What term describes the movement of individuals or groups within a society's stratification system?

The term that describes the movement of individuals or groups within a society's stratification system is social mobility. This concept refers specifically to the ability or the process of moving up or down the social hierarchy, which can occur due to various factors such as education, employment opportunities, changes in economic conditions, or shifts in societal norms and values.

Social mobility can be upward, indicating a rise in social status, or downward, reflecting a decrease in social status. It is a crucial element in understanding how stratification systems operate and how individuals can potentially change their socioeconomic position over time.

In contrast, social stratification refers more broadly to the structured inequality present in society, encompassing the different layers or classes within that system. Social integration pertains to the ways in which diverse members of a society come together and function cohesively, while social conflict involves the struggles between different social groups or classes, often arising from inequalities and competition for resources. Thus, social mobility is the most precise term for describing individual or group movements within the societal hierarchy.