What are the main types of social mobility and factors that enable or hinder it?

• A. Mobility is determined solely by genetics.
• B. Horizontal and vertical mobility; intergenerational vs intragenerational; factors include education, economy, discrimination, networks.
• C. Only vertical mobility exists.
• D. Mobility is random with no factors.

Answer: (B)

Mobility is about how a person’s position in society changes over time. The main types are horizontal and vertical moves. Horizontal mobility means changing to a different job or role that sits at a similar level of social standing—think switching careers but not climbing or dropping in status. Vertical mobility involves moving to a higher or lower level—upward moves raise status, downward moves lower it. These moves can be intergenerational, meaning they’re measured across generations (how a child’s status compares to a parent’s), or intragenerational, meaning the change happens within a person’s own lifetime.

Several factors enable or hinder mobility. Education and skill development are crucial because they open access to better jobs. The state of the economy and the job market shapes how easy it is to move up or down. Discrimination and structural barriers can block access to opportunities even for capable individuals. Networks and social capital—connections that provide information and access to opportunities—also play a big role. Geography, institutions, and policies that support or restrict mobility add or subtract from these effects.

So this option captures both the typology of mobility (horizontal vs vertical; intergenerational vs intragenerational) and the range of enabling and hindering factors, making it the best description. The other ideas oversimplify or ignore how education, opportunity, and social barriers shape mobility.