Overview
The lecture discusses how social mobility in the United States is measured, its stability over time, significant regional differences, and the primary factors influencing mobility.
Measuring Social Mobility
- Social mobility is often measured by the probability that a child born in the bottom fifth of income reaches the top fifth.
- Alternative measures include moving from the bottom to the middle class, all yielding similar results.
- Big data enables more accurate measurement of social mobility across generations.
Trends in Social Mobility
- Children born in the 1970s and early 1980s have similar social mobility rates as children today.
- Social mobility in the U.S. has remained stable over recent decades.
- The U.S. has lower social mobility than countries like Denmark and Canada.
Regional Variation in the U.S.
- There is more variation in social mobility within the U.S. than across countries.
- The U.S. is divided into 740 commuting zones to analyze local mobility rates.
- Social mobility varies greatly by region—higher in the Great Plains, some West Coast and Northeast areas; lower in the Southeast and urban areas.
- Rural areas like Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota have the highest mobility rates, nearing 16%.
- Some urban and southeastern areas have less than a 5% chance of moving from the bottom to the top fifth.
Factors Influencing Mobility
- High segregation in cities correlates with lower social mobility.
- Greater income inequality and a smaller middle class are linked to lower mobility rates.
- Better schools improve social mobility for low-income children.
- Strong social networks (e.g., religious communities) are associated with higher mobility.
- Areas with more single-parent families have lower social mobility.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Social Mobility — The likelihood of moving up the income distribution from a lower to a higher economic status.
- Income Distribution — How income is spread across different groups in a society.
- Commuting Zones — Geographic areas used to analyze local labor and mobility trends.
- Segregation — The degree to which different income or racial groups live separately.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Consider the five main factors (segregation, inequality, school quality, social networks, family structure) when analyzing or discussing social mobility.
- Reflect on how successful regions (like Salt Lake City or Dubuque) foster mobility for future assignments or discussions.