Social mobility only occurs when individuals rise to a higher social class, and does not account for individuals who may fall to a lower class throughout their lives.

Social mobility refers to the ability of individuals or families to move up or down the social class ladder. While it often focuses on people rising to a higher social class, it also includes those who may experience a decline in their social status. For example, someone may start in a middle-class family, achieve a good job and move up to upper-class status, but later lose that job and fall back to a lower class due to economic changes. This movement can happen for various reasons, such as job loss, health issues, or changes in the economy. Therefore, social mobility is about the shifts in social class, whether upward or downward, throughout a person's life.