UWorld Behavioral Science Practice Test

Intragenerational vertical mobility refers to changes in social status that occur within a person's lifetime, rather than across generations. The scenario that best exemplifies this concept involves significant changes in an individual's professional status or capacity.

The cardiologist losing her medical license demonstrates intragenerational vertical mobility because it reflects a decline in her professional status and social standing that she experiences during her lifetime. This loss of license signifies downward mobility within her career, illustrating how a person can move from a higher to a lower status due to factors such as legal issues or changes in professional qualifications.

The other scenarios do not fit the definition of intragenerational vertical mobility as they either involve intergenerational changes (like the son becoming a neurosurgeon) or lack an explicit shift in social or professional status within the individual’s lifetime (like relocating a practice or inheriting a dental practice, which primarily conveys continuity rather than change).