Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Practice Examination

What term refers to fixed layers of superiority and inferiority into which a person is born?

1. Caste System

2. Class Structure

3. Social Stratification

4. Hierarchy of Needs

The correct answer is: Caste System

The term that describes fixed layers of superiority and inferiority into which a person is born is the caste system. The caste system is a form of social stratification where individuals are assigned a social status at birth that privileges or constrains their opportunities and social mobility based on inherited traits and societal roles. In contrast, class structure refers to a more fluid arrangement based on economic status and allows for movement between classes in response to changes in wealth or education. Social stratification encompasses a broader concept, including various systems that divide society into ordered layers, but does not specifically address the rigid, hereditary nature of caste systems. The hierarchy of needs, on the other hand, is a psychological framework proposed by Abraham Maslow that categorizes human needs, ranging from basic physiological needs to self-actualization, and does not relate directly to social stratification. The caste system distinctly identifies individuals’ roles and status based solely on the group they are born into, emphasizing the rigidity and lack of mobility characteristic of such systems.