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Social Status Perception and Individual Social Capital: Evidence from the US

Author

Listed:
  • Bucciol Alessandro

    (Department of Economics, University of Verona, Via Cantarane 24, Verona37129, Italy)

  • Cicognani Simona

    (Economics, School of Economics and Management, Free University of Bozen Bolzano, piazza Università 1, 39100Bolzano, Italy)

  • Zarri Luca

    (Department of Economics, University of Verona, Via Cantarane 24, Verona37129, Italy)

Abstract
This paper provides evidence that individual social capital contributes to our understanding of where individuals locate themselves in the social ladder, also when their objective location within society (measured in terms of income, wealth, education and job) is considered. Using large-scale longitudinal data from the US Health and Retirement Study, we assess individual social capital by means of a multidimensional approach and consider (number, intensity and quality of) respondents’ friendships, prosocial behavior, social engagement and neighborhood cohesion. Our findings indicate that individual social capital plays a role in affecting subjective status, as self-perceived status correlates positively with neighborhood cohesion and negatively with negative support from friends, after controlling for objectively measured social status.

Suggested Citation

  • Bucciol Alessandro & Cicognani Simona & Zarri Luca, 2020. "Social Status Perception and Individual Social Capital: Evidence from the US," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejeap:v:20:y:2020:i:1:p:14:n:9
    DOI: 10.1515/bejeap-2019-0071
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    subjective social status; objectively measured social status; individual social capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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