Measuring social mobility Flashcards
P1: How is occupation used to measure social mobility?
Occupational mobility assesses changes in job status between generations or throughout an individual’s career, using systems like the NS-SEC or Hope-Goldthorpe Scale.
What is the “4-2-1” rule, and what does it show?
The “4-2-1” rule (Killner & Whilby) shows that sons of service-class fathers are four times more likely to enter service-class jobs than sons of working-class fathers, highlighting class-based barriers to mobility.
Why is occupational mobility useful for policymakers?
It tracks long-term patterns in social mobility, helping policymakers assess whether societies are becoming more meritocratic or if class barriers remain rigid.
What are the limitations of using occupation to measure social mobility?
It overlooks intra-generational mobility, unpaid labour (e.g., housework), and groups jobs too broadly, obscuring the true extent of mobility.
How can the effectiveness of occupational mobility measures be improved?
By combining it with income and education-based measures to gain a fuller picture of mobility trends.
P2: How is income used to measure social mobility?
Income mobility assesses changes in earnings between generations or over a lifetime, using metrics like income percentile rankings and intergenerational earnings elasticity.
What is “opportunity hoarding,” and how does it affect mobility?
“Opportunity hoarding” (Reeves, 2017) refers to higher-income families using resources like private schooling and professional networks to secure advantages for their children, restricting mobility for others.
What is the “glass floor” phenomenon?
The “glass floor” protects low-achieving children from wealthy backgrounds from downward mobility due to their parents’ resources, highlighting class privilege.
Why is income mobility useful for understanding inequality?
It reveals whether a society operates meritocratically or if class privilege outweighs individual effort, informing policies like progressive taxation and education investment.
What are the limitations of using income to measure social mobility?
Income fluctuates over time, ignores job security and working conditions, and fails to account for unpaid work or wealth inheritance.
