Final answer:
Social mobility is the ability to change positions within a social stratification system and can be upward or downward based on various life factors. Intergenerational and intragenerational are two types of social mobility, and systems that allow for such mobility are often based on personal achievement and effort.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social mobility refers to the ability of individuals to change their positions within a social stratification system. This dynamic characteristic allows people to move upwards and achieve a higher socioeconomic status, known as upward mobility, or move downwards to a lower socioeconomic status, referred to as downward mobility. Reasons for social mobility include factors like education, career advancements, economic changes, and personal circumstances.
Intergenerational mobility is the difference in social class between different generations within the same family, while intragenerational mobility represents the changes in social class that can occur throughout an individual's lifetime. The concept of an open system in stratification allows for this movement and interaction between social classes, based largely on personal achievement and effort.
Notably in American society, social mobility is a cornerstone of the American Dream, where the idea prevails that hard work can lead to a rise in social class. However, structural changes like technological advancements, economic recessions, and personal challenges such as divorce or illness can also lead to downward mobility, an undesirable decline in one's social standing.