The nature, extent and significance of patterns of social mobility.

The idea

Social mobility is the movement of individuals or groups between positions in a stratification system. Its nature includes intergenerational (between generations) and intragenerational (within a lifetime) movement, which can be upward, downward, or horizontal. The extent of mobility is measured to assess how open a society is. Absolute mobility tracks total numbers changing class, often driven by structural economic shifts like the expansion of white-collar jobs. Relative mobility examines the comparative chances of different groups reaching specific classes. The significance of these patterns lies in what they reveal about meritocracy and inequality.

For example: Persistent barriers for working-class individuals accessing elite professions challenge functionalist claims of a purely meritocratic society, highlighting entrenched structural inequalities.

What earns the marks

• Define intergenerational mobility as movement between generations and intragenerational mobility as movement within an individual's working life.
• Distinguish between absolute mobility, which is driven by structural changes in the economy, and relative mobility, which measures comparative life chances.
• Identify key sociological research measuring the extent of mobility, such as the Oxford Mobility Study.
• Explain the significance of mobility patterns in evaluating whether a society is meritocratic or reproduces existing class inequalities.
• Recognise the difference between upward, downward, and horizontal social mobility in given scenarios.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Confusing absolute and relative mobility.

  Put it right: Absolute mobility refers to the total amount of movement due to changes in the occupational structure, whereas relative mobility refers to the comparative chances of individuals from different backgrounds reaching a particular class.

• Assuming high absolute mobility means society is fully meritocratic.

  Put it right: High absolute mobility can occur due to economic restructuring, such as the creation of more middle-class jobs, without improving the relative chances of working-class individuals compared to their middle-class peers.

• Using intergenerational and intragenerational mobility interchangeably.

  Put it right: Intergenerational compares a person's class to their parents' class, while intragenerational tracks a person's class changes over their own working life.

Exam tips

• When evaluating the significance of mobility, use relative mobility data to critique functionalist views of meritocracy.
• Be prepared to interpret data or scenarios describing changes in occupational structures to identify examples of absolute mobility.
• Link patterns of social mobility to broader themes of stratification, such as educational achievement and the reproduction of class inequality.