A Level Sociology OCR Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of horizontal social mobility?

1. Becoming a manager at the same company

2. Receiving a pay raise after promotion

3. Transferring to a different company

4. Changing careers entirely

The correct answer is: Becoming a manager at the same company

Horizontal social mobility refers to a situation where an individual moves within the same social class or status, rather than moving up or down the social hierarchy. In this context, moving to a position such as becoming a manager at the same company represents horizontal mobility because it maintains the individual's social status while changing roles within the same organizational structure. The emphasis here is on the horizontal shift rather than an upward or downward shift in social status. This kind of mobility often involves changes in job roles or responsibilities without a significant change in income or prestige related to societal perceptions of class. In contrast, the other options involve vertical mobility—either upward or downward shifts in socioeconomic status. Receiving a pay raise after a promotion typically indicates a move up in financial status. Transferring to a different company could potentially involve a change in social standing depending on factors like the new company's prestige. Changing careers entirely might lead either to an increase or a decrease in social class based on the new job's status and pay. Thus, these other scenarios do not exemplify horizontal mobility in the same clear manner as taking on a managerial role within the same company does.