Concept, Characteristics and

Forms of Stratification Systems

UCSP
Prepared by:
Angelica Almeda
Vergel Illustrisisimo
Jhonny Arienza
 LEARNING COMPETENCY

•At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

• - Examine the concept, characteristics and forms
of stratification systems using sociological
perspectives.
 
 INTRODUCTION

• Inequality is found in all societies irrespective of time or place. All human societies
from the simple to the most complex have some form of social inequality. In
particular, power and prestige are unequally distributed between individuals and
groups. Societies may differ in the degree of inequalities and nature of stratification.
• In all societies people differ from each other on the basis of their age, sex and
personal characteristics. Human society is not homogeneous but heterogeneous.
Apart from the natural differences, human beings are also differentiated according to
socially approved criteria. Society is divided based on economic, social, religious and
other aspects. Heterogeneity in society is called social stratification.
 Social stratification is an inherent character of all
societies. It is historical as we find it in all societies,
ancient and modern; and it is universal as it exists in
simple or complex societies. The social differentiation on
the basis of high and low is the historical heritage of all
societies.
Meaning and Nature of Social Stratification
Sociologists use the term social stratification to
describe the system of social standing.
 VARIOUS MEANING OF SOCIAL

 It refers to what sociologists call it as “ institutionalized inequality” of

individual or “social injustice” due to social categories (Ariola, 2012).
 It is an institutionalized pattern of inequality in which social categories are
ranked on the basis of their access to scarce resources Brinkerhoff & White, 1988).
 It is the way people are ranked and ordered in society (Cole, 2019).
  It is a system whereby people rank and evaluate each other as
superior or inferior and, on the basis of such evaluation, unequally
reward one another with wealth, authority, power, and prestige. One
result of each differentiation is the creation of a number of levels
within the society. (Hebding & Glick, 1992)
 It is the hierarchical arrangement and establishment of social
categories that evolve into a social group together with statuses and
their corresponding roles. (Panopio el al., 1994)
  It is the differentiation of a given population into hierarchically
superposed classes. It is manifested in the existence of upper and
lower social layers. Its basis and very essence consist in an unequal
distribution of rights and privileges, duties and responsibilities,
social values and privations, social power and influences among the
members of a society (Sorokin, 1927).
 Indicators of Social Stratification

There are some people that are treated in another

way because of the social status, power, income,
prestige and among others that they hold in their
society (Arcinas, 2016).
status
individual’s position in the social structure

statuses.

higher or lower positions that come about through social

stratifications
Ascribed statuses
are assigned or given by the society or group on the basis of
some fixed category, without regard to a person’s abilities or
performance. These include sex, family background, race,
and ethnic heritage. You did nothing to earn these statuses;
you have no control over these characteristics and no
opportunity or chance to choose your family, your sex, and
your race. In the Philippines, the children of Ayala’s and the
Zobel’s have ascrived statuses (Zulueta, 2006).
, achieved statuses are earned by the individual because of
his or her talent, skills, occupation and persevernace. These
include, degree or educational attainment, promotion,
position, earned wealth and the like. For example, Nora Aunor
has moved up in the social ladder because of her beautiful
voice and singing talent.
 Prestige
refers to the evaluation of status. You have prestige according
to your status. For example, being the president of the Supreme
Student Government of your school, you have the prestige of a
president whether or not you perform and carry out well the duties
and responsibilities of SSG president (Baleña et.al., 2016).
According to Max Weber, most societies
would favor those with power, prestige,
status, wealth or class.
 Weber’s Component Theory on Social Stratification,

1. Power refers to the ability to influence other people. It is getting what they
want despite the unwillingness of others to give in to their desires.
2. Prestige refers to the person’s position in the society. This refers to having a
certain status that enables someone to have resources or opportunities.
3. Wealth refers to the amount of resources that a person has (Arcinas, 2016).
 As mentioned by Ariola (2012) in his book, one may be viewed as
belonging to the upper social strata or lower social strata depending on the
following dimensions:

1. Sources of Income. There are different sources of income. These are the
inhereted wealth, earned wealth, profits, professional fees, salaries, wages,
private relief, among others. Wealth is everything that is owned by a person.
Inherited wealth is acquired since birth and without effort.
Acquired wealth is achieved through ones effort either by talent, income or by
marriage. Income refers to the amount of money a person receives.
2. Occupation.
What people do for a living determines, to a large extent,
the social position of the person. Occupation may be
classified into professionals, non-professionals (clerks,
drivers, etc) proprietors of small business, skilled workers,
semi skilled workers, and unskilled workers.
Examination of the mentioned occupations indicates
disparities in prestige, income and power.
3. Education.
Educational attainment of a person may be categorized
as masteral or doctoral degree holder, college graduate,
high school graduate, elemetary school drop-out, among
others. Possession of the person of any of these
educational backgrounds may characterize the person’s
status in the community.
4. Types of house dwellings.
Dwellings can be categorized as permanent house (concrete
and excellent in appearance), semi-permanent house (semi-
concrete and very good in appearance and construction),
temporary house (wood and fair in appearance and
construction), and poorly constructed house (houses found in
squatter areas, or those considered below-the-bridge houses).
5. Location of residence.
Power, prestige and wealth are also attached to the
location of residence. There is disparity of social
status when one residence is located in Forbes Park,
White Plains, squatter area, mountainous-rugged area,
in subdivision and non-subdivision area.
6. Kinship or family.
In the Philippines, when a person belongs to the Ayala’s, Soriano’s,
Zobel’s, Villar’s, that person is regarded as belonging to the upper class
(rich) status. Children of sultans and datus are hgihly regarded as rich. If
a person is from a family whose house is situated in the squatter’s area,
that person is regarded as poor or belonging to lower class status.
Types of Social Stratification and their Characteristics

Generally, there are three (3) known types of social stratification:

open systems, closed systems and ethnic systems ( Ariola, 2012).
Sociologists distinguish between two types of systems of
stratification – open system and closed system. For the anthropologists,
they include ethnic system as another type of social stratification.
 
A. Open System

General Characteristics CATEGORIES

The class structure is an open system. It encourages 1. Upper Class – The people in this class have great wealth and
people to strive and achieve something. People sources of income. They constitute the elite wealthy group in
belonging to one social class have similar the society. They have high reputation in terms of power and
prestige.
opportunities, similar lyfestyles, attitudes, behavior
and possibly similar socio-economic positions.
It is based on aachievement, allow movement and 2. Middle Class – The people in this class may belong to the
interaction between layers and classes. One person upper-middle class which is often made up of highly educated
business and professional people with high incomes
can move up or down to class through
intermarriages, opportunities, or achievement.
People have equal chance to succeed. Whether people 3. Lower Class –The lower class is typified by poverty,
do something to improve their lives or not this homelessness, and unemployment. The people in this class
greatly depends on them. belong to the bottom of socio-economic ladder. They may be
categorized into two: upper-lower class and lower-lower class.
In the upper-lower class, people are considered as the working
class or laborers.
B. Closed Systems
General Characteristics Categories
Closed system accommodates 1. Caste System – It is regarded as closed stratification system in which
little change in social position. people can do little or nothing to change their social standing. Social
They do not allow people to shift contact is rigid and clearly defined. People are born and die in their
levels and do not permit social caste. Contact between and among the caste is minimal and governed
by a set of rules – especially those who belong to the lower degree, as
relationships between levels.
this will tend to bring them down. We do not practice caste sytem in the
Philippines. It existed for centuries in India and this includes the
Brahmans who are associated with the priesthood, the Kahatryias (the
warriors), the Vaishyus (the businessmen and traders), and the Shudrus
(the servants).
2. Estate System – It is somewhat a closed system in which the person’s
social standing is based on ownership of land, birth, or military
strength. Individuals who were born into one of the estates remained
there throughout life but in extreme cases there is social mobility, that is
people could change their status. In the middle ages there are three (3)
major estates in Europe – nobility, clergy, and the peasants.
C. Ethnic System

General Characteristics
This type of social stratification is based on national origin, laguage and religion.
Ethinicity sets segments of society apart and each group has a sense of identity. People
interact more freely with those people belonging to the same ethnic category. During the
Spanish and American colonial systems in the Philippines, the colonizers perceived
themselves to be occupying the upper social class than the Filipinos or the natives whom they
called as Indios.
Immigrants usually belong to a lower status than the inhabitants. The Gaddangs,
Itawis, Ituweraw, Ilonngots, and other ethnic minority groups are considered inferior than
the others.
Social Stratification and Social Mobility

Social mobility refers to the movement within the social structure, from one social position to another. It
means a change in social status. All societies provide some opportunity for social mobility. But the societies
differ from each other to extent in which individuals can move from one class or status level to another.
 
Thus, people in society continue to move up down the status scale. This movement is called ‘social mobility’.
For example, the poor people may become rich, the bank peon may become bank officers, farmers may
become ministers, a petty businessman may become a big industrialist and so on. At the same time a big
businessman may become a bankrupt and ruling class may be turned out of office and so on.
Kinds of Social Mobility

In a democratic state like the Philippines, a person can improve his

social status but the degree of mobility varies. In an open system, every
individual is provided equal opportunities to compete for the role and
status derived regardless of gender, race, religion, family background
and political inclination. There are three (3) types of social mobility:
social mobility, geographical mobility, and role mobility.
1. Social Mobility
refers to the movement upward or downward among the social positions in any
given social stratification. It may be upward (vertival) mobility and downward
(horizontal) mobility. Vertical mobility refers to the movement of people of
groups from one status to another. It involves change in class, occupation or
power. For example, the movement of people from the poor class to the middle
class. Horizontal mobility is a change in position without the change in status. It
indicates a change in position, within the rage of the status. A change in status
may come about through one’s occupation, marrying into a certain family and
others. For example, an engineer working in a factory may resign from his job
and join another factory.
2. Geographical Mobility
is otherwise known as physical mobility. It may be a
vluntary movement of people from one geographical area
to another due to change in residence, communiting fro
home to office, making business trips, and voluntary
migration from one country to another. It may be also a
forced migration which include forced relocation or
residence, eviction, dispossession of unwanted people, and
transportation of slaves.
3. Role Mobility
is the individual’s shifting from role to role. Every member of a
society has roles to play. Different situations call for enactment of
various roles. For example, the father is the bread earner of the
family but may be a teacher in school, or the leader at home or a
follower in the school or office. A daughter may be submissive at
home but very active and active as a campus student leader. A
teacher may have varied roles such as being a mother, a wife, a
guidance counselor, a community leader and many more (Ariola,
2012).
Theoritical Perspective and Analysis of Social Stratification
 

Social stratification can be examined from different

sociological perspectives—structural-functionalism,
conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.
 
Theoretical Perspective Major Assumptions/Analysis

Structural - Functionalism Stratification is necessary to induce people with

special intelligence, knowledge, and skills to enter
the most important occupations. For this reason,
stratification is necessary and inevitable.
Conflict Stratification results from lack of opportunity and
from discrimination and prejudice against the poor,
women, and people of color. It is neither necessary
nor inevitable.
Symbolic - Interactionism Stratification affects people’s beliefs, lifestyles, daily
interaction, and conceptions of themselves.
In sociology, the functionalist perspective examines how
society’s parts operate. It is a macroanalytical view that
focuses on the way that all aspects of society are integral
to the continued health and viability of the whole.
 StructuralFunctionalism
recognizes that all societies maintain some form of social stratification,
and therefore, social stratification must have important functional
consequences. According to Davis & Moore (1945), different aspects of
society exist because they serve a needed purpose. They argued that the
greater the functional importance of a social role, the greater must be the
reward. The theory posits that social stratification represents the inherently
unequal value of different work. Certain tasks in society are more valuable
than others. Qualified people who fill those positions must be rewarded more
than others.
Conflict theory focuses on the creation and reproduction of
inequality. Conflict theorists are deeply critical of social
stratification, asserting that it benefits only some people, not all
of society. Conflict theory’s explanation of stratification draws
on Karl Marx’s view of class societies and incorporates the
critique of the functionalist view mentioned above.
 Many different explanations grounded in conflict theory exist,
but they all assume that stratification stems from a fundamental
conflict between the needs and interests of the powerful, or
“haves,” in society and those of the weak, or “have-nots” (Kerbo,
2009). The former take advantage of their position at the top of
society to stay at the top, even if it means oppressing those at the
bottom. At a minimum, they can heavily influence the law, the
media, and other institutions in a way that maintains society’s class
structure.
Symbolic-interactionism is a theory that uses everyday
interactions of individuals to explain society as a whole.
Symbolic interactionism examines stratification from a micro-
level perspective. This analysis strives to explain how people’s
social standing affects their everyday interactions. Consistent
with its micro orientation, symbolic interactionism tries to
understand stratification by looking at people’s interaction and
understandings in their daily lives. Unlike the functionalist and
conflict views, it does not try to explain why we have
stratification in the first place.
 Rather, it examines the differences that stratification makes for people’s
lifestyles and their interaction with other people. In most communities, people
interact primarily with others who share the same social standing. It is precisely
because of social stratification that people tend to live, work, and associate with
others like themselves, people who share their same income level, educational
background, or racial background, and even tastes in food, music, and clothing.
 The built-in system of social stratification groups
people together. This is one of the reasons why it was rare
for a royal prince like England’s Prince William to marry
a commoner. Symbolic interactionists also note that
people’s appearance reflects their perceived social
standing. Housing, clothing, and transportation indicate
social status, as do hairstyles, taste in accessories, and
personal style.
 GENERALIZATION

Kinds of Social Mobility

1. Social Mobility refers to the movement upward or downward among
the social positions in any given social stratification. It may be upward
(vertival) mobility and downward (horizontal) mobility. Vertical mobility
refers to the movement of people of groups from one status to another. It
involves change in class, occupation or power.
2. Geographical Mobility is otherwise known as physical
mobility. It may be a voluntary movement of people from one
geographical area to another due to change in residence,
communiting fro home to office, making business trips, and
voluntary migration from one country to another. It may be also a
forced migration which include forced relocation or residence,
eviction, dispossession of unwanted people, and transportation of
slaves.
 3. Role Mobility is the individual’s shifting from
role to role. Every member of a society has roles to
play. Different situations call for enactment of
various roles.