Effectively Maintained Inequality in Canada Revisited.
Roger Pizarro Milian1, David Zarifa2
1Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Summary
Families with higher socio-economic status maintain educational advantages by pursuing prestigious higher education (HE) tracks. This study confirms the effectively maintained inequality (EMI) hypothesis in Ontario, Canada.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Education Policy
- Social Stratification
Background:
- The expansion of higher education (HE) has prompted research into how inequalities persist.
- The effectively maintained inequality (EMI) hypothesis posits that advantaged families secure competitive educational advantages.
- Previous studies support EMI in Canada's HE system, despite its flatter structure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-examine the effectively maintained inequality (EMI) hypothesis in the Canadian higher education context.
- To utilize the unique advantages of the 2005 Ontario University Applicant Survey (OUAS) dataset.
- To analyze both within- and between-sector status-seeking behaviors in higher education.
Main Methods:
- Statistical analysis of the 2005 Ontario University Applicant Survey (OUAS) data.
- Examination of applicant data with representative coverage of Ontario universities.
- Inclusion of comprehensive academic and demographic controls.
Main Results:
- Applicants from privileged socio-economic backgrounds gravitate towards more prestigious higher education options.
- Findings align with the effectively maintained inequality (EMI) hypothesis.
- Evidence supports EMI in reproducing socio-economic inequalities within Canadian HE.
Conclusions:
- The effectively maintained inequality (EMI) hypothesis is supported by the analysis of Ontario university applicants.
- Privileged students actively seek and attain more prestigious educational pathways.
- Further research on social stratification in Canadian higher education is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Equity Theory
263
Equity theory explains how our sense of fairness influences the dynamics of close relationships. Rooted in social psychology, the theory posits that individuals evaluate fairness by comparing the ratio of their contributions to the rewards they receive. Relationship satisfaction is highest when these ratios are perceived as balanced between partners, promoting mutual reciprocity and a sense of justice.Equity vs. Equality in RelationshipsEquity is distinct from equality. Fairness does not...
263
01:31In- and Out-Groups
42.9K
People all belong to a gender, race, age, and social economic group. These groups provide a powerful source of our identity and self-esteem (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and serve as our in-groups. An in-group is a group that we identify with or see ourselves as belonging to.
42.9K
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
95.0K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
95.0K
01:28Inequalities
273
Inequalities express mathematical relationships where two values are not equal and are compared using symbols such as <, >, ≤, or ≥. These expressions define a range of possible solutions rather than a single value. Interval notation provides a concise way to express these solution sets, especially when the variable spans a continuous range. An open interval, written as (a, b), excludes the endpoints, while a closed interval [a, b] includes them. There are also half-open...
273
01:26Self-Esteem and Culture
205
Self-esteem, a core psychological construct, is intricately shaped by cultural context and varies significantly between collectivist and individualistic societies. In collectivist cultures such as Japan, self-esteem tends to be flexible, context-sensitive, and influenced by relationships. A Japanese student, for instance, may show restraint in formal settings like school but behave more openly among close friends, reflecting the flexible and dynamic nature of self-concept in such...
205
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
291
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
291