Social Classes as a Factor of Socialization and Personality Formation

Abstract

Social class groupings, in reference to castes and color castes as an indicator of socioeconomic status, are social structures which, to certain extent, allow social mobility. These groups, in their most coherent shape, have formed in the cities, at the same time each have local community characteristics. These groups that are residing in districts, neighborhoods and buildings of different characters are differentiated by occupation, income, education level and accepted life style, in addition to the general culture they have adopted, have also sub-cultural patterns that shape their attitudes and value orientations which are observed most manifestly in the United States (of America). Following an historical investigation route, our essay tries to study the kinds of social structural characteristics of classes that may rouphly be classified as high, medium and low. We also study, whether the socializing functions of sub-cultures have these classes on personality formation; whether the status personalities formed by sociocultural interaction processes cause any vertical mobility; whether the psychological mechanism called achievement motivation has any effect in one's going up and down in class position and whether the role of education and aspiration in occupation as a leading factor or nearly indispensable prerequisite for social mobility in the industrialized communities of present day.