Young people's societal belonging and perception of social status within networks

Abstract

The research explored young people's social status identification within social networks and how it influenced societal belonging, self-perception and future aspirations. The focus was on social status identity as it is anticipated that a person's social status identity affects an individual's perception of their social status to a greater extent than an actual socio-economic classification. Social status perception is created within the family's social and cultural capital, but also by agency in directing engagement in societal activities, social identity and future aspirations. Findings from the survey of 751 Australian high-school students living in geographically isolated and sparsely populated residential areas indicated strong relationships between social status identification and sense of societal belonging, involvement in community events and confidence in achieving future aspirations. The students who classified themselves as having a high social status identity felt more at home and engaged in the community and confident to express independent views.