Chapter+8+Social+Stratification

__TERMS__
 * __Meritocracy__-(social stratification based on personal merit.)
 * Cady is deep down striving to achieve the status of accepted. In the process, she achieves the status of popular, attractive, and not intelligent. Also in the end she achieves the status of a liar. These are not traits or statuses she is born with, this making them strictly merit.


 * __Wealth__-(the total value of money and other assets, minus outstanding debts.)
 * Regina would be considered wealthy in our society. She has a nice car, a nice home, and nice clothes. Her room is very large. Also she fits the stereotypical role of a rich girl, through her attitudes and actions.


 * __Intergenerational social mobility__-(upward or downward social mobility of children in relation to their parents.)
 * At first, Cady is a sweet girl, and could do no wrong to her parents. She had been sheltered most of her life, and they liked it that way, it kept her safe from the social dangers of the world. Towards the end of the movie, Cady's parents don’t know who she is anymore. She is throwing parties, and disrespecting her parent's personal items. At one point her father says to her that her mother is very scared of her now. This is a drastic change in attitude from beginning to end.


 * __Blue-Collar Occupations__- lower-prestige jobs that involve mostly manual labor.
 * In Mean Girls, Janis has a job in the local mall. She works at a store that sellls lotions and other products.


 * __Conspicuous Consumption__- buying and using products because of the "statement" they make about social position.
 * Regina wants to lose weight, so Cady suggests a protein bar for her to eat. Cady says the bar will help her lose weight, but she is actually giving her protein bars that help people gain weight. The only reason Regina ate the bars was because they are Swedish and this to her means high class.


 * __Intragenerational Social Mobility__- a change in social position occuring during a person's lifetime.
 * Before Cady joins the Plastics she was just a normal girl at school. Once she joined them, though, she became popular and everyone knew who she was. Cady went from a home schooled teenager to a teenager that has parties when her parents are gone.