2. THE MIDDLE CLASS
• THE CLASSES OF A SOCIETY ARE TYPICALLY DIVIDED INTO
THREE – UPPER, MIDDLE, AND LOWER (CALLED THE
WORKING CLASS IN THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION)
• THE MIDDLE CLASS GROWS DURING THE INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION FROM A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE TO A
MUCH LARGER PART OF THE POPULATION
3. THE EMERGENCE OF THE MIDDLE
CLASS
• OTHERS FROM THE LOWER CLASS WERE ABLE TO WORK
THEIR WAY UP, AND THE MIDDLE CLASS INCREASED IN SIZE
• THE MIDDLE CLASS GREW BECAUSE IT WAS MADE UP OF
BANKERS, LAWYERS, DOCTORS, AND OTHER
PROFESSIONALS WHO BEGAN TO INVEST IN BUSINESS
4. MIDDLE-CLASS VALUES
• THE MIDDLE CLASS AT THE TIME VALUED EDUCATION VERY
HIGHLY, AND SAW IT AS A PATH TO SUCCESS FOR THEM
AND THEIR CHILDREN
• MEN BEGAN TO EMERGE AS THE SOLE MONETARY
PROVIDERS FOR HOUSEHOLDS
• WOMEN WERE KEPT IN THE HOME, AND DEALT WITH
DOMESTIC ISSUES – MAINTAINING THE HOME, WRITING
LETTERS, TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN
• CHILDREN IN MIDDLE-CLASS HOMES TYPICALLY ATTENDED
SCHOOL MUCH LONGER THAN WORKING CLASS
5. SOCIAL CLASS
• STRATIFICATION WITHIN A SOCIETY BASED ON A NUMBER
OF VARIABLES
• INCOME
• EDUCATION
• BREEDING (TASTES)
• BLOOD (OLD RICH V. NOUVEAU RICHE)
6. SOCIAL CLASS AFFECTS
• MEDIA ACCESS/CHOICE
• CONTENT PREFERENCES
• INTERPRETATION OF MEDIA CONTENT
• REPRESENTATION WITHIN MEDIA CONTENT
• POWER OVER MEDIA
