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An ‘Invidious Comparison,’ Class and Status, 1929‐60: Effects of Employment, Cost and Time on Veblen's Theory of Class *
Author(s) -
Noe Francis P.,
Elifson Kirk W.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
american journal of economics and sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1536-7150
pISSN - 0002-9246
DOI - 10.1111/j.1536-7150.1975.tb01200.x
Subject(s) - veblen good , socioeconomic status , social class , class (philosophy) , sociology , economics , positive economics , social status , neoclassical economics , demographic economics , social psychology , psychology , social science , epistemology , demography , philosophy , market economy , population
A bstract . A consequent of Thorstein Veblen's theory of ‘invidious comparison’ is investigated as it applies to class and status. This research evaluates specifically shifting socioeconomic effects within the structure of society that are often taken to be important causes for determining leisure interests by class. That time, employment, personal debt, and costs effect leisure were hypothesized to be decisive factors in the class leisure outcome. The relative and total predictive influence of the independent variables was analyzed and found to predict differences of leisure interests between the social classes. The findings lend support to Veblen's notion of the leisured class and its acquisition of status.