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Social mobility and personal satisfaction: evidence from ten countries
1Nuffield College, Oxford.
The British Journal of Sociology
|July 23, 2004
Summary
Social class mobility does not significantly impact life satisfaction. Whether upwardly or downwardly mobile, individuals experience similar life satisfaction levels compared to those who remain in their social class. This finding challenges previous theories on social mobility.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Social Stratification
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Previous literature presents conflicting optimistic and pessimistic views on the psychological impact of social class mobility.
- Understanding the relationship between social mobility and life satisfaction is crucial for social policy and individual well-being.
- Existing research often lacks cross-national comparative data on the nuanced effects of class mobility across various life domains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between social class mobility and satisfaction/dissatisfaction across seven life domains.
- To empirically test optimistic and pessimistic theories concerning the social mobility experience.
- To analyze this relationship using nationally representative samples from ten industrialized nations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of survey data from nationally representative samples of men and women in ten industrialized countries.
- Comparison of life satisfaction levels between upwardly mobile, downwardly mobile, and socially immobile individuals.
- Examination of satisfaction across seven distinct domains of everyday life.
Main Results:
- Individuals experiencing upward social mobility (working-class to middle-class) show no systematic difference in life satisfaction compared to the socially immobile.
- Downwardly mobile individuals (advantaged to working-class) also do not exhibit significantly different satisfaction levels.
- The overall association between class experience and life satisfaction is weak and varies across different life domains and nations.
Conclusions:
- Social class mobility, in itself, does not appear to be a strong determinant of overall life satisfaction.
- The impact of social mobility on well-being is less pronounced than suggested by some theoretical accounts.
- The study highlights the complexity of social mobility's influence, emphasizing domain-specific effects and methodological considerations.
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