Key terms & definitions

Online platforms through which users create, share and respond to content and communicate with others.

The use of social media platforms to communicate promotional messages, share content and interact with customers.

Movement upwards or downwards between social ranks.

Movement from one social position to another, whether upwards or downwards.

Movement of individuals or families up or down the social or economic ladder.

Movement between social positions, such as movement from a working-class to a middle-class occupation.

An approach which explains disability through barriers in society, such as inaccessible buildings, unsuitable communication and discriminatory attitudes, rather than treating impairment alone as the cause of disadvantage.

A problem or unmet need affecting people's wellbeing or opportunities that may require a response from society.

Relationships and connections between people that can provide information, support and access to opportunities.

An expectation about acceptable behaviour within a particular society or group.

A shared expectation about how people should behave in a particular society, group or situation.

An expectation about acceptable behaviour within a social group.

A target intended to benefit society, such as supporting a community or reducing environmental harm.

The relationships, institutions and expectations that organise society, including differences in wealth and authority.

The arrangements, rules and shared habits through which a society maintains stability and organises relationships between people.

A condition in which society remains stable and operates without constant disruption.

The distribution of social characteristics, such as income, living conditions and access to services, between groups and areas.

The ability to influence another person’s behaviour.

A process through which social relationships and behaviour develop or change, such as socialisation or labelling.

Support that protects households against poverty and economic shocks, including payments to help meet basic needs.

Government spending on pensions, welfare benefits and support for people who need financial assistance.

A person’s position within a social hierarchy, influenced in Austen’s world by family background, titles, landownership and occupation.

A person’s relative position or status compared with others within a social group.

An explanation of depression which proposes that feeling inferior or subordinate to other people can contribute to depressive symptoms.

A filmmaking approach concerned with everyday lives and social problems, often using real locations and naturalistic performances.

A style that gives attention to everyday lives and social problems, often using recognisable locations and believable details.

Measures intended to improve people’s living conditions, welfare or treatment within society.

An infant behaviour or feature that encourages adults to provide care, such as crying or a baby’s facial appearance.

The continuation of class inequalities from one generation to the next.

The duty to consider how one’s actions affect other people, including those outside one’s own family or social class.