes physician; parent was janitor?

    A) Intergenerational upward mobility. This scenario demonstrates a child's higher socioeconomic achievement compared to their parent's lower status.

65. What is social reproduction in the context of social mobility?

    Transmission of social inequality and status across generations. Parents pass advantages/disadvantages to children systematically.

66. What is cultural capital as it relates to mobility?

    Nonfinancial assets (skills, tastes, credentials) that promote social advantage. Includes knowledge, behaviors, and educational credentials.

67. Identify the term: A child attains a higher class position than their parents.

    Upward intergenerational mobility. Child surpasses parents' social class across generations.

68. What is upward social mobility?

    Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. It signifies improvement in socioeconomic status, often achieved through education, promotion, or economic opportunities.

69. What is intergenerational social mobility?

    Change in social class between parents and their children. Compares offspring's class to their parents' class.

70. What is structural mobility?

    Mobility caused by broad social/economic changes in society. Economy-wide shifts create new opportunities or eliminate jobs.

71. Identify the mobility type: A physician loses a license and becomes an aide with lower prestige.

    Downward mobility. Loss of professional status represents decline in position.

72. Which mobility concept is best measured by tracking one person's occupations over time?

    Intragenerational mobility. Focuses on individual career trajectory analysis.

73. Identify the mobility type: In a fixed hierarchy, one family rises only because another falls.

    Exchange mobility. Limited positions mean one's gain requires another's loss.

74. Identify the mobility type: a child attains a higher class position than their parents.

    Intergenerational upward mobility. Child surpasses parents' socioeconomic status.

75. What is structural mobility?

    Mobility driven by societal changes that alter opportunities and occupations. Economic shifts create or eliminate entire job categories.

76. Identify the mobility type: A teacher becomes a teacher at a new school with similar pay and prestige.

    Horizontal mobility. The transition maintains equivalent socioeconomic status despite the change in workplace.

77. Which concept best describes a society with movement possible between classes?

    Open stratification system. Merit and effort allow movement between social classes.

78. Identify the type of mobility: Child becomes a physician; parent was a factory worker.

    Intergenerational upward mobility. Child surpasses parent's occupational status across generations.

79. Which concept describes nonfinancial assets (tastes, norms, know-how) that aid mobility?

    Cultural capital. It includes knowledge, behaviors, and dispositions that align with dominant culture, facilitating social integration and ascent.

80. What is exchange (circulation) mobility?

    Mobility in which some move up while others move down, net change $= 0$. Zero-sum game where gains equal losses in social positions.

81. Which mobility type is most directly increased by expansion of high-skill jobs economy-wide?

    Structural mobility. More high-skill jobs means more upward opportunities.

82. What is structural mobility?

    Mobility caused by societal changes (economy, technology, demographics). External forces create new opportunities or eliminate positions.

83. What is relative mobility (intergenerational) measuring?

    How strongly children's rank depends on parents' rank. Measures correlation between parent-child positions.

84. Identify the best term: Many people rise because new high-paying tech jobs are created.

    Structural mobility. Economy-wide job growth lifts many workers together.

85. What is a class system?

    Open stratification where status is influenced by achievement. Allows mobility through education, skills, and effort.

86. What is structural mobility?

    Mobility caused by changes in the economy or occupational structure. Entire groups shift due to industrialization or tech changes.

87. Identify the type of mobility: A person becomes a lawyer after starting as a retail worker.

    Intragenerational upward mobility. Career advancement within one person's working life.

88. What is relative mobility?

    Mobility compared with others' positions; rank-order movement. Measures position changes within the social hierarchy.

89. Identify the mobility type: A child becomes a physician; parent was a janitor.

    Intergenerational upward mobility. Child surpassed parent's occupational status across generations.

90. Which IGE indicates more intergenerational mobility: $0.2$ or $0.6$?

    $0.2$. Lower values indicate weaker parent-child income link.

91. What is absolute mobility?

    Overall change in living standards or class position across generations. It quantifies actual improvements in socioeconomic conditions from one generation to the next.

92. What is a class system?

    More open stratification based on achieved socioeconomic status. Allows movement through education, career, and wealth accumulation.

93. What is an achieved status, as it relates to mobility?

    A social position earned through individual actions that can enable mobility. Earned status that facilitates class movement.

94. What is meritocracy as an ideal model of stratification?

    Status allocation based primarily on individual ability and effort. Assumes equal opportunity and rewards based on merit alone.

95. Which type of mobility compares a person's occupation to their parent's occupation?

    Intergenerational mobility. This type evaluates socioeconomic progress or regression by contrasting parental and offspring occupations.

96. What is structural mobility?

    Mobility caused by changes in the economy or social structure. Societal shifts create new opportunities or eliminate positions.

97. What is horizontal social mobility?

    Change in social position with similar prestige or class level. Like switching careers at the same socioeconomic level.

98. What is a closed stratification system?

    A system with limited mobility due to rigid social boundaries. Examples include caste systems and feudalism.

99. Which mobility type is illustrated when a person becomes a manager after starting as a clerk?

    Intragenerational social mobility. Shows career advancement within same person's lifetime.

100. Identify the mobility type: A child becomes a physician; the parent was a janitor.

     Intergenerational upward mobility. Child achieves higher status than parent's occupation.

101. What is upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Results in improved income, education, or occupational status.

102. What is relative social mobility?

     Mobility compared to others' positions; rank-based movement. Measures position change versus others in same generation.

103. What is relative mobility?

     Mobility chances compared across groups, independent of overall structure. Measures equality of opportunity between different social groups.

104. Identify the mobility type: Many workers rise in status because a new industry creates high-skill jobs.

     Structural mobility. Economic shifts create widespread upward movement opportunities.

105. What is social reproduction (intergenerational persistence)?

     Transmission of social inequality from parents to children. Parents' status strongly predicts children's outcomes.

106. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Encompasses both upward and downward shifts in class position.

107. What is structural mobility?

     Mobility caused by shifts in the economy or labor market structure. Economic changes create new opportunities or eliminate old positions.

108. What is socioeconomic status (SES) typically based on in MCAT sociology?

     Income, education, and occupational prestige. These three factors combine to determine social standing.

109. Which option best describes upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Involves climbing the social ladder to better status.

110. What is intragenerational social mobility?

     Change in social position within an individual's lifetime. Tracks status changes from career start to retirement.

111. Identify the mobility type: Many workers rise because new high-tech jobs are created.

     Structural mobility. Economic shifts create opportunities affecting entire groups.

112. What is meant by an "open" stratification system regarding mobility?

     Higher mobility; positions are more achievable based on attained status. Merit and effort enable class advancement.

113. What is meritocracy in the context of social mobility?

     System where status is allocated by ability and achievement. Assumes talent and effort determine social position.

114. What is social capital as it relates to social mobility?

     Resources gained through social networks and group membership. Connections provide job opportunities and insider knowledge.

115. What is the status attainment model primarily used to explain?

     How education, family background, and occupation shape adult socioeconomic status. Links individual characteristics to achieved social position.

116. Identify the type of mobility: A factory closure lowers many workers' SES at once.

     Structural downward mobility. Economic change causes mass downward movement.

117. What is the difference between achieved status and ascribed status?

     Achieved: earned; Ascribed: assigned at birth (for example, race, sex). Achieved requires effort; ascribed is inherited.

118. What is upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position than before. Improves class position through education, income, or occupation gains.

119. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. It refers to shifts in position within societal hierarchies, allowing changes in class, status, or power.

120. Which mobility type is being measured when comparing children's adult income rank to their parents' income rank?

     Intergenerational mobility. Tracks mobility across family generations using income percentiles.

121. Which type of mobility best fits: a factory worker becomes a manager?

     Intragenerational upward mobility. Same person advances within their own career.

122. What is horizontal social mobility?

     Status change within the same social class level. Changes job or location but maintains similar prestige and income.

123. Which mobility type is illustrated when a factory closure causes many workers to lose status?

     Structural mobility. Economic changes force entire groups to change status.

124. Which option best describes upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Results in improved income, education, or occupational prestige.

125. Which concept describes benefits gained from social networks that can increase mobility?

     Social capital. It involves resources and connections from relationships that provide access to opportunities and support mobility.

126. What is meant by a "closed" stratification system regarding mobility?

     Low mobility; positions are strongly ascribed (e.g., caste-like). Birth determines position with minimal change possible.

127. What is a closed stratification system?

     A system with little mobility; status is largely ascribed. Examples include caste systems with fixed birth positions.

128. What is absolute mobility?

     Change in living standards regardless of relative rank. Focuses on actual income/wealth gains, not social ranking.

129. Identify the mobility type: A lawyer becomes a professor with similar income.

     Horizontal mobility. Different profession but equivalent socioeconomic standing.

130. What does an IGE of $0$ imply about intergenerational income mobility?

     Complete mobility; parents' income does not predict children's income. Zero correlation means perfect income mobility.

131. What is social reproduction in the context of mobility?

     Persistence of social class across generations through transmission of advantage. Privileged families pass advantages to maintain class position.

132. What is downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Decreases in class, income, education, or occupational prestige.

133. What is upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher social class or socioeconomic position. Results in improved income, education, or occupational prestige.

134. Which concept best describes unequal access to education and networks that limits mobility?

     Social inequality (unequal opportunity limiting social mobility). Structural barriers prevent equal chances for advancement.

135. What is vertical social mobility?

     Status change that crosses social class levels (up or down). Moves between different class levels, either improving or declining.

136. What is social reproduction in the context of social mobility?

     Transmission of social inequality and class status across generations. Parents pass advantages or disadvantages to their children.

137. Identify the mobility type: A person becomes a manager after years as a clerk.

     Intragenerational upward mobility. Same person advances within their own career trajectory.

138. Which mobility type is illustrated when a child attains a higher SES than their parents?

     Intergenerational upward mobility. Child surpasses parents' educational/occupational achievements.

139. Which option best describes downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Involves falling down the social ladder to worse status.

140. Identify the term: A person is promoted from entry-level to management over time.

     Upward intragenerational mobility. Individual rises in class during their own career.

141. Which option describes intergenerational mobility: (A) promotion at age 40 (B) higher status than one's parents?

     B. Between generations means parent-child comparison.

142. Identify the type of mobility: A child earns less than their parents as an adult.

     Intergenerational downward mobility. Child's status is lower than parents' was.

143. Which term describes a mismatch between a person's education and job requirements?

     Credentialism (credential inflation) / overqualification. It results from escalating educational demands for jobs, causing individuals to be overeducated for their positions.

144. What is intergenerational social mobility?

     Change in social status between parents and their children. Compares social position across generations within families.

145. Identify the mobility type: one person rises in class while another falls, keeping totals unchanged.

     Exchange mobility. Individual movements cancel out at societal level.

146. Identify the mobility type: A child becomes a physician while both parents were factory workers.

     Intergenerational upward mobility. Child achieves higher status than parents across generations.

147. What is intragenerational social mobility?

     Change in social class within an individual's lifetime. Tracks class changes from start to end of one's career.

148. What is the "status attainment model" primarily used to explain?

     How education and background shape occupational and SES outcomes. This model analyzes how factors like family background and education influence achieved social status.

149. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Encompasses both upward and downward changes in social class or status.

150. Which type of mobility best fits: a law degree holder becomes a teacher at similar pay?

     Horizontal mobility. Career change maintains same socioeconomic level.

151. What is social mobility typically measured with in stratification research?

     Changes in education, occupation, income, or wealth over time. These indicators track position changes in the social hierarchy.

152. Identify the type of mobility: A factory closes nationwide, pushing many workers into lower-paying jobs.

     Structural mobility (primarily downward). Economic shifts force entire sectors into lower positions.

153. Which type of mobility tracks a person's job status changes from early to late career?

     Intragenerational mobility. This type monitors an individual's occupational advancements or declines throughout their professional life.

154. Which option is an example of intragenerational mobility: A) worker promoted from clerk to manager over 10 years?

     A) Intragenerational (upward) mobility. This illustrates an individual's career progression and status improvement within their own lifetime.

155. What is social mobility in sociological terms?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Encompasses both upward and downward changes in class or status.

156. What is absolute mobility?

     Change in living standard or class due to overall societal change. Measures if people are better off than previous generations.

157. What is intergenerational social mobility?

     Change in social status between parents and their children. Compares offspring's status to their parents' status.

158. What does the intergenerational income elasticity (IGE) represent?

     Strength of parent-child income persistence; higher IGE = less mobility. Coefficient showing income correlation across generations.

159. Identify the mobility type: A child becomes a physician while both parents were farmers.

     Upward intergenerational mobility. Child achieves higher status than parents' generation.

160. Identify the mobility mechanism: Many workers move up due to rapid growth in high-skill jobs.

     Structural mobility. Economic changes lift many workers simultaneously.

161. What is exchange mobility?

     Mobility where upward moves are offset by downward moves overall. Zero-sum mobility where gains equal losses in society.

162. Identify the mobility type: one person rises to a job another person loses, net unchanged.

     Exchange mobility. One gains what another loses; total unchanged.

163. What is the difference between achieved status and ascribed status?

     Achieved: earned; Ascribed: assigned at birth (e.g., race, family class). Achieved requires effort; ascribed is inherited regardless of merit.

164. What is intergenerational social mobility?

     Change in social position between parents and their children. Compares child's social status to their parents' status.

165. What is exchange mobility?

     Some move up while others move down, with no net class-structure change. Zero-sum mobility where total class distribution stays constant.

166. What is absolute mobility (intergenerational) measuring?

     Whether children's outcomes exceed their parents' in real terms. Compares actual income/status to parents' levels.

167. What is absolute mobility?

     Whether living standards rise or fall compared with the previous generation. Measures actual improvement in material conditions across generations.

168. What is downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Declines in class, income, education, or occupational prestige.

169. Which mobility term best fits changing from teacher to nurse with similar pay and prestige?

     Horizontal social mobility. Both jobs have comparable social standing and rewards.

170. Identify the concept: Parents use networks and schooling to maintain their child's class position.

     Social reproduction. Cultural capital and connections preserve class advantages.

171. Identify the type of mobility: A teacher becomes a physician over 10 years.

     Intragenerational upward mobility. Same person moves up within their lifetime.

172. Which concept best describes a society where class position is fixed by birth?

     Closed stratification system. Birth determines permanent class position with no mobility possible.

173. Which option best describes meritocracy as a mechanism affecting mobility?

     Status is allocated based on ability and effort rather than inheritance. Rewards talent and hard work over family background.

174. Which form of capital refers to education, skills, and credentials affecting mobility?

     Human capital. It encompasses personal investments in knowledge and abilities that enhance employability and socioeconomic advancement.

175. What is upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Improves class, income, education, or occupational prestige.

176. Identify the mobility type: A nurse becomes a school teacher with similar pay and prestige.

     Horizontal mobility. Both professions have comparable status and compensation.

177. Which mobility term best fits a physician who later becomes unemployed and loses SES?

     Intragenerational downward mobility. Shows status loss within one person's career trajectory.

178. What does an IGE of $1$ imply about intergenerational income mobility?

     No mobility; children's income fully tracks parents' income. Perfect correlation means income is inherited.

179. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Encompasses both upward and downward changes in social position.

180. What is structural mobility?

     Mobility caused by changes in the economy or labor market structure. Economic shifts create or eliminate entire job categories.

181. What is an open stratification system?

     A system with relatively high mobility; status is more achieved. Allows movement based on merit rather than birth circumstances.

182. What is the "status attainment model" primarily used to explain?

     How education and family background shape occupational outcomes. Links parental SES to children's achievements through education.

183. What is relative mobility?

     Mobility chances compared across groups, independent of overall growth. It evaluates equality of opportunity by comparing mobility probabilities between social groups, regardless of economic expansion.

184. Identify the mobility type: a child of physicians becomes a retail cashier as an adult.

     Downward intergenerational mobility. Child's class falls below parents' professional status.

185. What is upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Results in improved class standing or income.

186. Which concept best describes how cultural capital helps maintain class across generations?

     Social reproduction. Cultural capital perpetuates class advantages across generations.

187. Identify the mobility type: a person becomes a manager after years of promotions.

     Intragenerational upward mobility. Career advancement within one's own lifetime.

188. What is meant by ascribed status in the context of mobility?

     Social position assigned at birth (e.g., family background). Inherited characteristics like race, gender, or family class.

189. Identify the term for a barrier that limits upward mobility for women and minorities.

     Glass ceiling. It denotes invisible systemic barriers that prevent marginalized groups from reaching leadership roles.

190. What is downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position than before. Loses class standing through job loss, income decline, or status drop.

191. What is relative mobility?

     Mobility compared with others' positions; rank-order movement. Measures position changes relative to others in society.

192. Identify the type of mobility: A child earns less education and income than their parents.

     Intergenerational downward mobility. Child's status falls below parents' achieved status.

193. What is the difference between absolute and relative mobility?

     Absolute: overall gains; relative: changes in rank compared to others. Absolute measures total change; relative measures rank change.

194. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a stratification system. Refers to changes in position within society's hierarchy.

195. Identify the mobility type: Some people move up only because others move down.

     Exchange mobility. Individual competition redistributes positions without structural change.

196. What is vertical social mobility?

     Movement up or down a social hierarchy. Changes social class level, either improving or declining.

197. Identify the mobility pattern: One person rises into a top job while another is displaced from it, with no net change in class totals.

     Exchange mobility. Individual movements cancel out, maintaining class structure.

198. What is upward social mobility?

     Movement to a higher socioeconomic position. Improves class, income, education, or occupational prestige.

199. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups between social strata. Refers to changes in socioeconomic position within society.

200. Identify the mobility type: A lawyer leaves law to teach high school at similar pay.

     Horizontal intragenerational mobility. Career switch maintains same socioeconomic level.

201. What is meritocracy in the context of social mobility?

     System in which mobility is primarily based on individual ability and effort. Assumes talent and hard work determine success, not birth circumstances.

202. What is absolute social mobility?

     Mobility measured by change in real living standards over time. Focuses on actual income/wealth gains, not relative rank.

203. What is vertical social mobility?

     Movement up or down a social hierarchy. Involves changing class levels, not just lateral moves.

204. Which option best indicates high intergenerational persistence of status?

     Strong correlation between parents' and children's SES. Low mobility shown when children inherit parents' class position.

205. What is an ascribed status, as it relates to mobility?

     A social position assigned at birth that can constrain mobility. Birth-given status that limits mobility options.

206. Identify the mobility type: a nurse becomes a teacher with similar prestige and pay.

     Horizontal mobility. Same class level despite occupational change.

207. What is cultural capital (Bourdieu) as it relates to social mobility?

     Nonfinancial assets (skills, norms, tastes) that promote social advantage. Includes education, manners, and cultural knowledge as mobility assets.

208. Identify the mobility type: A factory closes; many workers lose income and status at once.

     Downward structural mobility. Economic downturn causes widespread status loss.

209. What is exchange mobility?

     Mobility where some move up as others move down; overall structure unchanged. Zero-sum game where individual gains equal others' losses.

210. What is absolute mobility?

     Overall amount of mobility due to economic growth or structural change. Measures total mobility regardless of who benefits.

211. What is intragenerational social mobility?

     Change in an individual's social status within their own lifetime. Tracks changes in one person's status over their life course.

212. What is the key distinction between structural mobility and exchange mobility?

     Structural: system changes; exchange: individuals trade ranks with no net change. Structural affects all; exchange is individual rank swapping.

213. Identify the mobility type: An accountant is promoted to executive over a 20-year career.

     Intragenerational upward mobility. Individual rises in status during their own career progression.

214. What is downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Results in loss of class standing or resources.

215. Identify the mobility type: a nurse becomes a nurse practitioner with higher pay and status.

     Intragenerational upward mobility. Advanced degree improves status within lifetime.

216. What is exchange mobility?

     Mobility where some move up as others move down; net change is $0$. Zero-sum process where gains equal losses in society.

217. Identify the mobility type: A recession eliminates many mid-skill jobs, forcing broad occupational shifts.

     Structural mobility. Economic disruptions alter the occupational landscape, compelling widespread adaptations in job statuses.

218. What is exchange mobility?

     Some move up while others move down, with no net change overall. Zero-sum mobility where gains equal losses in the social hierarchy.

219. What is social reproduction?

     Transmission of social status and advantages across generations. Maintains inequality through inherited cultural and economic capital.

220. What is exchange (circulation) mobility?

     Mobility due to individuals trading positions, not structural change. Zero-sum swaps where one person's gain is another's loss.

221. What is intragenerational social mobility?

     Change in social position within an individual's lifetime. Tracks status changes from start to end of one person's life.

222. What is social reproduction in the context of mobility?

     Transmission of social status and advantages across generations. Perpetuates inequality through inherited resources and opportunities.

223. Which term describes movement between social strata, not movement within the same stratum?

     Vertical mobility. Moves between class levels, not within same level.

224. What is horizontal social mobility?

     Status change without a change in social class. Job or role changes at the same class level.

225. What is meant by achieved status in the context of mobility?

     Social position earned through choices and accomplishments. Results from personal effort, education, and career decisions.

226. Identify the type of mobility: Teacher becomes a social worker with similar prestige and pay.

     Horizontal mobility. Job change maintains same social standing.

227. Which option best describes downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. Results in reduced income, education, or occupational prestige.

228. What is horizontal mobility?

     Status change without major change in social class. Job or role changes at same socioeconomic level.

229. What is intragenerational social mobility?

     Change in social position within an individual's own lifetime. Occurs during one person's career or life span.

230. Which type of mobility best fits: mass expansion of tech jobs raises many into the middle class?

     Structural mobility. Economic changes lift entire groups upward.

231. What is vertical social mobility?

     Movement up or down the social hierarchy. Involves changing levels in the class structure.

232. What is downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower social class or socioeconomic position. Often due to job loss, illness, or economic downturns.

233. What is social capital as it relates to social mobility?

     Resources gained through social networks and group memberships. Networks provide job opportunities and insider information.

234. What is downward social mobility?

     Movement to a lower socioeconomic position. It represents a decline in socioeconomic status, typically resulting from job loss, illness, or economic downturns.

235. What is social mobility in sociology?

     Movement of individuals or groups within a social stratification system. Encompasses both upward and downward shifts in class position.

236. Identify the mobility type: A lawyer becomes a teacher with similar prestige and income.

     Horizontal mobility. Both professions require advanced degrees and similar status.

237. Which option best indicates structural mobility: (A) individual effort (B) economy-wide growth creating new jobs?

     B. Structural changes affect whole populations, not individuals.

238. Which option best describes a closed stratification system?

     A system with limited movement between strata (often ascribed status). Restricts class changes, often birth-determined.

239. What does high social reproduction mean in a stratified society?

     Parents' social class is strongly transmitted to children. It indicates low mobility, where socioeconomic advantages or disadvantages are passed down generations.

240. What is horizontal social mobility?

     Status change without a change in social class level. Position changes but class rank remains the same.

Study these flashcards