Final answer:
Sally's situation of having two advanced degrees but working in a low-prestige job with an average salary is an example of low status consistency. This concept reflects the lack of alignment between her education level and her occupational prestige, which is possible in a class system, as opposed to a caste system with typically high status consistency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept that best describes Sally's situation, where she has two advanced degrees, an average salary, but is working at a low-prestige job, is known as low status consistency. Status consistency refers to the alignment of an individual’s social status across various factors like income, education, and occupation. In Sally’s case, there is a mismatch between her high educational achievement and her low-prestige occupation, leading to low status consistency. It is important to note that such scenarios are possible in a class system that permits social mobility despite educational or occupational inconsistencies, as opposed to a caste system that typically ensures high status consistency with little opportunity for movement between social levels.
In societies where there is a class system, individuals may have the opportunity to raise their standard of living or change their social status through hard work or entrepreneurship, despite not having higher formal education. This concept is critical to understanding the dynamic nature of social stratification in various societies and the interesting cases where career success may not directly correlate with educational attainment. For instance, highly educated individuals might sometimes struggle to find commensurate work, while those with lesser education may succeed beyond expectations due to factors like the winner-take-all labor market or entrepreneurial ventures.