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Self‐Esteem and the Reproduction of Social Class
Author(s) -
James Spencer L.,
Amato Paul R.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
social science quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1540-6237
pISSN - 0038-4941
DOI - 10.1111/ssqu.12019
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , offspring , attendance , self esteem , psychology , social class , structural equation modeling , educational attainment , reproduction , developmental psychology , social psychology , demography , sociology , economics , pregnancy , economic growth , mathematics , market economy , population , statistics , ecology , biology , genetics
Objective Although prior research has demonstrated the multiple pathways through which socioeconomic attainment occurs, one unexplored avenue regards the role of psychological mechanisms such as self‐esteem in this process. Methods Using three waves of data from the National Survey of Families and Households ( N = 1,952), we employed structural equation models to examine the relationship between parenting practices and attitudes, socioeconomic status, offspring's self‐esteem, and the likelihood of offspring college attendance. Results Self‐esteem was positively related to the likelihood of offspring's college attendance. Additionally, self‐esteem was found to be a modest mediator of the relationship between parental educational expectations and parental income, respectively, and the likelihood of offspring completing or being currently enrolled in college. Conclusion Self‐esteem may constitute one previously unconsidered mechanism for reproducing the class structure in the United States.