Acknowledged as the defining challenge of our time, economic inequality has far reaching individual and societal consequences. It negatively affects productivity, decision-making, and health outcomes on the one hand, and political stability and economic growth on the other. Increased competition for resources not allocated at the top skews available reference frames and leads to adoption of unachievable standards, generating stressful social comparisons and anxiety that may intensify inter-group conflicts. Yet, as this dissertation shows on data from surveys from across the world, many of the worse off tend to believe that the social world in general is fair and that large differences in incomes are justified and even necessary. To understand why and how are the widespread and entrenched differences in incomes and wealth not being contested at a larger scale, this dissertations links perceptions and judgments of economic inequalities to their perceived, and often misjudged, normativity. It is argued that there is a need for a greater attention and understanding of people’s beliefs about what are the popular opinions and shared values regarding political issues. It is not only that people not know of inequalities, underestimate them, or attempt to rationalize their existence as fair and deserved. It is that people also need to know that their sentiments are shared by others. Based on results of multiple experimental studies, this thesis explored and supported a possibility that people who believe that the unequal status quo is unsatisfactory and that the standing system should be challenged and changed also tend to believe that their views are not shared by the general population. Even more, such thinking tends to get reinforced when someone else is critical of the system in place. Thus, instead of rising in spirit and assuming that others will finally see at least some of the negative outcomes of the way things are, those hoping for change may get demoralized, feel isolated in their views, and may feel drawn to compromises they shouldn't need to consider. In particular, the dissertation mainly utilizes the framework of conservatism being a motivated political cognition (Jost et al., 2003) which proposes that adoption of system-legitimizing attitudes may be motivated by psychological needs to see the social world as orderly, structured, and generally just and fair. In four chapters, the dissertations explores how the conditions theorized to motivate adoption of status-legitimizing attitudes affect not only these attitudes, but also the perceptions of their normativeness. Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive test of the original reading of status-legitimacy hypothesis (Jost, Pelham, Sheldon, & Ni Sullivan, 2003) which implied that those with lower objective status are the most motivated to system-justify, and of the re-specified version (van der Toorn et al., 2015) that posits subjective powerlessness to be the driver of undue system legitimization. Presented are results of a mixed-effects analysis of ISSP data on social inequality, covering almost 50,000 respondents from 28 countries. The results from analysis testing contextual moderation lend more support for the original, rather than the revised reading of status-legitimacy hypothesis - that it is the objectively disadvantaged who may experience greater motivation to defend the system. Chapter 3 adopts Lane's (1986) perspective explaining that political institutions create more dissonance than market institutions, and tests a proposition that while political institutions will be perceived as legitimate by the members of the lower classes, market institutions will be seen as less legitimate. Second, we hypothesize that those over and under-estimating their social class should report higher or lower perceived legitimacy of the system. Analysis of data from General Social Survey (2010-2016; total n = 4142) shows that those in lower classes report higher confidence in political, but not market institutions compared to those members of the upper classes. Similarly, relative to those under- or correctly estimating their class, those over-estimating their class positioning reported higher confidence in political compared to market institutions. Chapter 4 presents two experimental studies testing, on a sample of 201 students (in Tilburg, the Netherlands), how indirect threat to the country's culture and a direct criticism of the country's economic performance influence people's perceptions of attitudinal similarity with their society in general depending on their prior ideological views. The results suggest that those with views critical of the standing socio-political system imagine their co-nationals as more attitudinally different compared to those who consider the standing system to be fair and desirable. In particular, exposure to economic threat, but not cultural threat, increased the perceived ideological distance from the presumed attitudes of the rest of the society among those critical of the system, but not among those who considered the system to be fair and desirable as it is. Chapter 5 presents data from two studies conducted before and after the 2016 US Presidential election (mTurk, n = 478), and before and after the 2017 UK general election (Prolific Academic, n = 617). Data were gathered in two rounds, utilizing the same between-subjects experimental design to assess whether ideological differences moderate how threat (economic system threat) and uncertainty (outcome uncertainty about election) influence the perceived similarity between people's personal normative attitudes (how things should be) and their estimates of socially normative attitudes (what they believe others would say should be). Furthermore, the effect of the result of the election on beliefs about the legitimacy of the standing economic system among supporters of competing political parties was assessed in two studies using within-subjects design (US n = 80; UK n = 329). The findings support the hypothesis that ideology predicts differences in perception of the generalized other when faced with system threat and that people bolster their ideological commitments following threats to their worldview in form of electoral defeat. While liberals tend to overestimate the strength of conservative values within the society in general, conservatives view others as both more conservative and liberal compared to themselves.

It is unknown if participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) influences the magnitude of improvement in dietary intake in response to dietary interventions. Adults with low socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have lower overall dietary quality as compared to those with higher SES. However, low SES adults are more likely to receive benefits from SNAP, which gives nutrition assistance to millions of eligible Americans. The objective of this investigation is to examine differences in dietary intake between 1) SNAP participants, 2) those eligible for SNAP but not receiving (nonparticipants), and 3) those ineligible for SNAP, in response to an intervention targeting a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption. Adult participants (n=146) from Southwest Virginia were enrolled in a 6-month, community-based trial, SIPsmartER. Participants provided SNAP enrollment status and 3 24-hour dietary recalls at baseline and 6-months. Dietary variables (SSB, macronutrients, etc.) and dietary quality data (Healthy Eating Index [HEI-2010]) were derived from nutritional analysis software (NDS-R 2011). Statistical analyses included descriptives and repeated-measures ANOVA. Although SNAP participation and eligibility status did not impact the overall effectiveness of this dietary intervention, the within group data suggests that those eligible for SNAP but not participating (n=30) may be at a disadvantage to improving their dietary intake as compared to those at a similar household income who receive SNAP benefits (n=56) or ineligible individuals at a higher income level (n=60). Future research is needed to explore if participant's ability to maintain long-term adherence to the dietary changes differs between groups. / Master of Science / It is unknown if participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) effects the magnitude of improvement in dietary intake in response to dietary interventions. Adults with lower income and educational attainment tend to have lower overall dietary quality as compared to those with higher income and education levels. However, lower income adults are more likely to receive benefits from SNAP, which is a program that gives nutrition assistance to millions of eligible Americans. The objective of this study is to investigate potential differences in dietary intake between 1) SNAP participants, 2) those eligible for SNAP,but not receiving (nonparticipants), and 3) those ineligible for SNAP, in response to an intervention targeting a reduction in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption. Adult participants (n=146) from Southwest Virginia were enrolled in a 6-month, community-based trial, SIPsmartER. Participants provided SNAP enrollment status and 3 24-hour dietary food recalls at baseline and again at 6-months. Dietary variables (SSB, protein, fat, carbohydrates, etc.) and dietary quality data (Healthy Eating Index) were derived from nutritional analysis software (NDS-R 2011). Statistical analyses included descriptives and repeated-measures ANOVA. Although SNAP participation and eligibility status did not impact the overall success of this dietary intervention, other data suggests that those eligible for SNAP but not participating (n=30) may be at a disadvantage to improving their dietary intake as compared to SNAP eligible and receiving (n=56) or ineligible (n=60) participants. Future research is needed to explore if participant’s ability to maintain long-term adherence to the dietary changes differs between groups.

The current study examined the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness on differences by sex, race/ethnicity, and SES on BMI, depressive symptoms, and school absences among adolescents. a cross-sectional study was conducted in a north Texas school district, which included 609 Caucasian/Whites, 293 Hispanic/Latinos, and 113 African-American/Black adolescents (10-14 years). Main results of the study showed that that cardiorespiratory fitness was the largest predictor of BMI, followed by race/ethnicity, and then sex. Cardiorespiratory fitness among adolescents was inversely associated with BMI. the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness on BMI appeared to be more salient for non-Hispanic white females and non-Hispanic black females in that the former group had lower BMI scores than the latter group when cardiorespiratory fitness was taken into account; however, results showed that non-Hispanic white females and non-Hispanic black females had similar cardiorespiratory fitness level. Other results showed that SES and sex predicted depressive symptoms in that low SES females endorsed more depressive symptoms relative to high SES males; however, this relationship was non-existent when cardiorespiratory fitness was entered into the model. Additionally, findings indicated that BMI and depressive symptoms equally predicted school absences in that adolescents who had a higher BMI and endorsed more depressive symptoms had more school absences.

OBJECTIVE: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and implementation intentions have been used effectively to explain and influence diet in middle-class, but not exclusively low SES populations. Furthermore, dietary research among low SES populations requires intake measures that are feasible and acceptable. Using three lines of research we evaluated 1) the utility of the TPB to explain fruit and vegetable (FV) intake, 2) efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of an implementation intention intervention to improve FV intake, and 3) agreement, feasibility, and acceptability of 2 dietary intake measures of FV intake in low SES women. DESIGN: Participants were adult female residents of Boston Public Housing. Study 1: Using a cross-sectional survey (n=144), we evaluated the utility of the TPB to explain FV intake. Study 2: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled implementation intention intervention to promote FV intake (n=20), and semi-structured interviews to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of the intervention (n=8). Study 3: We administered 2 24-hour recalls, a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and structured interviews (n=36) to determine agreement, feasibility and acceptability dietary intake measures. RESULTS: Study 1: The TPB construct perceived behavioral control significantly predicted intention to consume FV (OR=2.55,95%CI:1.23,5.27) and with BMI, FV intake (βPBC=0.37,t(1)=2.29,p=0.0235; βBMI= -0.02,t(1)= -2.41,p=0.0174; R2=.08,F[2,130]=5.72,p=0.0042). Study 2: Feasibility goals were met for retention and days to follow up, but not recruitment. Participants characterized the intervention as enjoyable. Limited hypothesis testing showed no significant increase in mean FV intake within (control (n=11):+0.50, 95% CI:-0.56,1.58 servings; intervention (n=9):+0.17, 95% CI:-0.85,1.20 servings) or between groups (control group +0.33, 95% CI:-1.06,1.73 servings). Study 3: Feasibility targets were met for contacts and retention, but not for enrollment. There was no significant association between 24-hr recall and FFQ measures for fruit (r=0.32, p=0.09) or vegetable (r=0.16, p=0.40) intake and no marked preference for method (35% FFQ; 31% 24-hour recall). CONCLUSION: The TPB may be useful to explain FV intake. Although acceptable, an implementation intention intervention may not be feasible or effective to influence FV intake. We demonstrated limited feasibility and association but generally equal preference between dietary measures of FV intake in low SES women.

This thesis consists of four self-contained essays in the sociology of educational stratification. Study I draws on newly collected survey data to assess the biases that arise in estimating socioeconomic differences in achievement when relying on parent and student reported data on social background. The main finding is that student reports on parental occupation overcome both the problem of misreporting that plagues other data collected from children, and the equally damaging problem of selective nonresponse among parents. Conditional estimates of ethnic disparities are relatively unaffected by these issues. Study II deals with student survey reports on the number of books in the home. A prominent string of authors has favoured this variable as a social background proxy over parental occupation or education based on its strong associations with educational outcomes. The paper applies various methods to large-scale student assessment data to show that these associations rest not on higher reliability as commonly assumed, but rather on two types of endogeneity. Low achievers accumulate less books and are also prone to underestimate their number. Study III uses survey and register data to study immigrant parents' education and its associations with children's achievement in recent Swedish cohorts. Two aspects of parental education are distinguished: the absolute years of schooling and a relative place in the source country's educational distribution. Parents' absolute education turns out to predict children's test scores and grades, whereas relative education is a better predictor of their educational aspirations. The result is of some consequence for studies seeking to assess ethnic disparities net of observed parental characteristics. Study IV extends the positional approach of Study III to understand immigrants' self-perceived social status and income satisfaction in European countries. Those higher educated by origin country than host country standards make more dismal assessments of their current situation than do other immigrants in otherwise similar circumstances. This is attributed to a social contrast mechanism and argued to be of relevance in understanding longer-term patterns of social and economic integration, including educational decisions made by the second generation. / Avhandlingen består av fyra fristående studier som alla berör utbildning och social stratifiering. Studie I undersöker med nyinsamlade enkätdata hur sociala skillnader i skolprestation riskerar att felskattas med bakgrundsuppgifter inhämtade från föräldrar respektive elever. Den viktigaste slutsatsen är att elevuppgifter om föräldrars yrke undviker mycket av den felrapportering som behäftar andra elevsvar, liksom det utbredda problemet med selektivt bortfall bland föräldrar. Villkorliga skattningar av etniska skillnader är relativt opåverkade av dessa metodproblem. Studie II granskar elevers uppgifter om antalet böcker i hemmet. En betydande litteratur har förespråkat denna variabel som ett mått på klasstillhörighet framför föräldrars yrke eller utbildning på grundval av starka samband med elevers studieresultat. Uppsatsen tillämpar en rad metoder på data från en internationell kunskapsutvärdering och finner att sambandens styrka inte vilar på högre tillförlitlighet som tidigare förmodats, utan på endogenitetsproblem av två slag. Lågpresterande elever ackumulerar färre böcker och är dessutom benägna att underskatta deras antal. Studie III använder enkät- och registerdata för att belysa utlandsfödda föräldrars utbildning och dess samband med prestationer bland svenska skolbarn. Två aspekter av utbildningsbakgrund särskiljs: föräldrars utbildningsår samt deras relativa placering i ursprungslandets fördelning. Absolut utbildning visar sig predicera elevers testresultat och betyg, medan relativ utbildning är en bättre prediktor för barns aspirationer. Resultatet är av betydelse för studier av etniska skillnader där statistisk kontroll görs för observerbara föräldraegenskaper. Studie IV tillämpar den positionella ansatsen från Studie III för att förstå utlandsföddas självupplevda status och inkomsttillfredsställelse i europeiska länder. Migranter som är mer högutbildade med ursprungslandets mått mätt än värdlandets tenderar att ha en mer negativ bild av sin nuvarande situation än andra i objektivt liknande omständigheter. Detta kan förstås i termer av sociala referensramar och framhålls som relevant i tolkningen av långsiktiga sociala och ekonomiska integrationsmönster, inklusive de utbildningsval som efterföljande generationer gör. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

This study sought to determine if there were differences in the types of reading interests of seventh- and eighth-grade pupils associated with their racial origins, their socioeconomic status, or their school environments. It also sought to consider the strength of reading interest scores as related to other variables and to consider the relationship between these scores and the number of hours spent in reading and the change in amount of reading since the previous school year.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

This study investigates both space and time aspects of neighborhood crime distributions using social disorganization as a theoretical framework in the City of Richmond, VA. Neighborhood crime, in this study, might be considered as any type of index crime aggregated to neighborhood level. For the purpose of the present study, however, neighborhood crime only includes "homicide" categorized as an index crime in the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). Homicides in neighborhoods have been realized as rare events, and have become problematic to establish robust statistical models in the literature. With the focus of neighborhood homicide, this study questions the consistency of Social Disorganization Theory (SDT) by the longitudinal research setting. It, therefore, constructs and verifies seven hypotheses (residential mobility, race/ethnic heterogeneity, family disruption, socio-economic status, population density, youth, and vacancy) to test SDT, while it establishes and further confirms its main hypothesis "Neighborhood homicide increase is likely to be associated by the increase in neighborhood social disorganization over time."This study constructs a longitudinal research design with 10 years, uses Census 1990, Census 2000 and homicide data (From the City of Richmond Police Department) as secondary data. Nonetheless, this study uses only two main census decennial years to calculate the other years' structural covariates by the linear interpolation technique such that this study is able to include additional years to construct the essential difference models. Population includes all neighborhoods in the City of Richmond such that this study works with entire population, but no sampling procedure. As an analytical strategy, this study constructs eleven different binomial logistic regressions, whereas it constructs multinomial logistic regressions as difference models to verify the main hypothesis for neighborhood homicide. Once this study realizes clustered neighborhoods with respect to experiencing homicide hotspot(s), it constructs a stepwise multiple regressions model to explore the most important social disorganization variables for the most problematic neighborhoods.In terms of findings, the most important social disorganization variables attributed to homicide distribution in the City of Richmond are: The low SES (Socioeconomic Status), residential mobility, vacancy, population density (across only the concentrated neighborhoods), and family disruption.Accordingly, this study has successfully contributed to the literature around SDT, social crime prevention, and spatially integrated crime policy analysis.

of the thesis Introduction: This dissertation focuses on socioeconomic status and problems with law of problematic opioid and methamphetamine users. Long-term intensive use of drugs leads not only to health impacts, but also social such as the inability of financial autonomy, indebtedness, unemployment, failure to comply with the respective social roles, fiduciary social functioning, poor housing etc. Great number of users are influenced by the drug in situations such as interpersonal relationship, family functioning and partnerships, there is a change of social status, social isolation or exclusion. Effective interventions and service development should always start with a good knowledge of the situation and needs of the user, who claims the service. Claim: The goal of this thesis is finding socioeconomic status and criminal situation of problematic methamphetamine and opioids users consequently draw recommendations towards services that work with these clients. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire study was carried among clients who have started a treatment episode or contacted selected facility type such as a contact centre, psychiatric AT ambulance, therapeutic community, medium-term inpatient treatment or replacement therapy. Recruitment into the study took place from June 2015 until October...

The concept of high and low art have a very close relation to social class. There is a prevailing notion within developed countries that certain forms of art are more legitimate and deserving of respect than others due to their association with the upper class. This social aspect of art leads to the question of how art is used in society and whether it should be used in that way. Marxists’ deep interest in class have made their perspective particularly prominent concerning debate on the subject. Having such a deep interest in class, it is expected they have their own opinions on the role of class in art’s usage. Despite their immense influence on the subject, I find the Marxist perspective concerning class and art lacking. In this work, I will attempt to critique the Marxist position on the relation of art and class and attempt to provide a unique perspective on this subject. I will be examining art and class in terms of two questions. First, what is the relationship between class and art and how is art used by social classes? Second, what should the relationship between art and class be and how should art be treated in society? I will first examine the Marxist position through Theodor Adorno and Hebert Marcuse, present Bourdieu’s sociological findings on the subject, and present thinkers outside of the Marxist position while building my position in contrast to these thinkers.<br>