Knowra Social hierarchy Social hierarchy A ranked arrangement of people or groups with unequal status, authority, or access to resources. It shapes who can make decisions, command deference, and obtain valued goods.
Social status : A person’s or group’s socially recognized position and degree of respect. Status gives rank its social meaning and helps explain why people accept or contest positions.
Social role : A set of expected behaviors associated with a position in a group or society. Roles specify the conduct expected from people occupying different ranks.
Caste system : A hereditary system of social classification that restricts status and social interaction. Caste illustrates a strongly inherited hierarchy with boundaries shaping occupation and social contact.
Egalitarianism : The principle that people should have equal rights, status, or access to resources. It directly challenges the unequal ranking that defines social hierarchy.
Social stratification : The durable division of a society into unequal social layers. It describes how many individual rankings become broad, enduring patterns of inequality.
Social norm : A shared expectation or rule governing behavior within a group. Norms can prescribe deference, obedience, and other behaviors that sustain rank.
Feudalism : A political and economic order built around landholding, obligations, and ranked ties of dependence. Its layered obligations linked social rank to land, protection, and service.
Social equality : A condition in which people have comparable rights, status, or access to valued resources. It provides a benchmark for assessing disparities between hierarchical positions.
Authority : The recognized right to direct others or make binding decisions. Authority turns a rank difference into an accepted power to issue commands.
Social network : A pattern of relationships connecting people or groups. Network ties distribute information and opportunities unevenly across positions.
Show all 22