SOC 106 LECTURE NOTE FOR 100 LEVEL (SECOND SEMESTER)
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION:
Social stratification can be defined as the nature of the hierarchies of possessions in the
social system.
Whilmont (1985) described stratification as that which suggests short status inequalities
along certain measureable dimensions. This cut across different societies. For instance, in
the Lebanon, Pakistan and Iran, Wilmont also argued that religion will determine one’s
political role, while in India, one’s caste is important. International community however,
it is believed that one’s passport and currency determines how one is treated.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED STRAFIFICATION
SYSTEMS:
Stratification systems differ in the ease with which they permit people to move in or out
of particular strata. Where people can change their status with relative ease, such
arrangement is referred to as an open system while where people have great difficulty in
changing their status, the arrangement is called a closed system.
To understand these systems, there is the need to know the distinction between achieved
status and ascribed status. Achieved status is a social position attained by a person largely
through his or her own effort. These are common in open stratification systems. This
includes education, occupation, etc.
Ascribed status on the other hand, is a social position assigned to a person without regard
for that person’s unique characteristics or talents and they are typical of closed systems.
This include positions that are being held by most traditional rulers in most of the African
societies i.e. hereditary.
SOCIAL MOBILITY
Social mobility is the act of moving from one social status to another within a particular
social economic place of a person at any point in time
, TYPES OF SOCIAL MOBILITY:
This can assume several forms but the most pronounced are the horizontal mobility and
vertical mobility.
1. HORIZONTAL_MOBILITY:
This is the one in which movement from one position to another takes place, but without
a change in rank. For example, a university undergraduate might change from political
science as a major to sociology. Or a man may transfer his service form one parastatal to
another while retaining the same job title. In both cases, there is a change in position, but
not in rank
2. VERTICAL MOBILITY:
This refers to movement up or down the social hierarchy. That is, movement from one
social position to another of a different rank. This can involve moving downward or
upward in a society’s stratification system. For example if an auto mechanic became a
lawyer, this shift constitutes upward mobility. On the other hand, if auto mechanic
became a garbage collector, this change involves downward mobility. This kind of social
mobility is quite common.
There are two types of vertical social mobility. One is the movement above or below the
status one’s parents. This is called intergenerational mobility. This type is difficult to
measure because the criteria for success change over time.
Intra-generational mobility refers to the movement of a person relative to his or her past
rank. This kind of mobility is much easier to measure than the former. People are more
likely to be mobile as they change in education level, or marital status.
SOCIETY AND SOCIAL INTERACTION
A. CONCEPT OF SOCIETY :
A society is a fairly large number of people who live in the same territory, are relatively
independent of people outside their area, and participate in a common culture
B. CONCEPT OF SOCIAL GROUPS:
A social group is a gathering of at least two people who have a shared purpose and
interact on a regular basis. A group may stretch from simple to complex and includes
, family, friends, age-group, football team, ethnic group and choir in a church or the
women fellowship. A group is different from a crowd because the latter (crowd) may not
have the characteristics of regularity interrelated roles, nor is a crowd always predictable.
A crowd is often temporary and fleeting-it gathers for some occasion such as an accident,
celebration, etc and thereafter disperses.
TYPES OF SOCIAL GROUPS
In general there are three types of groups; primary, secondary and reference groups.
1. PRIMARY GROUP:
This is a group usually small in size and whose members interact regularly on a face to
face basis. Primary groups are close knit such as a family where role expectations are
diffuse and the authority structure may also be blurred.
In a University, it is not the questions of all those pursuing the same course being
considered groups, from within this group some four or five students may “hang out”
regularly as primary groups. There is normally some emotional attachment to primary
groups in which no topic is too personal or private as a family, play group or a clique
such as “those five students”. It is characterized by intimate, face-to-face association and
cooperation.
It also plays a pivotal role both in the socialization process and in the development of
roles and statuses. Indeed, primary groups can be instrumental in a person’s day to day
existence. When we find ourselves identifying closely with a group, it is probably a
primary group.
2. SECONDARY GROUP
This is based on more formal and stipulated expectations and role relationship. The lines
of authority are clearly defined. In other words, it is formal, impersonal group in which
there is little social intimacy or mutual understanding.
Secondary groups are associated with work situations. As society becomes modernized
and complex, there is some commitant tendency towards secondary groups. Thus,
increasingly, individuals find themselves in goal specific relationships over which they
have little emotional attachment. Such relationship as with one’s bankers, insurance,
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION:
Social stratification can be defined as the nature of the hierarchies of possessions in the
social system.
Whilmont (1985) described stratification as that which suggests short status inequalities
along certain measureable dimensions. This cut across different societies. For instance, in
the Lebanon, Pakistan and Iran, Wilmont also argued that religion will determine one’s
political role, while in India, one’s caste is important. International community however,
it is believed that one’s passport and currency determines how one is treated.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED STRAFIFICATION
SYSTEMS:
Stratification systems differ in the ease with which they permit people to move in or out
of particular strata. Where people can change their status with relative ease, such
arrangement is referred to as an open system while where people have great difficulty in
changing their status, the arrangement is called a closed system.
To understand these systems, there is the need to know the distinction between achieved
status and ascribed status. Achieved status is a social position attained by a person largely
through his or her own effort. These are common in open stratification systems. This
includes education, occupation, etc.
Ascribed status on the other hand, is a social position assigned to a person without regard
for that person’s unique characteristics or talents and they are typical of closed systems.
This include positions that are being held by most traditional rulers in most of the African
societies i.e. hereditary.
SOCIAL MOBILITY
Social mobility is the act of moving from one social status to another within a particular
social economic place of a person at any point in time
, TYPES OF SOCIAL MOBILITY:
This can assume several forms but the most pronounced are the horizontal mobility and
vertical mobility.
1. HORIZONTAL_MOBILITY:
This is the one in which movement from one position to another takes place, but without
a change in rank. For example, a university undergraduate might change from political
science as a major to sociology. Or a man may transfer his service form one parastatal to
another while retaining the same job title. In both cases, there is a change in position, but
not in rank
2. VERTICAL MOBILITY:
This refers to movement up or down the social hierarchy. That is, movement from one
social position to another of a different rank. This can involve moving downward or
upward in a society’s stratification system. For example if an auto mechanic became a
lawyer, this shift constitutes upward mobility. On the other hand, if auto mechanic
became a garbage collector, this change involves downward mobility. This kind of social
mobility is quite common.
There are two types of vertical social mobility. One is the movement above or below the
status one’s parents. This is called intergenerational mobility. This type is difficult to
measure because the criteria for success change over time.
Intra-generational mobility refers to the movement of a person relative to his or her past
rank. This kind of mobility is much easier to measure than the former. People are more
likely to be mobile as they change in education level, or marital status.
SOCIETY AND SOCIAL INTERACTION
A. CONCEPT OF SOCIETY :
A society is a fairly large number of people who live in the same territory, are relatively
independent of people outside their area, and participate in a common culture
B. CONCEPT OF SOCIAL GROUPS:
A social group is a gathering of at least two people who have a shared purpose and
interact on a regular basis. A group may stretch from simple to complex and includes
, family, friends, age-group, football team, ethnic group and choir in a church or the
women fellowship. A group is different from a crowd because the latter (crowd) may not
have the characteristics of regularity interrelated roles, nor is a crowd always predictable.
A crowd is often temporary and fleeting-it gathers for some occasion such as an accident,
celebration, etc and thereafter disperses.
TYPES OF SOCIAL GROUPS
In general there are three types of groups; primary, secondary and reference groups.
1. PRIMARY GROUP:
This is a group usually small in size and whose members interact regularly on a face to
face basis. Primary groups are close knit such as a family where role expectations are
diffuse and the authority structure may also be blurred.
In a University, it is not the questions of all those pursuing the same course being
considered groups, from within this group some four or five students may “hang out”
regularly as primary groups. There is normally some emotional attachment to primary
groups in which no topic is too personal or private as a family, play group or a clique
such as “those five students”. It is characterized by intimate, face-to-face association and
cooperation.
It also plays a pivotal role both in the socialization process and in the development of
roles and statuses. Indeed, primary groups can be instrumental in a person’s day to day
existence. When we find ourselves identifying closely with a group, it is probably a
primary group.
2. SECONDARY GROUP
This is based on more formal and stipulated expectations and role relationship. The lines
of authority are clearly defined. In other words, it is formal, impersonal group in which
there is little social intimacy or mutual understanding.
Secondary groups are associated with work situations. As society becomes modernized
and complex, there is some commitant tendency towards secondary groups. Thus,
increasingly, individuals find themselves in goal specific relationships over which they
have little emotional attachment. Such relationship as with one’s bankers, insurance,
