Doctoral Dissertation Research: Downward Mobility in the Land of Success

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

This project contributes to the literature on downward mobility in the United States through a series of in-depth interviews. Although upward mobility remains more common than downward mobility, important economic changes have made downward mobility more prevalent in recent decades than during the 1950s and 1960s. This makes the experience of doing worse economically than one's parents increasingly common. However, little is known about how people explain and interpret the experience of downward mobility. In addressing this gap, the project builds on studies of class and inequality in the United States, improves our understanding of cultural messages about success, and addresses issues crucial to Americans. The methods involve interviews with 100 respondents from the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut metropolitan area who belonged to their high school's class of 1976. Using an initial survey instrument based on a four-category occupational scheme, the project identifies 50 downwardly mobile respondents, and 25 upwardly mobile and 25 immobile respondents who serve as control groups. The in-depth interviews gauge how individuals who differ by race, class, and gender view their experiences with downward mobility. They also reflect the extent and nature of the social psychological effects of downward mobility.