What term completes the phrase: 'In _____ mobility, many people move up the social class ladder, and many move down, with the social class system showing little change'?

• A. Exchange
• B. Vertical
• C. Structural
• D. Horizontal

Answer: (A)

This describes exchange mobility, where many people move between social classes but the overall distribution of classes remains roughly the same. In this pattern, upward and downward moves balance each other, so the class system looks stable even though individuals are changing positions. For example, a large number of working-class people might move into the middle class, while a similar number move in the opposite direction, keeping the total share of people in each class about constant.

This differs from vertical mobility, which focuses on moving up or down the ladder itself without necessarily implying the class distribution stays constant. Structural mobility refers to large-scale shifts in society—economic changes or policy shifts that alter class composition—rather than the balance of moves within an otherwise stable system. Horizontal mobility involves moving between positions of similar status, with no upward or downward movement.