A Transgenerational Model of Status Attainment: The Potential Mediating Role of School Motivation and Education

(2008) - Ingrid Schoon

Journal: National Institute Economic Review
Link:: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0027950100013211/type/journal_article
DOI:: 10.1177/0027950108096590
Links::
Tags:: #paper #NCDS #Attainment #StructuralEquationModel #BCS
Cite Key:: [@schoonTransgenerationalModelStatus2008]

Abstract

This paper examines the influences of parental social status, childhood cognitive ability, school motivation and education on social status attainment in early adulthood. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), a pathway model of transgenerational status attainment is conceptualised, taking into account the context as well as the timing of individual status transitions. The subjects were 3104 men and 3229 women who participated in the 1958 National Child Development Study and 3049 men and 2692 women from the 1970 British Cohort Study, following their lives from childhood to their mid-thirties. The findings suggest that in both cohorts the number of years spent in full-time education is by far the most important determinant of status attainment among men and women and that there are persistent social inequalities in status attainment. The findings furthermore confirm the hypothesis that social background and cognitive ability are partially mediated through school motivation and education, opening up leverage for possible interventions.

Notes

“Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), a pathway model of transgenerational status attainment is conceptualised, taking into account the context as well as the timing of individual status transitions.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 72)

“The findings suggest that in both cohorts the number of years spent in full-time education is by far the most important determinant of status attainment among men and women and that there are persistent social inequalities in status attainment.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 72)

“Social status is generally associated with the relative position of individuals, families, or groups in stratified social systems characterised by differential access to certain societal values, such as education, occupational prestige and financial resources.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 72)

“(Richards, Power and Sacker, forthcoming; Richards and Sacker, 2003). In both cohorts father’s occupation, childhood mental ability and education had direct effects on adult occupational status” (Schoon, 2008, p. 74)

“The study aims to assess the mediating effect of school motivation and education between social status at birth, childhood cognitive ability and adult social status” (Schoon, 2008, p. 74)

“Figure 1. Transgenerational model of status attainment” (Schoon, 2008, p. 74) Something really important to possible replicate

“There are independent variables (family social class and childhood cognitive ability), mediating variables (motivation and education) and an outcome variable (social position in young adulthood). Family social status at birth is assumed to be associated with general childhood cognitive ability.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 75)

“Family social status is indicated through a latent variable combining parental occupational social class and parental education.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 75)

“At age sixteen members of both cohorts completed a 5item school motivation scale” (Schoon, 2008, p. 76)

“Education is measured by the age of finishing full-time education.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 76)

“Adult social position is defined by a latent variable comprising adult occupational status and highest qualification achieved by age 30 (BCS70) and age 33 (NCDS) respectively.” (Schoon, 2008, p. 76)

“In a comparative analysis of men and women in the 1958 and 1970 British cohorts, a broadly similar structure of paths linking parental social class and childhood cognitive ability to status attainment of cohort members in their early thirties via school motivation and time spent in education may be identified. The findings are in agreement with other studies based on the British cohort studies suggesting that parental social status, childhood cognitive ability and education are all significant determinants of adult social status attainment (Breen and Goldthorpe, 2001; Bynner, 1998; Richards, Power and Sacker, forthcoming; Richards and Sacker, 2003). Furthermore, there is support for the hypothesis that social background and mental ability might in part operate via motivation and education in influencing social status attainment” (Schoon, 2008, p. 80)