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Do adults adjust their socio-economic status identity in later life?
- Authors:
- CORNMAN Jennifer C., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 32(4), May 2012, pp.616-633.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
An adult’s socio-economic status (SES) identity is shaped by objective measures of status (such as educational attainment, occupational prestige, income and assets), socio-cultural influences and psychological attributes. Research has shown that SES predicts current and future wellbeing. The aim of this study was to examine whether SES identity in later life changes over time. The study uses 2 assessments of subjective social status measured 6 years apart in a nationally representative sample of older Taiwanese adults. Data was taken from the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS), focusing on 694 respondents who were interviewed in both SEBAS I (2000) and SEBAS II (2006). The findings showed that, during the 6-year study period, many older Taiwanese adults reassessed their SES identity. However, most respondents showed small to moderate levels of change. Females, more highly educated respondents, and those who have a positive economic outlook tended to revise their subjective social status upward relative to their respective counterparts; those who become widowed during the period adjusted their rankings downward compared with those who did not become widowed. These findings suggest that SES identity may be dynamic.