Comparing Functionalism, Symbolic Interactionism, and Conflict Theory in Classism, Slides of Social Theory

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Classism (Social Classes)

By: Harrison Hong, Alex Cohen, Reuben Myburgh, Chethan Swanson

Functionalism in Classism

● Functionalism teaches that only qualified people who take over important

positions are rewarded for their efforts (special talent and training)

● Recognizes the existence of inequality due to certain jobs being more

“important” than others

● In order to motivate people to aspire to these jobs and take the necessary

sacrifices, society attaches money and prestige to these jobs

Demo: Prestige Scores (Post)

● Discussion time...are any of these occupations too high

• 1. Priest
• 2. Secret Service agent
• 3. School Principal
• 4. Paramedic
• 5. Jazz Musician
     • 6. Plumber
     • 7. Bank Teller
     • 8. Landlord
     • 9. Used Car Salesman
  • 10. Bill collector

Functionalism in the Demo

● The prestige scores and order of each job is determined by U.S. cultural

and meritocratic influences

● The status of any occupation is influenced by the pay and economic

responsibility of each occupation

● The priest was highest on our particular list because of cultural influences,

for example

● Some jobs are higher than others in prestige because they require skill and

special training...the fundamental element of functionalism in classism

Video Clip: Fresh Prince of Bel Air (Pre)

● This clip is from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

● This particular clip shows Will and Carlton

trying to get into a fraternity, but Carlton is

denied due to his social status

Video Clip: Fresh Prince of Bel Air (Post)

● Carlton is rejected because he is of high class

● The leader claims that he has had it easy all his life and he doesn’t deserve

to call himself an African American because of this

● This relates to symbolic interactionism because:

○ The frat leader claims that Carlton has had it easy (this rejects S.I.) ○ Carlton’s father, Philip Banks, states he has “worked very hard to give his family a good life” which highlights the theory of S.I. ○ S.I. in classism = people become successful based off talent and effort as Philip has done for his family

Video Clip: The Sneetches (Pre)

● This clip is called “The Sneetches”

● From Dr. Seuss

● In the clip, the star bellied Sneetches are

superior to the non-star bellied ones which

represents/satirizes classism in society

Video Clip: The Sneetches (Post)

● The video represents the class struggle between the star bellied sneetches

and the non star bellied sneetches

● Karl Marx in his conflict theory stated that class struggle has always

existed and that the upper class has superiority

● The Sneetches, however, reject Karl Marx’s “false consciousness” theory

because they DO NOT accept the division and rather attempt to fit in with

the upper class

● Conflict theory states that political systems are skewed towards the more

powerful which is consistent with the star bellied sneetches’ nobility and

luxurious lives

Social Classes in America

● Class consciousness: sense of identification with the goals and interests of the members of a particular social class

Upper Class: Investors, heirs, CEOs

Upper Middle: Upper Level Managers, professionals, owners of businesses

Middle Class: Lower Level Managers, semiprofessionals, non-retail salesmen

Working Class: Low paid manual, clerical, craft, retail sales workers

Working Poor: Lowest paid manual, retail, service workers

Underclass: unemployed, part time, public assisstance

Poverty in America

● Absolute poverty - absence of enough money to secure life’s necessities ● Relative poverty - comparison of bottom portion of society to the rest ● 12.7% of American population is poor (37 million people) ● Most people in poverty come from identifiable groups ● African Americans and Latinos make up nearly half the poverty population ● When females head the family, chances of poverty rise greatly ● 18% of children under the age of 18 are in poverty (highest rate for any group in the US) ● Feminization of poverty - the idea or trend that females and children make up the majority of our nation’s poor ● Reasons as to why women tend to be in poverty more than men: ○ Women earn $.80 for every $1 men earn ○ Lack of good childcare facilities ○ Women with kids find it harder to maintain employment

Social Mobility

Social Mobility is the movement of people between social classes. Types of Mobility: ● Vertical Mobility ○ Change in social status ○ Two directions; Upward Mobility and Downward Mobility ○ Downward Intergenerational Mobility happens more frequently today (Newman,

○ Possibly due to outsourcing ○ Downwardly Mobile people tend to experience negative psychological effects ● Horizontal Mobility ○ Change in occupation without any change in social status ● Intergenerational Mobility ○ Mobility is Vertical or Horizontal over a generation

Social Mobility (cont.)

Social Systems: ● Caste System ○ Individuals are born unto a social class permanently ○ Social Mobility does not occur ○ Marriage is limited to individuals in the same caste ○ India is divided up to 5 classes; from priests and scholars to the “untouchables” ○ The power wealth and prestige of the upper classes keep the system intact ● Open Class System ○ Individual’s social class is based on merit and effort ○ Social Mobility is enabled ○ U.S. is relatively open class