New research shows that the 2008 Great Recession changed how many Americans view their social class, and that the change appears to have lasted for years. The study, published in Psychological Science, was led by Stephen Antonoplis, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.
Antonoplis analysed four large datasets that together tracked class identity for about 165,000 people over decades. These long-term data let him test whether effects of the recession persisted rather than fading quickly. Past experiments using the MacArthur ladder, a ten-step visual scale, produced brief, short-lived shifts in class comparisons; this analysis instead finds enduring change after the 2008 downturn.
The study measured only people’s self-perceived class identity and did not link those reports directly to objective losses in income or assets. Antonoplis noted the personal nature of class identity, saying, “Invariably, there’s someone in a study who reports an income of something like $200,000, yet identifies as lower class.” He also pointed to threatening headlines from the Great Recession era, such as “When Greatness Slips Away” and “As Unemployment Rises, Kids’ Future Dims,” which were widespread in outlets including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Researchers emphasise that class identity matters because it influences health, well-being, political views and social outlook. The Great Recession has been linked to increases in adverse health outcomes, and a perceived loss of status may be one pathway for those harms. Future research will study how these changes have affected health and the US political landscape. Antonoplis suggested that better public memory of historical events could help people be more resilient and that the findings may shed light on the current “vibecession.” Source: UC Riverside.
Difficult words
- recession — period of economic decline across a country
- identity — sense of who someone thinks they are sociallyself-perceived class identity, class identity
- analyse — examine data or information carefullyanalysed
- dataset — collection of related data used for studydatasets
- enduring — continuing to exist for a long timeenduring change
- adverse — harmful or negative in effectadverse health outcomes
- resilient — able to recover quickly after stress
- pathway — way or route that leads to a result
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might a lasting change in class identity affect people’s health or political views where you live? Give reasons.
- Antonoplis said better public memory of historical events could help people be more resilient. How could schools or media improve public memory?
- Do you think headlines and news coverage can change how people see their social class? Give examples or reasons.
Related articles
Which childhood food allergies are outgrown?
Many children outgrow milk and egg allergies, while peanut, tree nut, sesame and shellfish allergies often persist. Factors such as IgE levels, allergy severity and genetics affect whether a child becomes tolerant and which treatments help.
Affordable twice-yearly HIV injection lenacapavir to reach 120 countries
Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, will be licensed for 120 low- and middle-income countries at US$40 a year. Rollout is expected from 2027 with funding support, but some countries and price transparency remain concerns.
Sudan turns to AI as health system struggles
Sudan’s health system is under severe strain after an almost two‑year civil war. A senior health official says the country is using artificial intelligence to help provide care where normal services no longer reach, while shortages and attacks worsen the crisis.
