Essay On Smoking And Socioeconomic

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Society is divided into different levels of class that demonstrate how people with different status’ interact and behave. Some behaviours can be described by analyzing which level of class an individual or group belongs to and their influence on the societal structure. Smoking is a common behaviour among all classes and is more pronounced among those of lower class. This essay will explore research to answer the question; What is the relationship between smoking and socio-economic status? This essay will explore socio-economic status through the levels of different classes in relation to smoking and the sociological view of functional theory. Socio-economic Status Socio-economic status is a term that is used when describing the social standings of a group or individual. The social and economic position of an individual or group is based on four main determinants; education, income, occupation and wealth (Piff, Stancato, Cote, Mendoza-Denton & Keltner, 2012). These four determinants are relevant in all realms of class and hold a large influence on the behaviours of each position in the social structure. Each class stresses a different determinant more than others because they are more relevant. For example, the wealthy individuals within the social structure put a lot of stress on their children’s education, whereas the lower class stresses the need to obtain work (Piff, Stancato, Cote, Mendoza-Denton & Keltner, 2012). This can allow people to use socio-economic status as a means of predicting the behaviour of each class. Upper Class The upper class are known to have high socio-economic status. They have a higher disposable income, are often highly educated, work high profile jobs and usually inherit their money from f... ... middle of paper ... ... encourage the lower class citizens to work harder to move up within companies and are motivated to succeed in order to better their life (Teppermen, 2011). Inequality allows individuals to demonstrate their talents and identify those that are willing to work for what they want and deserve. Conclusion This paper looked at the socio-economic status within society through the relationship between the different levels of classes and the effects of smoking, as well as the functionalist view of societal structure. Smoking is a common occurrence among the classes and is even more prevalent among those in the lower classes. Behaviours can be explored in more depth through the analysis of the social structure of society and their impact on individuals and groups. These levels allow for diversity and thus allow for different reactions and interactions among the classes

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