ABSTRACT
Stratification systems may be characterized in various ways. Surely one of the most important has to do with the processes by which individuals become located, or locate themselves, in positions in the hierarchy comprising the system. Whether a path diagram, or the causal scheme it represents, is adequate depends on both theoretical and empirical considerations. On the empirical side, a minimum test of the adequacy of a causal diagram is whether it satisfactorily accounts for the observed correlations among the measured variables. The residual path is merely a convenient representation of the extent to which measured causes in the system fail to account for the variation in the effect variables. Thinking of the residual as an index of the adequacy of an explanation gives rise to a serious misconception. Position in the social structure is usually associated with a certain level of income, education, family structure, community reputation, and so forth. These become part of a vicious circle.
