Social class

Todays lectures discussed social classes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mYY1QGK0jQ

Social class is a division of society made up of persons possessing certain common social characteristics which are taken to qualify them for intimate, equal status relations with one another, and which restrict their interaction with members of other social classes.
(Krech, Crutchfield & Ballachey in Dubois, 2000).

The lesson started with an example of social classes in ancient Greece:


















In comparison to the above class structure in Greece, British society can generally be divided into a three groups in the early 1900’s. Today there are more class groupings as shown below.


The main factor affecting these changes are:
- Social classes are easily changed upwards and downwards by marriage between classes.
- The introduction of a welfare state that can apply to any class depending on circumstances.
- Marriage frequently increases the income of the household thru both spouses working
- Classes have merged thru education being available to all, the availability of degree education is subject to a persons desire to self achieve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuPxgSYBk6s


The following gives good indications of how social classes determine purchases:
• Social class is a better indicator of purchases that have a symbolic aspect but low to moderate prices e.g. cosmetics, liqueurs
• Income is a better indicator of purchase behavior for non-symbolic, high expenditure products e.g. fridge freezers
• Both social class & income data are needed to predict behavior with expensive & symbolic products e.g. cars, homes

In conclusion incomes and professions can cause a change in class structure i.e. a skilled engineer considered to be in skilled profession could in fact be earning more than someone in a higher class.