Institute of Sociology NASU

PARENTAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS IN CHILDHOOD AND INDIVIDUAL’S ATTITUDES IN ADULTHOOD

stmm. 2021 (1): 106-126

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2021.01.106

OLHA MALYNOVSKA, BA Sociology, MSc Management, Digital Marketing Consultant at the Catalog Machine (47 Stephensbrook Cir., ON, Canada, L4A 0G5)

oleni.om@gmail.com

KATERYNA MALTSEVA, Candidate of Sciences in Philosophy, PhD in Anthropology, Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Social Technologies, National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (8/5 Volosska St., Building 4, Kyiv 04655)

maltsevaKS@ukma.edu.ua

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6540-8734

The present publication focuses on the relationship between parental socioeconomic status in individual’s childhood and his/her attitude formation in adulthood. Based on prior empirical work on the effects of early life SES on general life outcomes in adulthood, as well as data collected in a series of semistructured interviews (N = 10), for this study we have identified several objects of relationship that can be influenced by the socio-economic situation. Specifically, in the analysis of interviews we have short-listed a number of objects, attitudes towards which were shown to vary across different socioeconomic categories in childhood, e.g. money, housing, food, clothes, time, regulations, schooling, creativity, parents, future spouse, children, friends and strangers. These topics were further developed in the questionnaire to test the results that emerged from the analysis of interviews. The quantitative stage was conducted in the form of self-administered survey (N = 245). Based on the results of ANOVA and regression analysis, those individuals whose parents have had stable to relatively stable financial situation in the past showed little difference from each other, while the individuals with more modest background displayed more distinct attitudes toward time, money, regulations and clothes. Unstable financial situation in childhood in our sample also affected consumer’s behavior regarding clothes — the ‘extra’ money was invested into expensive wardrobe items. Furthermore, depending on their past financial situation, individuals in our sample varied in their attitudes toward money and time. The importance of money as such increased if individual’s financial situation became more favorable throughout the life course. Financial situation in childhood also affected one’s attitudes toward food.

Full article: ukr | rus

Keywords: SES, poverty, attitudes, stress, childhood, transmission of cultural beliefs, socialization, attitude formation, Ukraine

References

1. Obukhova, L.F. (2018). Age-related psychology. Moscow: Educational and methodological association in the higher education system.
2. Simonchuk, E.V. (2003). Middle class: Ukrainian realities. Kyiv: Institute of Sociology, NAS of Ukraine.
3. Amato, P.R., Fowler, F. (2004). Parenting practices, child adjustment, and family diversity. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64(3), 703–716. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2002.00703.x
4. Angelini, V., Bertoni, M., Corazzini, L. (2015). The causal effect of paternal unemployment on children's personality. The German Socio-Economic Panel Study, 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.l2281029
5. Antonak, R.F., Livnech, H. (1995). Direct and indirect methods to measure attitudes toward person with disabilities, with an exegesis of the error-choice test method. Rehabilitation Psychology, 40(1), 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1037/0090-5550.40.1.3
6. Belsky, J., Vandell, D.L., Burchinal, M., Clarke-Stewart, K.A., McCartney, K., Owen, M.T. (2007). Are there long-term effects of early child care? Child Care Research Network, 78(2), 681–701. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.01021.x
7. Bowers, M.E., Yehuda, R. (2016). Intergenerational transmission of stress in humans. Neuropsychopharmacology, 41(1), 232–244. https://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2015.247
8. Burkhauser, R. V., Duncan, G. J. (1987). Life events, public policy and the economicvulnerability of children and the elderly. In: Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) (рp. 1–41). Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED290806.pdf
9. Conger, R.D., Elder, G.H. (1994). Families in troubled times: adapting to change in rural America. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003058809-16
10. DeLamater, J.D., Myers, D.J. (2010). Social psychology. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
11. Dey, I. (1993). Qualitative data analysis. London: Routledge.
12. Duncan, G. J., Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). Family poverty, welfare reform, and child development. Child Development, 71(1), 188–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00133
13. Duncan, G.J., Yeung, W.J., Brooks-Gunn, J., Smith, J.R. (1998). How much does childhood poverty affect the life chances of children? American Sociological Review, 63(3), 406–423. https://doi.org/10.2307/2657556
14. Durkheim, E. (1897). Suicide. New York: The Free Press.
15. Flory, J.D., Bierer, L.M., Yehuda, R. (2011). Maternal exposure to the holocaust and health complaints in offspring. Dis Markers, 30, 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/250470
16. Leventhal, T., Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). The neighborhoods they live in: The effects of neighborhoods residence on child and adolescent outcomes. Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 309–337. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.126.2.309
17. Lloyd, A.D., Turner, R.J. (1999). The stress process and the social distribution of depression. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour, 40(4), 374–404.
18. Messik, S. (1995). Validity of psychological assessment: Validation ofinferencefron persons` responses and performances as scientific inquiry into score meaning. American Psychlogist, 50(9), 741–774. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.50.9.741
19. Miller, G.A. (2003). The cognitive revolution: A historical perspective. Trends in Cognitive Science, 7(3), 141–144.
20. Mistry, R.S., Vanderwater, A.E., Huston, A.C., McLoyd, V.C. (2002). Economic well-being and children’s social adjustment: The role of family process in an ethnically diverse low-income sample. Child Development, 73(3), 935–951. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00448
21. Moen, P., Kain, E., Elder, G. (1983). Economic conditions and family life: Contemporary and historical perspectives. In: American families and economy: The high cost of living (pp. 213–259). Washington: National Academy Press.
22. Mullainathan, S., Shafir, E. (2013). Scarcity: Why having too little means so much. New York: Times Books. https://doi.org/10.1002/scin.5591840820
23. Neuman, L.W. (2013). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. New York: Pearson Education Limited.
24. Nunnally, J.C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). NewYork: McGraw-Hill.
25. Parsons, J.E., Adler, T.F., Kaczala, C.M. (1982). Socialization of achievement attitudes and beliefs: Parental influences. Child Development, 53(2), 310–321. https://doi.org/10.2307/1128973
26. Small, M.L., Harding, D.J., Lamont, M. (2010). Reconsidering culture and poverty. The Annals of the American Academy, 629, 1–22.
27. Strohschein, L., Gauthier, A. (2017). Poverty dynamics, parenting and child mental health in Canada. Society and Mental Health, 20(10), 1–17. DOI: org/10.3390/ijerph121013624
28. Tomas, W.I., Znaniecki, F. (1918). The Polish peasant in Europe and America. Boston: Badger.
29. Tramonte, L., Gauthier, A., Willms, J.D. (2015). Engagement and guidance: the effects of maternal parenting practices on children’s development. Journal of Family Issue, 36(3), 396–420. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513x13489959
30. Weiss, G.L., Lonnquist, L.E. (2014). The sociology of health, healing, and illness. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education.
31. Yehuda, R., Bierer, L.M. (2008). Transgenerational transmission of cortisol and PTSD risk. Progress in Brain Research, 167, 121–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0079-6123(07)67009-5
32. Yeung, W.G., Hofferth, S.L. (1997). Family adaptations to income and job loss in the U.S. Journal of Family and Economic Issues, 19(3), 1–43.

Received 23.01.2021