Which term describes a stratified society in which social position is determined by parentage?

Which term describes a stratified society in which social position is determined by parentage?

• A. Clique
• B. Caste system
• C. Community
• D. Deviation

Answer: (B)

Stratification that is fixed by birth and passed from parents to children is a caste system. In this arrangement, a person’s place in society is assigned at birth and remains largely fixed for life, shaping who you can marry, what work you might do, and with whom you interact. Mobility between ranks is limited, and practices like endogamy—marrying within the same caste—and rules about purity help maintain this hierarchy. This concept sits apart from a clique, which is just a close-knit, voluntary group of friends; a community, which is a shared locale or identity; and deviation, which means behavior that diverges from norms.

Stratification that is fixed by birth and passed from parents to children is a caste system. In this arrangement, a person’s place in society is assigned at birth and remains largely fixed for life, shaping who you can marry, what work you might do, and with whom you interact. Mobility between ranks is limited, and practices like endogamy—marrying within the same caste—and rules about purity help maintain this hierarchy. This concept sits apart from a clique, which is just a close-knit, voluntary group of friends; a community, which is a shared locale or identity; and deviation, which means behavior that diverges from norms.