Beliefs About Social Stratification, 1980: [United States]

The purpose of this study was to describe and test hypotheses about Americans' beliefs regarding inequality. The survey investigated beliefs about causes of wealth and poverty, opportunity, and inequality, plus perceptions of fairness and the necessity of income inequality. Included in the survey were questions on self-perceived social class (poor, working, middle, upper-middle, upper), beliefs about differences between social classes, attitudes toward different social classes, and beliefs about discrimination against Blacks, other minorities, and women. The survey also collected information on political preferences, employment, marital status, educational attainment, religion, religiosity, age, sex, income, and satisfaction with life in general.