New research finds that the 2008 Great Recession led many Americans to see themselves as belonging to a lower social class. The change in class identity seems to have lasted for years rather than being only a short reaction.
The study used several large, long-term datasets that followed many people over decades. Researchers measured how people described their own social class instead of only looking at income. The study also noted that media messages at the time may have increased feelings of loss of status.
Class identity matters because it can influence health, well-being and political views. Future work will look more at these effects.
Difficult words
- recession — a period when the economy becomes much weaker
- social class — a group defined by people's jobs and income
- identity — how a person thinks about themselves
- dataset — a large collection of related information or numbersdatasets
- media — newspapers, TV, and online sources that share news
- status — a person's social or economic position or rank
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might feeling that you are in a lower social class affect daily life?
- Have you seen media messages that make people feel a loss of status? What did you notice?
- What effects of class identity would you like researchers to study more?
Related articles
Wildfire smoke in late pregnancy linked to higher autism risk
A study of more than 200,000 births in Southern California found that exposure to wildfire smoke during the third trimester was associated with higher autism diagnoses by age five. Researchers say the results are not conclusive and need more study.
Biodegradable patch may help heart heal after heart attack
Researchers report a biodegradable microneedle patch that delivers interleukin-4 to injured heart tissue. The local treatment encourages healing immune cells, reduces scarring, and may improve heart recovery while avoiding systemic side effects.
Gagandeep Kang on Vaccines, Surveillance and Child Health in India
Gagandeep Kang, a leading expert on enteric diseases, urges India to prepare tools to prevent viral outbreaks. She helped develop indigenous rotavirus vaccines, built surveillance networks and now works at the Gates Foundation.
