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A multidimensional measure of social origin: theoretical perspectives, operationalization and empirical application in the field of educational inequality research

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  • Pia Nicoletta Blossfeld

    (Universität Leipzig)

Abstract

This article describes the theoretical reasons and empirical operationalization of a multidimensional social origin measure. It is assumed that different parental resources are linked to social inequality through distinct mechanisms. This social origin variable can be used for the analysis of status inconsistencies as well as cumulating and compensating effects of social origin resources on inequality of opportunity. The proposed measure is easy to operationalize and to apply in cross-sectional, longitudinal or cross-national research. A great methodological advantage of the proposed origin measure is that it avoids the problem of multicollinearity that is prevalent in analyses that include various parental resources as separate covariates into a statistical model. To illustrate this social origin measure, we apply it to the field of educational inequality research and use data from the National Educational Panel Study in Germany. However, the approach can be easily generalized to other sociological or economic studies where social inequality is of interest (such as labor market, demographic, political, migration or ethnic research). The illustrative example combines the information of three family resources (parental education, parental class and parental status), but it can be extended to include further family resources such as income or wealth measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Pia Nicoletta Blossfeld, 2019. "A multidimensional measure of social origin: theoretical perspectives, operationalization and empirical application in the field of educational inequality research," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 1347-1367, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:53:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s11135-018-0818-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-018-0818-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Becker, Rolf & Blossfeld, Hans-Peter, 2017. "Entry of men into the labour market in West Germany and their career mobility (1945-2008) : A Long-term longitudinal analysis identifying cohort, period, and life-course effects," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 50(1), pages 113-130.
    2. Rolf Becker & Hans-Peter Blossfeld, 2017. "Entry of men into the labour market in West Germany and their career mobility (1945–2008) [Berufseintritt von Männern in Westdeutschland und ihre Karrieremobilität (1945–2008)]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 50(1), pages 113-130, August.
    3. John Ermisch & Marco Francesconi, 2001. "Family Matters: Impacts of Family Background on Educational Attainments," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 68(270), pages 137-156, May.
    4. Erikson, Robert & Goldthorpe, John H., 2009. "Social class, family background, and intergenerational mobility: A comment on Mcintosh and Munk," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 118-120, January.
    5. Erik Olin Wright, 1989. "Women in the Class Structure," Politics & Society, , vol. 17(1), pages 35-66, March.
    6. Erzsebet Bukodi & Shirley Dex & John Goldthorpe, 2011. "The conceptualisation and measurement of occupational hierarchies: a review, a proposal and some illustrative analyses," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 623-639, April.
    7. Becker, Rolf & Blossfeld, Hans-Peter, 2017. "Entry of men into the labour market in West Germany and their career mobility (1945 - 2008) : A Long-term longitudinal analysis identifying cohort, period, and life-course effects," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 50(1), pages 113-130.
    8. Gary Marks, 2011. "Issues in the Conceptualisation and Measurement of Socioeconomic Background: Do Different Measures Generate Different Conclusions?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 104(2), pages 225-251, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Barbara Zimmermann & Simon Seiler, 2019. "The Relationship between Educational Pathways and Occupational Outcomes at the Intersection of Gender and Social Origin," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(3), pages 79-94.
    2. Wangshu Sun & Xu Sun, 2023. "Construction and Validation of a Social Stratification Scale: Cambridge Social Interaction and Stratification (CAMSIS) Scale for China in the 21st Century," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.
    3. Marks, Gary N., 2022. "Cognitive ability has powerful, widespread and robust effects on social stratification: Evidence from the 1979 and 1997 US National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    4. Barbara Zimmermann & Simon Seiler, 2019. "The Relationship between Educational Pathways and Occupational Outcomes at the Intersection of Gender and Social Origin," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 7(3), pages 79-94.

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