Social mobility can take many forms.
Social mobility can take many forms. List and describe three types of social mobility. Give original examples of each to illustrate your answer
Sample Solution
Social mobility is the ability to move between different social or economic classes. It can take many forms, including horizontal mobility, vertical mobility, and intragenerational mobility.
Horizontal mobility refers to a change in status within the same occupational class. For example, an individual may move from being a supervisor at one company to a similar role at another organization without changing their overall position in society. This type of movement often results in increased wages and benefits as well as improved job security (Weber & Erisman, 2017). Additionally, it provides individuals with the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences which can be beneficial for future career advancement.
Vertical mobility involves an individual moving up or down within various levels of social hierarchy. Upward vertical mobility occurs when someone moves into higher-paying occupations such as doctors or lawyers whereas downward vertical mobility occurs when someone moves into lower-paying occupations like janitorial work or food service (Ngai et al., 2014). An example of upward vertical mobility would be a person who starts working as a cashier but eventually becomes an executive manager due to their hard work and dedication while an example of downward vertical would be someone who goes from having high-level corporate job to stocking shelves part time at Walmart due financial difficulties beyond their control.
Intragenerational Mobility consists of changes in occupation over the course of one’s life that result from either positive events or unanticipated shocks such as illness or injury (Grosz et al., 2016). A good illustration is someone who begins their career as a teacher before transitioning into becoming an accountant later on in life due to receiving advanced training that enabled them to secure more lucrative opportunities. Conversely, negative intragenerational events are also possible; for instance if sudden medical bills leave someone unable to keep up with payments they may need switch jobs just get by financially even though they were doing fine beforehand (Grosz et al., 2016)
In conclusion, there are three primary types social mobilities: horizontal, vertical and intragenerational all represent distinct pathways through which individuals can shift between different classes either voluntarily or unexpectedly throughout lifetime . Therefore it is important recognize these distinctions so proper supports can put place improve chances success regardless income level.
