Manuscrito
The Influence of Ascriptive vs. Achieved Characteristics on Status Attributions Through Life Cycles: A Factorial Survey Analysis for Chile
Fecha
2015Institución
Resumen
In this paper, we analyze how socioeconomic status attributions vary along life-cycles, and the
relative importance of ascribed attributes such as one’s socioeconomic status of origin vs.
achieved characteristics such as tertiary education. To this end, we designed a factorial survey
experiment employing vignettes of young Chileans, which, in addition to an upper-body
photography of the subject, included ascribed and achieved characteristics. The survey was
applied to 153 young Chileans aged 18-25 attending a wide range of tertiary education institutions
(universities, technical institutes and low qualification vocational courses). They were asked to
examine 24 individuals presented in vignettes who were attending different types of tertiary
education programs, and assess their social status today and after they graduate and start
working. By estimating a random-effects model, we find that family income, phenotypes (via the
status assumed from the photo), municipality of residence, maternal education, school type
attended, and the subject’s current tertiary education program are employed to attribute social
status. We also find that these variables remain relevant when assigning socioeconomic status
after individuals graduate and join the labor market, although acquired educational status
becomes more relevant. This suggests that the relative weight of ascriptive vs. achieved
characteristics shifts over time, and the latter play a role in allowing some transitions between
different socioeconomic strata in the life cycle, although social status remains to some extent
anchored to the socioeconomic background of origin.
Keywords: Achieved characteristics; ascriptive characteristics; Chile; mobility; status beliefs