How does social class affect a person's life chances?
The link between social class and life chances, the difference between wealth and income, and the meaning, measurement and causes of poverty in modern Britain.
A focused answer on social class and life chances for WJEC GCSE Sociology: how class shapes life chances, the difference between wealth and income, and the meaning, measurement and causes of poverty.
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point covers social class and life chances: how a person's class affects their opportunities in life. You need to define life chances, explain how class shapes them (health, education, housing and so on), distinguish wealth from income, and explain the meaning, measurement and causes of poverty. Present poverty neutrally and even-handedly, setting out the different explanations sociologists give rather than blaming any group.
Class and life chances
Wealth and income
Poverty: meaning and measurement
The causes of poverty
Try this
Q1. Explain the difference between absolute and relative poverty. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. Absolute poverty is when a person cannot afford the basic necessities to survive, while relative poverty is when a person is poor compared with the normal standard of living in their society.
Q2. Explain how social class can affect a person's life chances. [Short explanation]
- Cue. On average, people in higher classes tend to enjoy better health, longer life expectancy, better housing and greater educational success than those in lower classes, so a person's class strongly shapes their chances of getting the good things in life.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC (Component 2)2 marksExplain the difference between wealth and income.Show worked answer →
A short knowledge question (AO1). Reward a clear contrast.
Wealth. Wealth is the value of everything a person owns, such as property, savings and shares.
Income. Income is the money a person receives over time, such as wages, salary or benefits.
Top marks. A clear definition of each, showing wealth is what you own and income is what you receive.
WJEC (Component 2)8 marksDiscuss the view that social class is the main influence on life chances.Show worked answer →
A discuss question (AO1, AO2 and evaluation). Reward the link to class and other factors.
The case for class. Class affects health, education, housing and life expectancy, so it strongly shapes life chances.
Other factors. Gender, ethnicity, age and disability also affect life chances, so class is not the only influence.
Judgement. Class is a powerful influence on life chances, but it works alongside other forms of inequality rather than alone.
Related dot points
- The concept of social stratification, the main systems of stratification including the class system, and how social class is defined and measured in modern Britain.
A focused answer on social stratification for WJEC GCSE Sociology: the concept of stratification, systems such as the class system, slavery, caste and feudalism, and how social class is defined and measured.
- The concepts of power and authority, the difference between power and authority, and the three types of authority: traditional, charismatic and legal rational.
A focused answer on power and authority for WJEC GCSE Sociology: the difference between power and authority, coercion versus consent, and Weber's three types of authority - traditional, charismatic and legal rational.
- The concept of social mobility, the difference between open and closed systems and between upward and downward mobility, and the factors that help or hinder movement between classes.
A focused answer on social mobility for WJEC GCSE Sociology: open and closed systems, upward and downward mobility, intergenerational and intragenerational mobility, and the factors that help or hinder it.
- Forms of social differentiation and inequality beyond class: gender, ethnicity, age and disability, the meaning of prejudice and discrimination, and how the law seeks to promote equality.
A focused answer on other forms of inequality for WJEC GCSE Sociology: differentiation by gender, ethnicity, age and disability, the meaning of prejudice and discrimination, and equality law.
Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Sociology (Wales) specification (C200QS) — WJEC (2017)