Understanding Culture, Society &

Politics Module 9: Concept,

Characteristics and Forms of
Stratification System
 SOCIAL
STRATIFICATI
ON
• Social stratification refers to the hierarchical arrangement
of individuals or groups within a society based on various
factors such as wealth, power, education, occupation, and
social status. It's a system that organizes people into
different layers or strata, determining their access to
resources, opportunities, and privileges.

• Social stratification to describe the system of social

standing.
 Indicators of Social Stratification
• Status - social structure
• Statuses - social stratifications
• Ascribed statuses - 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.
• Achieved statuses - 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
Types and Characteristics of Stratification
Systems:

OPEN CLOSED ETHNIC

SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM
The class structure is an open system. It encourages people to
strive and achieve something. People belonging to one social
class have similar opportunities, lifestyles, attitudes, behavior,
and possibly similar socioeconomic positions. It is based on
achievement, allow movement and interaction between layers
and classes. One person can move up or down to class through
intermarriages, opportunities, or achievement.
`

UPPER CLASS MIDDLE CLASS LOWER CLASS

 Upper Class – The people in this class have great wealth and sources
of income. They constitute the elite wealthy group in the society.
They have a high reputation in terms of power and prestige. They live
in exclusive residential areas, belong to exclusive private clubs, and
may have strong political influence in the system of government.
Ex;
• Business Tycoons and Entrepreneurs
• Political Elites
• Entertainment and Media Figures

MIDDLE CLASS
Middle Class – The people in this class may belong to the upper-
middle class which is often made up of highly educated business
and professional people with high incomes, such as doctors,
lawyers, stockbrokers, and CEOs or to the lower-middle class often
made up of people with lower incomes, such as managers, small
business owners, teachers, and secretaries.
Ex;

• Teachers
• Engineers and IT Professionals
• Nurses and Healthcare Professionals

LOWER CLASS
 Lower Class –The lower class is typified by poverty,
homelessness, and unemployment. The people in this class belong
to the bottom of socio-economic ladder. They may be categorized
into two: upper-lower class and lower-lower class.
Upper-lower class - people are considered as the working
class or laborers.
Ex; Street vendors, Workers in construction and agriculture
Lower-lower class - are unemployed, or no source of
income except by begging or dependent from private and
government relief.
Closed system accommodates little change in social position.
They do not allow people to shift levels and do not permit social
relationships between levels.
Caste System Estate System
• The caste system is a social structure that historically originated in certain
societies, notably in South Asia, like India, and has been characterized by
a rigid hierarchical division of people into distinct social groups or castes.

• It is regarded as closed stratification system in which people can do little

or nothing to change their social standing. Social contact is rigid and
clearly defined. People are born and die in their caste.

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).

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.

In the middle ages there are three (3) major estates in

Europe – nobility, clergy, and the peasants.

ETHNIC
SYSTEM
This type of social stratification is based on national origin, language
and religion. Ethnicity 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.

• Tagalog
• Cebuano
• Ilocano
• Bisaya
• Moros
• Bicolano
 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.

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

Social Mobility

Geographical Mobility

Role Mobility
 Social Mobility refers to the movement upward or downward among the
social positions in any given social stratification. It may be upward
(vertical) 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
Geographical
Mobility
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, commuting from home to office, making
business trips, and voluntary migration from one country
to another.

Role Mobility
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.
Theoretical Perspective Major Assumptions/Analysis
Stratification is necessary to induce
people with special intelligence,
Structural - Functionalism knowledge, and skills to enter the most
important occupations.

Stratification results from lack of

opportunity and from discrimination and
Conflict prejudice against the poor, women, and
people of color.

Stratification affects people’s beliefs,

Symbolic - Interactionism lifestyles, daily interaction, and
conceptions of themselves.
