Political Ideology and Popular Beliefs about Class and Opportunity
Evidence from a Survey Experiment
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5635591 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Geoffrey M Evans (0000-0003-2036-7814), Geoffrey Evans (0009-0003-8488-0227) |
| Year | 1997 |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 450 |
| Publication date | 1997-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Journal of Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0007-1315 • E-ISSN: 1468-4446 |
| Publisher | JSTOR (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.2307/591140 |
| PMID | 9372637 |
| OpenAlex | W2065041666 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 15 |
This paper examines popular understanding of class inequalities in opportunity using an experimental approach to assess implicit as well as explicit comprehension. Three competing representations of popular beliefs are compared: a 'class inequality' model, implying widespread belief in class-related inequalities of opportunity; a 'meritocratic' view of achievement, in which emphasis is placed on individual responsibility; and an 'ideological polarization' model, which assumes that beliefs emphasizing class inequality or merit vary with left-right ideology. Predictions derived from these ideas are tested using a national survey with an experimental design, in which respondents are presented with vignettes designed to elicit their beliefs as to how and why people from different class backgrounds obtain middle-class or working-class occupations. As predicted by the class inequality model, there is clear evidence of the impact of tacit assumptions about class structured inequality of opportunity on expectations, judgments of responsibility and explanations of occupational attainment. Even among right-wing respondents, who are more likely to endorse the rhetoric of individual responsibility, there remains an implicit awareness of social class influences on life-chances, suggesting the pervasive presence of these beliefs in popular understanding of social processes
Class (philosophy · Economics · Epistemology · Ideology · Inequality · Life chances · Meritocracy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Social class · Social inequality · Sociology · Working class · Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies · Law · Psychology · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 15 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,71 |
| Citation span | 2005 - 2024 (20) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 15 |