8 Research, Policy, and Social Change Free Online FlashCards

What does social stratification describe?

Stratification is the patterned distribution of resources, power, and social respect across society.

How do class and status differ?

Class concerns access to economic resources and opportunities; status concerns social honor and standing.

How do income and wealth differ?

Income is a flow of resources over time; wealth is accumulated assets minus debts.

What is the difference between intragenerational and intergenerational mobility?

Intragenerational mobility tracks a person's position over their own life; intergenerational mobility compares their position with their parents'.

Does high social mobility necessarily mean low inequality?

No. People may change positions while large gaps remain, so high mobility does not necessarily mean low inequality.

What can surveys show, and what can they not establish by themselves?

Surveys and descriptive statistics estimate how resources and opportunities are distributed and can compare groups or places. A difference alone does not establish its cause.

What is needed to assess whether a policy caused an outcome?

Researchers need a credible comparison showing what likely would have happened without the policy. Before-and-after comparisons alone cannot establish causation.

Name pathways through which policies can reduce inequality.

Taxes and transfers redistribute income; labor standards and collective bargaining affect wages and job security; education, housing, and health policies can change access to resources and opportunities.

What does a Gini index fail to reveal on its own?

A Gini index summarizes overall income dispersion, but does not show which groups hold wealth or how inequality varies across groups or places.

How do absolute and relative mobility differ?

Absolute mobility tracks whether resources rise or fall in real terms; relative mobility tracks changes in rank compared with others.

What is a key advantage of longitudinal studies?

Longitudinal studies follow the same people or households over time, revealing trajectories and life-course mobility that a single snapshot may miss.

What is a strength and a limitation of administrative records?

Administrative and linked records can track outcomes across large populations and generations, but may omit informal work, subjective status, or poorly represented people.