Which concept involves the change in status within a social hierarchy?

The concept that involves the change in status within a social hierarchy is social mobility. Social mobility refers to the ability or likelihood of individuals or groups to move up or down the social ladder, which can affect their socioeconomic status, occupation, and overall quality of life. It reflects the fluidity of a society's structure, where factors such as education, employment opportunities, or personal achievements can lead to changes in one's social standing. This movement can occur in various forms, including upward mobility, where one ascends to a higher status, or downward mobility, where one falls to a lower status.

In this context, while cultural relativism deals with understanding cultures on their own terms without judgment, class consciousness refers to the awareness of one's social class and the implications of class relations, and role strain involves the tensions and conflicts within a single social role, none of these concepts directly encapsulate the notion of changing status within a hierarchy as clearly as social mobility does.