Higher Social Class Preserve Social Hierarchy: The Impact of Family Social Class on College Students' Job Choices

Xie Xiaona; Long Xingyu; Guo Yongyu

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240515

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Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2024, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5) : 1163-1172. DOI: 10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240515

Social，Personality & Organizational Psychology

Higher Social Class Preserve Social Hierarchy: The Impact of Family Social Class on College Students' Job Choices

Xie Xiaona¹, Long Xingyu², Guo Yongyu²

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Abstract

At a time when the wealth gap continues to widen, the study of class hierarchy and its influence on job choices has captured the interest of scholars worldwide. This paper delves into the complexities of social class and its impact on job choice, focusing on the importance of individual social and political attitudes. Grounded in the principles of social dominance theory, our investigation examines whether a stronger social dominance orientation—reflected in a preference for hierarchical group relations—steers individuals from higher social classes toward jobs that consolidate their group's status by monopolizing social resources. At the heart of this inquiry is a critical question: Do university students from higher social classes show a propensity for hierarchy-enhancing jobs because of a heightened social dominance orientation? The research categorizes occupations into hierarchy-enhancing and hierarchy-attenuating, based on their effects on social inequality. This classification is important in assessing the relationship between one's social class and occupational choice, and in considering how the attribution of the rich-poor gap might influence this dynamic.
Study 1 examines the job preferences among college students from various socioeconomic backgrounds, with a particular focus on the potential mediating role of social dominance orientation. Using a nuanced measure of hierarchical role preference, this phase aims to discern differences in occupational choices while also evaluating the potential influence of occupational status. To this end, a pilot study meticulously screened each pair was meticulously matched in all respects except for their differential impact on social hierarchy. The primary investigation enrolled 265 college students, who were divided into groups based on their perceived job status. The study then measured their preferences for paired job roles, alongside assessments of family social class and social dominance orientation. The findings showed a mediating model in which family social class exerts influence on job preferences through the mediating influence of social dominance orientation. However, the moderating role of occupational status was not supported. This suggests that, regardless of the perceived status of the job, students originating from higher social classes demonstrated a preference for hierarchy-enhancing jobs over hierarchy-attenuating roles.
Study 2 delved deeper into the potential moderating effect of attributions for the rich-poor gap on the established relationships. A cohort of 471 participants was asked to write either external or internal determinants of the rich-poor gap. Then, we measured their job choices, social dominance orientation, and family social class. The results illuminated a nuanced dynamic: internal attributions to the rich-poor gap maintain the association between higher family social class and social dominance orientation, leading to a preference for hierarchy-enhancing jobs. In contrast, when the rich-poor gap was attributed to external factors, the influence of family social class on social dominance orientation significantly diminished, thereby altering the job preferences of university students.
Synthesizing these findings, a pattern emerges in which students from more affluent families are predisposed to choose jobs that reinforce social hierarchies, mediated by their social dominance orientation. Furthermore, encouraging students to consider external causes of economic disparities can lessen the impact of social dominance orientation among affluent students, suggesting potential shifts in their job choices. The ramifications of these findings are significant, proposing that social stratification is upheld not only through resource distribution but also through the internalized attitudes and beliefs of individuals, especially those from higher social class. The observations concerning the attribution of the rich-poor gap offer prospects for educational and policy interventions that could lead to a more equitable distribution of job choices across social classes, thereby reducing the reinforcement of social inequality. These strategies may be key to diversifying the aspirations of affluent students and disrupting the cyclical nature of societal disparities.

Key words

social dominance orientation / family social class / hierarchy-enhancing/attenuating / job choices

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Xie Xiaona, Long Xingyu, Guo Yongyu. Higher Social Class Preserve Social Hierarchy: The Impact of Family Social Class on College Students' Job Choices[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2024, 47(5): 1163-1172 https://doi.org/10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240515

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