How do parents' educational fields affect the choice of educational field?
Håvard Helland1, Øyvind N Wiborg2
1OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University.
The British Journal of Sociology
|April 28, 2018
Summary
Parental education strongly influences students' higher education field choices in Norway. Children of highly educated parents are more likely to follow similar educational paths, demonstrating widespread intergenerational educational reproduction.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Education
- Higher Education Studies
- Social Stratification
Background:
- Intergenerational transmission of educational attainment is a key area of sociological research.
- Understanding the factors influencing students' field of study choices is crucial for educational policy and social mobility.
- Previous studies have explored parental influence, but a comprehensive analysis across diverse fields using extensive register data is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between parental education level and students' choice of field of study in Norwegian higher education.
- To examine the extent of intergenerational reproduction of educational fields.
- To explore the nuances of this relationship across different academic disciplines.
Main Methods:
- Utilized comprehensive Norwegian register data covering individuals born between 1955 and 1980.
- Employed a status group perspective integrating risk aversion models, micro-class theory, and cultural reproduction schemes for analysis.
- Conducted a fine-grained examination of diverse fields of study.
Main Results:
- Intergenerational reproduction of educational fields is a widespread phenomenon in Norwegian higher education.
- The tendency for students to follow their parents' educational fields is most pronounced among children of highly educated parents (masters and higher degrees).
- Students often choose fields closely related to their parents' fields, even when not identical, indicating a subtle form of educational inheritance.
Conclusions:
- Parental education is a significant determinant of students' higher education field choices.
- The findings support theories of cultural reproduction and status group persistence in education.
- Educational policy should consider the role of family background in shaping students' academic trajectories.
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