Social class group identity, intergroup attitudes, and views on social mobility and inequality in the U.K. and the U.S

Bibliographic Data

ID21739428
AuthorsLaura Elenbaas (0000-0002-4921-251X, Purdue University West Lafayette, corresponding author), Luke Mcguire (0000-0001-8178-7922, University of Exeter), Amanda Ackerman (0000-0002-4178-7044, University of Rochester), Ellen Kneeskern (University of Rochester), Lauren Kinnard (0009-0000-0808-6636, University of California, Los Angeles), Aqsa Farooq (0000-0003-3144-3157, University of Exeter), Fidelia Law (0000-0002-0997-7649, University of Exeter), Damilola Makanju (0000-0002-4766-0837, University of Exeter), Kaili Ebert (University of Rochester), Rashmita S Mistry (0000-0003-2106-1227, University of California, Los Angeles)
Year2025
Volume25
Issue1
Publication date2025-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnalyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1529-7489 • E-ISSN: 1530-2415
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/asap.12431
PMID39925984
OpenAlexW4403145838
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited58

Drawing on social identity theory (SIT), this study explored social class group identity, intergroup attitudes, and views about social mobility and inequality among socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse adults in the U.K. ( n = 457) and the U.S. ( n = 595). U.K. participants evidenced greater consensus about the social class groups present in their society than did U.S. participants, but lower, working, middle, and upper class were commonly perceived in both contexts, and many participants self‐identified as working class (38% U.K., 17% U.S.) or middle class (45% U.K., 47% U.S.) Consistent with SIT, participants in both contexts identified with their social class ingroup (e.g., felt they belonged) and stereotyped it less harshly on dimensions (warmth or competence) on which it was generally negatively stereotyped. Importantly, middle and upper class participants tended to feel more positively (e.g., proud) about their ingroup, and believed society was more fair and equal, and upward mobility more likely, than did lower and working class participants

Inequality · Ingroups and outgroups · Middle class · Political science · Social class · Social group · Social identity theory · Social mobility · Sociology · Working class · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology