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Potential Data Sources for a New Study of Social Mobility in the United States

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  • John Robert Warren

Abstract

In this article I define the main criteria that ought to be considered in evaluating the costs and benefits of various data resources that might be used for a new study of social and economic mobility in the United States. These criteria include population definition and coverage, sample size, topical coverage, temporal issues, spatial issues, sustainability, financial expense, and privacy and data access. I use these criteria to evaluate the strengths and weakness of several possible data resources for a new study of mobility, including existing smaller-scale surveys, the Current Population Survey, the American Community Survey, linked administrative data, and a new stand-alone survey. No option is perfect, and all involve trade-offs. I conclude by recommending five possible designs that are particularly strong on the criteria listed above.

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  • John Robert Warren, 2015. "Potential Data Sources for a New Study of Social Mobility in the United States," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 657(1), pages 208-246, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:657:y:2015:i:1:p:208-246
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716214552773
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    1. Bhashkar Mazumder, 2005. "Fortunate Sons: New Estimates of Intergenerational Mobility in the United States Using Social Security Earnings Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(2), pages 235-255, May.
    2. David S. Johnson & Catherine Massey & Amy O’Hara, 2015. "The Opportunities and Challenges of Using Administrative Data Linkages to Evaluate Mobility," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 657(1), pages 247-264, January.
    3. Mary Corcoran & Roger Gordon & Deborah Laren & Gary Solon, 1992. "The Association between Men's Economic Status and Their Family and Community Origins," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 27(4), pages 575-601.
    4. Solon, Gary, 1992. "Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(3), pages 393-408, June.
    5. Nicholas Wolfinger, 1999. "Trends in the intergenerational transmission of divorce," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 36(3), pages 415-420, August.
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    7. David B. Grusky & Timothy M. Smeeding & C. Matthew Snipp, 2015. "A New Infrastructure for Monitoring Social Mobility in the United States," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 657(1), pages 63-82, January.
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    1. David B. Grusky & Timothy M. Smeeding & C. Matthew Snipp, 2015. "A New Infrastructure for Monitoring Social Mobility in the United States," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 657(1), pages 63-82, January.

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