| Sumario: | The article presents a study related to the social class awareness in the United States. The study seeks to delineate the social class awareness of a southern city by describing the variety and extent of perceptions of social class existing in the white adult population, and relating differences in these perceptions to the socio-economic levels of that population. Data for the study, were collected by interviewing 320 adults representatives of the white population of Tallahassee, Florida. The sample was selected in accordance with area-probability procedures, and permits the application of statistical tests of significance. Some of the various perceptions obtained during the study, are respondents' beliefs as to whether social classes exist; the names used by respondents to identify classes and the criteria suggested for distinguishing classes. Results of the study show that eighty percent of the interviewed people feel, classes do not exist. However, people who believe in existence of social classes, categorize these classes as middle, medium, upper etc. The study shows that the main criteria to distinguish the behavior of people in several classes are financial status, differences in the character and attitudes of individuals, education and occupational differences.
|
|---|