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The Psychology of Social Class

This article explores the concept of social class, its historical significance, and its impact on various aspects of life such as physical and mental health, education, and psychosocial outcomes. It also discusses the relationship between social class and drug use, family dynamics, crime, and the importance of addressing social class disparities at both individual and societal levels.

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The Psychology of Social Class

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  1. The Psychology of Social Class Dr Hester Duffy

  2. What is social class?

  3. Social Class • Classifies people according to their position in society • Based on money, jobs, heritage, authority? • In Western Cultures, historically: • Royalty > Nobility > Gentry > Professions > Peasantry • Then: • Upper class > Middle class > Working Class

  4. Social Class historically vs. today

  5. Money = Power? • 8 richest people = 3.6 billion poorest • Richest 10% of households own 45% of wealth • Poorest 50% of households own 8.7% of wealth

  6. Socio-Economic Status • Income • Education • Occupation • (Our own, or our parents’)

  7. Markers of SES • Historically • Names • Clothes • Language/speech • Now • Postcode • Accent

  8. Classification of SES

  9. Does SES matter? • SES affects: • Physical health • Mental health • Educational outcomes • Psychosocial outcomes (drug use, criminality, relationships)

  10. SES and Physical Health • Living conditions • Nutrition • Stress • Effects may be direct or indirect

  11. SES and Mental Health • Higher incidence of psychiatric diagnosis predicted by • Unemployment • Lower education achievement • Poverty • Bottom 20% 9 times more like to suffer mental health issues than top 20%

  12. SES and Mental Health • Effects seen early in life

  13. SES and Mental Health • Relationship caused by • Poverty? • Negative Life Events? • Stress? • Poor physical health? • Limited/poor choices? • Lifestyle factors?

  14. SES and Education • Language gap exists as early as 18 months • Language => Cognitive skills • Lower SES = more school absences • Lower SES = poorer academic achievement

  15. SES and Psychosocial Outcomes • Drug Use • Divorce/single parenthood • Criminality

  16. Rat Park • Original studies – rats self-administer opiate/cocaine • Quickly showed signs of addiction

  17. Rat Park • Bruce Alexander asked – Is it all about the drugs? • Rats are intelligent social animals! • Two groups • Group 1; caged rats

  18. Rat Park • Group 2; varied, social environment.

  19. Rat Park • Experiment 1 – creating addiction • Caged rats quickly became addicted • Park rats resisted • Experiment 2 – beating addiction • Caged rats fed their addiction • Park rats tried to kick the habit

  20. Lessons from Rat Park • Impoverished living conditions – more drug use? • Enriched living conditions – less drug use?

  21. SES and Drug Use • Mixed pattern • High SES adolescents more prone to drug use!

  22. SES and family relationships • Lower SES • Younger parenthood • Higher birthrate • Younger marriage • Higher divorce rate

  23. Comparative (animal) studies • Reproductive strategies: r/K selection • r selection • Many offspring • Low investment • (e.g. fish, mice) • K selection • Few offspring • High investment • (e.g. whales, elephants)

  24. Human Reproductive Strategy • r or K selected? • Life History Approach • Do harsh environments lead to earlier reproduction? • Yes – in some plants! • Uncertainty is key

  25. SES and Families • Low SES = resource-poor uncertain environment • High SES = resource-rich certain environment • We have evolved to adapt to our environment

  26. SES and Crime • Low SES neighbourhoods => more crime • But not a straightforward relationship • Poverty may increase need and life dissatisfaction • Inequality may increase frustration and aggression

  27. SES and Crime • At individual level, low SES = higher likelihood of arrest

  28. SES and the Recording of Crime • What are we measuring? • Is there bias in arrests, prosecutions, and convictions? • 91% of Americans report having committed an imprisonable offence

  29. SES and Prosecution • Drug use vs Drug abuse?

  30. Socio-Economic Status Summary • Low SES is associated with poorer outcomes • Early poverty has a lasting impact • Needs to be addressed at the individual and the social level

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