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Social selection: what does it contribute to social class differences in health?
Author(s) -
Blane David,
Smith George Davey,
Bartley Mel
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
sociology of health and illness
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1467-9566
pISSN - 0141-9889
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9566.1993.tb00328.x
Subject(s) - selection (genetic algorithm) , disadvantage , social class , social position , sociology , social psychology , class hierarchy , hierarchy , class (philosophy) , social mobility , position (finance) , life chances , psychology , social relation , social science , computer science , political science , economics , artificial intelligence , programming language , object oriented programming , finance , law
Social selection, or the idea that an individual's health can influence their social mobility and, hence, their position in the social hierarchy, has been suggested as an important element in the process which produces social class differences in health. The present paper examines this idea by drawing together evidence from a range of published research. Direct selection according to health is judged to have little effect on class gradients. The logically distinct idea of indirect selection can be seen most usefully as referring to the accumulation of advantage or disadvantage during life.