Study Notes
Overview
Social mobility is the study of movement within the social class structure. For OCR candidates, this topic is not just about defining terms; it's about evaluating the extent to which the UK can be considered an open, meritocratic society. Examiners expect you to engage critically with the optimistic Functionalist view that role allocation is fair, and contrast it sharply with the pessimistic views of Marxists and Feminists who argue that structural inequalities are deeply embedded in our society. This guide will equip you with the key theories, studies, and evidence needed to analyse patterns of intergenerational and intragenerational mobility, and to construct high-level arguments about the 'myth of meritocracy'. Credit is consistently given for candidates who can deploy specific evidence, such as data from the Sutton Trust or findings from Goldthorpe's Oxford Mobility Study, to support their claims. Mastering this topic means moving beyond common sense to a robust, evidence-based sociological analysis.
Key Concepts & Theories
Types of Social Mobility
What it is: Social mobility is measured in four key ways. Understanding the distinction between them is crucial for earning AO1 marks.
Why it matters: Examiners will penalise candidates who confuse these terms. Precision is key.
Specific Knowledge: Vertical (up/down), Horizontal (sideways), Intergenerational (between generations), Intragenerational (within a lifetime).
Theoretical Perspectives
What it is: The major sociological theories offer contrasting explanations for the patterns of social mobility we observe.
Why it matters: The core of any high-mark essay on this topic is the debate between these perspectives. You must be able to explain and evaluate them.
Specific Knowledge: Functionalism (Parsons), Marxism (Marx, Bourdieu), Feminism.
Key Individuals & Studies
John Goldthorpe
Role: Sociologist, lead author of the Oxford Mobility Study.
Key Actions: Conducted a major study in the 1970s comparing the social class of fathers and sons to measure intergenerational mobility.
Impact: His findings challenged the Functionalist view of meritocracy. He found that while 'absolute' mobility had increased (more middle-class jobs were available), 'relative' mobility rates (a working-class person's chances of reaching the top compared to a middle-class person) had not changed significantly. This supports the Marxist view of class reproduction.
Pierre Bourdieu
Role: French sociologist.
Key Actions: Developed the concept of 'cultural capital'.
Impact: Bourdieu argued that the children of the middle and upper classes inherit cultural capital – the knowledge, attitudes, and values that are prized by the education system and employers. This gives them an unfair advantage, making it appear that their success is based on merit when it is actually a product of their privileged background. This is a key concept for explaining the 'myth of meritocracy'.
The Sutton Trust
Role: A research charity focused on improving social mobility.
Key Actions: Publishes regular, contemporary research on the relationship between educational background and elite professions.
Impact: Provides powerful, up-to-date evidence to support Marxist and Feminist arguments. For example, their 2019 report 'Elitist Britain' showed that 65% of senior judges and 57% of senior civil servants were privately educated, despite only 7% of the population attending private schools. This is gold-standard evidence for your essays.