Social class refers to a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence, and status. Sociologists typically use three methods to determine social class:
- The objective method measures and analyzes “hard” facts.
- The subjective method asks people what they think of themselves.
- The reputational method asks what people think of others.
Results from these three research methods suggests that in the United States today approximately 15 to 20 percent are in the poor, lower class; 30 to 40 percent are in the working class; 40 to 50 percent are in the middle class; and 1 to 3 percent are in the rich, upper class.
The lower class is typified by poverty, homelessness, and unemployment. People of this class, few of whom have finished high school, suffer from lack of medical care, adequate housing and food, decent clothing, safety, and vocational training. The media often stigmatize the lower class as “the underclass,” inaccurately characterizing poor people as welfare mothers who abuse the system by having more and more babies, welfare fathers who are able to work but do not, drug abusers, criminals, and societal “trash.”The working class are those minimally educated people who engage in “manual labor” with little or no prestige. Unskilled workers in the class—dishwashers, cashiers, maids, and waitresses—usually are underpaid and have no opportunity for career advancement. They are often called the working poor. Skilled workers in this class—carpenters, plumbers, and electricians—are often called blue collar workers. They may make more money than workers in the middle class—secretaries, teachers, and computer technicians; however, their jobs are usually more physically taxing, and in some cases quite dangerous.The middle class are the “sandwich” class. These white collar workers have more money than those below them on the “social ladder,” but less than those above them. They divide into two levels according to wealth, education, and prestige. The lower middle class is often made up of less educated people with lower incomes, such as managers, small business owners, teachers, and secretaries. The upper middle class is often made up of highly educated business and professional people with high incomes, such as doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers, and CEOs.Comprising only 1 to 3 percent of the United States population, the upper class holds more than 25 percent of the nation's wealth. This class divides into two groups: lower‐upper and upper‐upper. The lower‐upper class includes those with “new money,” or money made from investments, business ventures, and so forth. The upper‐upper class includes those aristocratic and “high‐society” families with “old money” who have been rich for generations. These extremely wealthy people live off the income from their inherited riches. The upper‐upper class is more prestigious than the lower‐upper class.Wherever their money comes from, both segments of the upper class are exceptionally rich. Both groups have more money than they could possibly spend, which leaves them with much leisure time for cultivating a variety of interests. They live in exclusive neighborhoods, gather at expensive social clubs, and send their children to the finest schools. As might be expected, they also exercise a great deal of influence and power both nationally and globally.
FAQs
Gallup has, for a number of years, asked Americans to place themselves -- without any guidance -- into five social classes: upper, upper-middle, middle, working and lower. These five class labels are representative of the general approach used in popular language and by researchers.
What are the 9 classes of society? ›
Fussell's nine hierarchical classes are: top out-of-sight, upper, upper middle, middle, high-prole, mid-prole, low-prole, bottom out-of-sight, and Class X—this last being the classless class to which Fussell assigns himself.
What are the 5 different social categories? ›
As these examples suggest, gender, race, and ethnicity are the basis for several social categories. Other common social categories are based on our religious preference, geographical residence, and social class.
What are the 8 social classes? ›
These class models feature an upper or capitalist class consisting of the rich and powerful, an upper middle class consisting of highly educated and affluent professionals, a middle class consisting of college-educated individuals employed in white-collar industries, a lower middle class composed of semi-professionals ...
How do you tell what social class you are? ›
How a person perceives their own social class extends beyond what a W-2 income form claims they earn, experts say. You can look at income, education, marital status, location, family history, gut instinct and a host of other factors to find out where you fall.
What are all the society levels? ›
For the sake of clarity, we will limit ourselves to the four social classes included in Figure 8.3 “Subjective Social Class Membership”: the upper class, the middle class, the working class, and the lower class.
What are the different levels of people in society? ›
Sociologists generally posit three classes: upper, working (or lower), and middle. The upper class in modern capitalist societies is often distinguished by the possession of largely inherited wealth.
What are the 10 characteristics of society? ›
Society is characterized by likeness, abstract nature, permanency, difference, inter dependence, co operation, conflict, competition, accommodation and assimilation, sociability etc.
What are the four main social categories? ›
Sociologists disagree on the number of social classes in the United States, but a common view is that the United States has four classes: upper, middle, working, and lower. Further variations exist within the upper and middle classes.
What are the big three of social categorization? ›
For decades, researchers have demonstrated that people use particular cues to categorize others based on age, race, and sex (the “big three” social categories; Carter, 1944; Zhao & Bentin, 2008).
People. We often use collective nouns to refer to groups of people. Examples: team, gang, squad, army, jury, clergy, cult, crew.
Do social classes still exist? ›
The existence of social classes is considered normal in many societies, both historic and modern, to varying degrees.
What was the highest social class? ›
The term upper class refers to a group of individuals who occupy the highest place and status in society. Individuals who make up the upper class have higher levels of disposable income and exert more control over the use of natural resources.
What is wealthy class income? ›
Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.
What were the 5 social classes of the Middle Ages? ›
The social classes of the middle ages consisted of the upper, middle, and lower classes. Within the upper class were kings/monarchs, nobles, knights, and clergy. In the middle were merchants, doctors, and lower clergy. The lower class consisted of peasants/serfs.
What were the social classes in each society? ›
Sociologists generally posit three classes: upper, working (or lower), and middle. The upper class in modern capitalist societies is often distinguished by the possession of largely inherited wealth.
How many social classes were there? ›
Sociologists disagree on the number of social classes in the United States, but a common view is that the United States has four classes: upper, middle, working, and lower. Further variations exist within the upper and middle classes.
What is social science 5? ›
Usually included within the social sciences are cultural (or social) anthropology, sociology, psychology, political science, and economics.
