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1
HowDoesSocioeconomicStatusDetermineOurFuture?
Introduction
IfindmyselfonsocialmediafromthetimeIwakeuptothetimeIgotobed.WhenI
wakeupthefirstthingIdoisreachformyphoneandcheckmynotifications,whichinclude:
Texts,Twitter,Instagram,andFacebookmessages.AsImwalkingtoclassImlookingatmy
phoneandscrollingthroughmyinstagramandtwitterfeeds.EvenwhileIminclassIwilllook
atmyphoneandcheckinstagram,twitter,facebook,etc.WheneverIhavefreetimeIam
constantlycheckingoutsocialmedia.ThenthelastthingIdobeforebedischeckmyphone
againforanythingneworsomethingthatImayhavemissedthroughoutthedayonsocialmedia.
Inthisdayandagesocialmediaseemstobethemainthingthatpeoplearesurroundedby.
WhetheritsFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,etc.peoplealwaysseemtobeontheirphonesand
engagedinwhatshappeningonline.IfindmyselfwonderingwhyImconstantlyonmyphone?
Whyisanyoneconstantlyontheirphones?Whatisthebigdealaboutsocialmediaandwhyisit
sohardtogowithoutlookingatitforaday?
TelevisioniscapitalizingonourobsessionwithsocialmediaonesuchshowisGossip
Girl.GossipGirlincludesawebsitecalledGossipGirl,andthiswebsiteputsallofthe
charactersintheshowonblastusingsocialmedia.Everythingisontheirsocialmediasite:
Fromtheirlovelivestotheextravaganttripstheygoonananonymousblogger,gossipgirl,tells
itallliterallyalltheirsecrets.TheshowtakesplaceintheuppereastsideofNewYorkwhich


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anyonecouldtellyouisquiteexpensivetolivein.Allbutoneofthemaincharacterscomefrom
rich,wealthy,andluxuriousfamilies.Theonethatdoesnthappentocomefromatrustfund
familyhappenstobetreateddifferentlythantheothers.Thoughthisisafictionalshow,Gossip
Girldoespointtosomeseriousunderlyingissueswithregardstosocioeconomicstatusand
socialmedia.Socioeconomicstatusisanindividuals,orthefamilyoftheindividual,social
class.Itismadeupofoccupation,income,andeducation.Thismakesmewonder:Arepeople
tooinvolvedintheirsocialmedialivesandnotinvolvedenoughintheiractuallivesandevents
thatarehappeningintherealworld?andDoessocialmediahaveaplayinpeoples
socioeconomicstatus?
Iwillbetalkingabouthowpeoplearetreateddifferentlyduetotheirsocioeconomic
statusandwhatrolesocialmediaplaysinanindividualssocioeconomicstatus.
ToaddressthesequestionsIwillcomposeastudyofindividualsfromdifferentbackgroundsand
socioeconomicclasses.Theseindividualswillbeinterviewedforajobandwillansweraseries
ofquestionsduringtheinterviewprocess.Attachedtotheinterviewwillbe3screenshotsof
portionsoftheirsocialmediasitesincluding:twitter,instagram,andfacebook.Theneach
interviewerwillpicktheindividualtheyseembestfitforthejobafterreviewingtheiranswers
andlookingatportionsoftheirsocialmedia.Intheendofthestudyweshouldseeifthe


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individualeithercomingfromalowerorhighersocioeconomicstatusispreferredandiftheir
socialmediapageshadanythingtodowiththisdecision.
LiteratureReview
Therearemanydifferentfactorsthatcomeintoplaywhendeterminingsomeone's
socioeconomicfuture.Someoftheseinclude,environment,familyincome,parentaleducation,
andoccupationalstatus(Bradley,2002).Goingtoschoolishardenoughduetoallthework
received,buthavingtodealwithdramaandgossipmakesittentimesworse.Kidsshouldnt
havetoworryaboutgettingtalkedaboutbecauseoftheclothestheyhaveonorthehousethey
liveinsadlyinthisagetheydo.Forexample,kidsthatgrowupinpoorerneighborhoodsendup
goingtolowerqualityschools(Lee,p.76).Thekidsthatcomefromhigherlevelfamilieswill
morethanlikelygotohighereducationalinstitutions.Thisisunfortunatebecausestudiesshow
thatPreKhasahugeimpactonkidsfutureearningpotential.KidswhoareinKindergartenand
dopoorlyonstandardizedteststendtobeAfricanAmericanandHispanicandfromlowSES
families.ThechildrenthatseemedtodobetterwereCaucasianandAsianandcamefrom
higherSESfamilies(Baker,2002).ImportantfactorsthatarelinkedtoSESarematerialand
socialresources(Bradley,2002).Thesemakessensebecausethemorematerialitemsonehas,
theyseemtobebetteroffthanothers.Althoughthereisagapbetweensocialmediaand
socioeconomicstatus,onedefinitelyhastodowithanother.IntheobservationsinAssignment


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OneBlairisconstantlycriticizingothersbasedontheirclothingandwealth.Thisshowshow
realisticthepopulargirlsareinschool(Swakla,2016).Agroupof4thgradepopulargirls
thatcamefromahighSESweretheonesthatgossipedmoreaboutothersfromalowSES
(McDonald,2007).HavingtoworryaboutyourSESasanadolescentisalottotakeonandcan
causeonetohavelowselfesteemandcanleaduptohavinghealthproblems.
Asfarashealthissuesgo,itseemsthatindividualswithalowerlevelofeducationhavea
higherriskofhealthissues.Wecaninferthatanindividualwithalowerlevelofeducation
probablyhasalowerSES.ThiscorrelatesthathavingalowerSEShasahigherchanceofhealth
problems.Studieshaveshownthatfamilieslivingunderthepovertylinewithkidshavehigher
obesityrates,haveahigherchanceofhavingADHD,haveshorterlifeexpectancies,areata
higherchanceofhavingdepression,etc(CDC,2011).IndividualswithlowSEShavealesserlife
expectancythanthosewithhigherSES.AccordingtoWilliams(2010)anindividual'sraceand
SESplaysavaluableroleintheirlifeexpectancyandhealth.In2006therewere33%ofAfrican
Americanchildrenthatwereinpovertyand13.6%ofwhitechildreninpoverty(Williams,
2010).Thelackofeducationandincomecouldplayahugefactorinthis.Sincemostfamilies
livinginpovertyhavelessthanaBachelorsdegreetheydontmakealotofmoney,sowhen
theygetsickorsomeoneintheirimmediatefamilygetssicktheydonthaveenoughmoneyto
coverthemedicationsanddoctorvisits.Thiscouldbewhysomanypeoplelivinginpoverty


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haveahigherriskofgettingdiseases.In2010,8%ofchildrenunder18and22%ofadultsdidnt
haveanyhealthinsurancecoverageatall(CDC,2011).InEuropetherehavebeenmanymore
healthproblemsduetotheobscenemigrationthepastdecade.Somementalhealthriskconcerns
areahigherrateofschizophrenia,suicide,alcoholanddrugabuse,accessofpsychiatric
facilities,andriskofanxietyanddepression(Carta,2005).
Nowadaysitsgettingharderandharderforcitizensoflowersocioeconomiclevelsto
reachhighersocioeconomiclevels.GuyRaz(2011)statesthatitisnoweasiersurpasseconomic
standardsinEuropeandCanadathanitisintheU.S.Thisallgoesbacktothechildrenoftoday.
StudiesshowthatinAmericakidswhocomefromalowerincomemakingfamilywillmost
likelystayinthatlowerincomelevelasadults.However,inEuropethedataissurprisingly
differentchildrendontnecessarilyfollowintheirparentsfootstepsandassuch,haveabetter
chanceofclimbingthesocioeconomicladder.Otherexamplesofhighersocioeconomicsuccess
ratesinEuropeincludeprovisionsforpreKprograms.France,forexample,hasidentified
patternsinwhichtherearehighermonthlyincomesassociatedwithremaininginpreKprograms
2yearsorlongerincontrast,remaininginpreKfor1year/less/notatall,isassociatedwitha
reducedmonthlyincome(Currier,2011).
EnteringtheConversation


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Ifallmenarecreatedequalthenwhyarepeoplebeingtreateddifferentlybasedontheir
wealthandstatus?Eventhelittlethingsthatpeoplehavesuchasclothesandfood,othersare
goingtojudgeandmakeassumptions.Ohthatsgenericbrandcocopuffs,theymustbepoor.
Sheswearingknockoffvans?Noway.Sohowdoweseewhogetsjudgedandforwhat
reason?Well,ifweweretoconductastudyshowinghowpeoplearetreatedbasedontheir
socioeconomicstatuswecanseehowandwhypeoplearetreateddifferently.
Toconductthisstudywecouldstageamockjobinterviewandhave2peopleineach
trial1wouldtheclientgoinginfortheinterviewandtheotherpersonwouldbetheperson
conductingtheinterview,soyouwouldhaveyourintervieweeandyourinterviewer.Wewould
have4differentgroupsofpeopletoanalyzeandcollectdatafrom.Attachedtotheirjob
applicationwillbeascreenshotofaportionoftheirpagefromsocialmediawebsitessuchas
twitter,instagram,andfacebook.Thesescreenshotsfromthecandidatessocialmediapageswill
telltheinterviewermoreabouttheirpersonalityandwhotheyreallyare.
Inthefirstmockinterviewtheintervieweeitwillbesomeonethatcomesfromapoor
neighborhood,andfromalowerclassfamily.TheInterviewerisgoingtobesomeonethatcomes
fromanupperclassfamilyandiswealthy.Inthesecondinterviewwewillhavetheinterviewee
thatwillcomefromahigherclassandtheinterviewerwillbesomeonefromalowerclass.Inthe


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3rdinterviewboththeinterviewerandintervieweewillbefromthelowerclassandinthe4th
interviewboththeinterviewerandintervieweewillbefromthehigherclass.
The4groupswillbeaskedthesameexactquestionsandhavethesamejobqualifications
andcharacteristics.Theonlydifferingfactorswillbehowtheyaredressed,thesocioeconomic
backgroundtheycomefrom,andwhattheirFacebook,Instagram,andTwitterpagessay.Wecan
observehoweachpersonthatsgettinginterviewedistreatedbytheinterviewer.Byasking
questionsandseeinghowlongeachinterviewlasts,thencomparingthewinnerofeachgroup
withthewinneroftheothers.Didthepersonfromthelowersocioeconomicclassgetpickedfor
thejoboverthepersonfromtheupperclass?Orwasthepersonwiththehighersocioeconomic
classpreferredoverthethepersonfromthelowerclass?Whentakingfactorsintoplaywepaired
eachpersonwithsomeonefromtheoppositeclassasthem,andthenwepairedtwopeoplethat
comefromthesamesocioeconomicclass.
Thequestionsthatwouldbeaskedare:
1. Wheredidyougrowup?Wereyoufromalargeorsmalltown?Didyoufeelsafe
walkingaroundinyourneighborhoodintheday/atnight?
2. Howwouldyoufeelaboutworkinginanenvironmentthatcomesfromaroughersideof
town?Howwouldyoufeelworkinginawealthier,gated,environment?


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3. Doworkingwithpeoplefromadifferentbackground/SESbotheryou?Areyoumore
comfortable/interestedinworkingwithpeoplethatcomefromthesamebackgroundas
you?
4. Whattypeofschooldidyougoto?i.e.magnet,charter,public,private,etc.
5. Whatisthemostimportantthingtoyou?
6. Doyouhavemorenamebrandnamedclothesinyourclosetoroffbrand?
Aftercollectingallthedataandviewingtheresultsofwhotheinterviewerpickedineach
ofthegroupswecancomparetheresultstooneanotherandseeifthereisamainchoiceto
whichtypeofpersongetspreferredforajob.Dopeopleprefersomeonefromalowerclassover
someonefromahigherclassorviceversa?Then,figureoutwhypeoplepreferredonegroup
overtheother.Afterfindingouttheresultstothisstudywewillbeabletoseewhichindividual
waspreferredforthesaidjobandwhytheywerepreferredovertheother.
Conclusion
ThroughoutthispaperIhavetalkedabouthowindividualsaretreateddifferentlyfrom
oneanotherandwhy.SomethingthatIfoundinterestingwhileresearchingthistopicwasthat
peoplewithalowerSEStendtohavemorementalhealthproblems.ThebiggestfactorIfound
wasthedifferentsocioeconomicstatusbetweenindividuals.Itappearedthatindividualswitha


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HowDoesSocioeconomicStatusDetermineOurFuture?
higherSESseemedtohavebetterandmoreopportunitiesasopposedtoindividualswithalower
SES.
InthestudyIproposedintheEnteringtheConversationportionofthispaperItalked
abouthowindividualsmayormaynotbemorelikelytopicksomeonefromahighersesrather
thanalowerses.Byattachingtheindividual'sapplicationwithportionsoftheirsocialmedia
pageswecanseehowjudgementsaremadewhenlookingateachsocialmediapage.Isthis
personadrinker?Dotheygooutalot?Aretheyinvolvedanything?Etc.
Thisresearchisimportantbecauseitshowsyouhowpeoplefromdifferentbackgrounds
aretreatedincomparisontoothers.Itnotonlyshowsthedifferenceofadultsbutalsoshowsthat
thekidsoftodayaregettingtreateddifferentlybytheirpeers.Thereisstillmoreresearchthat
shouldbedoneinorderforpeoplewithalowerSEStogettreatedthesameaspeoplewitha
higherSES.SomequestionsIwouldhaveforothercontinuingthisresearchwouldbeHowcan
weequaltheplayingfieldforthosewithalowerSES?andHowdopeoplethatareatthetop
stayatthetop?Ifeelthatiftheworldcontinuesgivingpeoplewithhighersocioeconomicstatus
moreopportunitiesthanotherssoonthelowerclassindividualswillbeleftwithnoworkand
evenmorehealthissuessuchasdepressionforexample.Iproposethatweneedtodosomething
tohelpcitizenscomingfromalowerclassbeabletogetthesamejobopportunitiesasthosefrom
ahigherSES.Inordertodothiswecouldstartacampaigntomakepeopleawareoftheissuesin


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HowDoesSocioeconomicStatusDetermineOurFuture?
oursocietywithregardstothedifferingsocioeconomicclasses.Somethingneedstobedoneso
thatthoseindividualscomingfromalowerSESarestillabletohavecareersandbeableto
provideforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Hopefullypeoplewillcontinuetoresearchthe
differenttreatmentofotherscomingfromhighorlowSESandwillcomeupwithawaytoend
this.

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