Social Stratification and Consumption Patterns: Cultural Practices and Lifestyles in Japan

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between cultural consumption and social stratification. Based upon a nationally representative 2005 Japanese sample (N = 2,915), we uncovered the association between a wide range of cultural capital and social class in Japan. In doing so, we re-examined conventional occupational schemes and developed a detailed occupational classification. Correspondence analysis revealed that both men and women who are well-educated and have a higher occupational position have more cultural capital. The results also indicate gender-specific cultural consumption patterns. For women, highbrow culture is important for distinguishing themselves and maintaining social position. In contrast, highbrow culture is defined as an irrelevant waste of time for men of higher position and instead business culture, which is characterized by a mixture of enterprise and rationality, prevails.KeywordsCultural CapitalCultural ActivityOccupational ClassBusiness CultureCultural ConsumptionThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.