Upward mobility is defined as moving from a lower status to a higher status. Which option best labels this concept?

• A. Upward mobility
• B. Downward mobility
• C. Horizontal mobility
• D. Intergenerational mobility

Answer: (A)

In sociology, mobility describes changes in a person’s social standing. Upward mobility specifically means moving from a lower status to a higher one, so the label that fits this direction is upward mobility. For example, earning a higher income, obtaining more education, or moving into a higher-status occupation illustrates this upward shift. The other terms describe different patterns: downward mobility is a drop to a lower status, horizontal mobility involves moving to a different job or role without changing overall status, and intergenerational mobility compares a person’s status with that of their parents (it can be upward or downward across generations but isn’t about a single person’s direct move).