Social Class Differences In Attainment, Ext Pt3: Lesson 20

Question 1

What 3 types of capital did Bourdieu 1984 identify?

Answer 1

• Economic
• Educational
• Cultural

Question 2

Define economic capital?

Answer 2

Wealth: MC have more money & assets than WC

Question 3

Define educational capital

Answer 3

Qualifications: MC have higher levels of education than WC

Question 4

Define cultural capital

Answer 4

The knowledge of attitudes, values, language, taste and skills of MC

Question 5

How do economic and educational capital link?

Answer 5

• MC use economic capital to provide educational capital by sending them to private school’s
• selection by mortgage
• MC pupils have cultural capital from parents who have educational capital so they’re better suited for education and go on to gain economic capital

Question 6

What did Sullivan 2001 study?

Answer 6

• Questionnaire to survey 465 pupils in 4 schools to measure cultural capital

Question 7

What was Sullivans method?

Answer 7

• Asked questions about if they’d been to museums, galleries, read books, what TV they watched and tested their vocab and knowledge of cultural figures

Question 8

What did Sullivan find?

Answer 8

• Pupils who read fiction books with complex the,es and watched serious documentaries developed wider vocabulary & greater knowledge
• Children with most capital were children of graduates and more likely to succeed at GCSEs
• When WC & MC have same cultural capital MC still preform better

Question 9

What are positive points about cultural capital?

Answer 9

• Sullivans findings: cultural capital isn’t the only factor
• Doesn’t see working class subculture as inferior

Question 10

What are negative points about cultural deprivation?

Answer 10

• Ignores internal factors
• Assumes cultural capital cannot be achieved over time
• cultural capital gives MC advantage