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Social Class

© Robert J. Atkins, Ph.D.

What level of social class are you?

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What determines your social position?

Family Gender Race Education

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What difference does birth or achievement make? Upper upper class

Result of birth E.g. Queen Elizabeth Kennedy

Lower upper class Result of

achievement E.g. Steve Jobs

Apple computer Rock star

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Do you want intragenerational mobility?

Changes in social position during a person’s lifetime E.g. Oprah Winfrey

Largest gains in average income Among highest paid 20%

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How much income or wealth do you have? Income = Paycheck

or monthly income from investments

Wealth (Net worth) = Assets - Debts Basis of social stratification

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What is conspicuous consumption?

Buying things to make a statement about your social position Timex vs Rolex Why you bought it is important

Do you remember?

What determines your social class? Oprah is an example of what type

of mobility? What is income v.s. wealth? What is conspicuous consumption?

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How does your social class affect your attitudes?

High social position More liberal on social

issues More conservative on

economic issues Low social position

Liberal on economic issues Conservative on social

issues

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How are people in the lower class different?

Less safe More stressful Health is worse Live fewer years overall

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What is poverty? Relative poverty

Relative to others around you

Found everywhere Absolute poverty

Egypt China India

Working poor

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What is the feminization of poverty?

Women make up an increasing percentage of the poor. Why?

Divorce Single women with their

children

Do you remember?

How does social class effect attitudes?

What is the effects of being in the lower class?

What is the difference between relative and absolute poverty?

What has caused the feminization of poverty?

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Rich become richer, the the middle class people are sliding down.

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