social community of people considered different philosophers in different stages of human development.In the 19th century was a very popular class theory.This concept is cited as the main social group classes.They are, in its view, determined the course of history.Elements of social structure, such as classes, are still an integral part of modern Western theories.They recognize such well-known political scientists and social scientists, like Kroner, Aaron Myers, Bell, Brzezinski.In particular, they are included in the concept of industrial and postindustrial society.
However, in the early twentieth century there was a different approach to the division of society into social groups.The author of this theory was Pitirim Sorokin.He, in contrast to the Marxist theory of classes, he proposed the idea of the other criteria and signs of social stratification.This social strata.Sorokin's theory explains his bundle in the social environment.It is another social structure and system, encompassing its so-called stratification.It is divided into several types measurability in dependence on one or many criteria and characteristics.So, what strata?
First of all, these are signs of the division of social groups.For example, people differ from each other in their professions, the level of earnings.In addition, they can be different formation.Psychology tells us about the types of temperaments and individual personality traits.Huge groups are people of different religions and adheres to many beliefs.All these criteria, taken together, help us answer the question of what strata.Many researchers still believe that these features of the various social groups are the primary, and even in the final determination of the structure of society.
Philosophers also interested in not only what strata, but also how they impact on people and whether they are static or dynamic phenomena.For example, can a person leave his social group and move to another, and under what circumstances?This very process they called social mobility.The latter, in turn, also has not escaped classification.Mobility in society is both horizontal and vertical.The first individual is moved between different strata, while the second - the ladder inside one of them.It may also be a typical mobility characteristic of stable trends and random, which appeared as a result of certain coincidences in life.
contribution to the theory that this stratum, also made famous sociologist Max Weber.He put forward the idea that the signs of these social groups are psychological criteria such as prestige and status.According to this thinker, these social indicators give each stratum a lifestyle consisting of a specific set of habits, values and stereotypes.Therefore, a person who values his membership in a particular social group, must meet the expectations of its members and have them uznavaemym.Poetomu Weber, studying in its own way the question of what strata, pointed out that their members are imposed by public pressure and some educationrole.This discovery confirmed the well-known sociologist and his colleagues Pinton Mead.They described exist in each such group norms that greatly influence the behavior of its members, depending on their status.Perform such rules causes the person and such criteria as prestige.This is an estimate of an action of the person, which gives it the group.In our society, it can be demonstrated by the fact that in certain sectors is required every few years to buy a car or a brand new must-have iPod.If a person does not meet these requirements, it is believed that he has lost credibility and is no longer successful.It can be ostracized members of the group - it will no longer be perceived as their own.