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Two Latent Groups Influencing Subjective Social Status: Middle Class Tendency and Clear Class Consciousness

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  • Naoki Sudo

    (Hitotsubashi University)

Abstract

Previous studies clarified that many individuals tend to attribute themselves into the middle-class, explaining this tendency by referring to group reference theory. This article aims to explore the formation of subjective social status from a different point of view. To do so, the author analyzed the data from the Stratification and Social Psychology Interview Survey in 2010 (SSP-I 2010) and the Stratification and Social Psychology Survey in 2015 (SSP 2015), which were conducted in Japan. The results of the analyses reveal that the population can be categorized into two latent groups: one demonstrates a middle-class tendency in distributions of subjective social status, and the other demonstrates a clear class consciousness. The former group was composed of wealthy individuals, and the latter group was composed of not-wealthy individuals. Furthermore, the results also clarified that the composition rates of the two latent groups had been stable from 2010 (a period of economic stagnation) to 2015 (a period of economic boom), irrespective of socio-economic changes. Finally, the author discusses the implications of these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Naoki Sudo, 2021. "Two Latent Groups Influencing Subjective Social Status: Middle Class Tendency and Clear Class Consciousness," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 1045-1064, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:158:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11205-021-02731-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-021-02731-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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