What ability allows individuals to change their occupational position or income within a social hierarchy?

The ability that enables individuals to change their occupational position or income within a social hierarchy is referred to as social mobility. This concept encompasses the movement of individuals or groups within the hierarchical layers of society, which can occur upwards, leading to higher status and income, or downwards, resulting in a lower position.

Social mobility is influenced by various factors including education, economic opportunities, social capital, and cultural norms. When individuals can achieve a different socioeconomic status than the one they were born into, it is an illustration of social mobility in action.

In contrast, social stratification refers to the structured ranking of entire groups of people that perpetuates unequal rewards and life chances in society, rather than the ability to change one’s position. Social differentiation is the process through which different social roles develop and become distinct, leading to varying levels of responsibility and status, but it does not inherently involve the movement of individuals between these roles or statuses. Social exclusion denotes the process by which certain groups are systematically prevented from accessing resources, opportunities, or rights, which is opposite to the idea of mobility. Therefore, social mobility specifically encapsulates the process of shifting positions within the social hierarchy.