Social Mobility in the United States

Introduction

• Popular theme: rags to riches stories
• Question: Is the US truly a land of opportunity?
• Concept: Social mobility (movement in social position)

Types of Social Mobility

• Intragenerational Mobility: Movement within an individual's lifetime
• Intergenerational Mobility: Movement across generations
• Absolute vs Relative Mobility:
  • Absolute: Movement in economic terms over time
  • Relative: Movement compared to society

Measuring Social Mobility

• Quantitative measures: Economic comparisons (e.g., income)
• Qualitative measures: Occupational status
• Study results:
  • 1/3 of US men have same job type as fathers
  • 37% upwardly mobile, 32% downwardly mobile
  • 80% experience horizontal mobility (same class, different occupation)

Trends in Social Mobility

• Historical Trends:
  • Overall absolute mobility has increased over long term
  • Median family income rose significantly (1955: $34,000 to 2015: $70,000)
• Recent Trends:
  • Economic growth concentrated at top of income distribution
  • Absolute mobility has declined since 1970s
  • Recent generations less likely to earn more than parents

Socioeconomic Status Across Generations

• Stagnancy in single generation mobility
• 36% of those in bottom quintile remain there
• Only 10% of those at the bottom move to the top quintile
• 30% of top quintile remain in top quintile

Social Mobility and Demographics

• Race and Mobility:
  • White Americans more upward mobility than Black Americans
  • Black Americans face higher downward mobility
• Research Example: Study from Baltimore area (1982)
  • Long-term effects of poverty
  • Disparities in education and employment by race

Gender Differences

• Women have experienced absolute mobility
• Income gap between men and women has narrowed
• Women more likely to stay in bottom quintile than men
• Family structure impacts (e.g., single parent homes)

Conclusion

• Social mobility varies by race, gender, and start point
• Economic growth does not benefit all equally
• Challenges in climbing social mobility ladder in modern US

Additional Information

• Crash Course Sociology production details
• Support for Crash Course via Patreon