Cognitive Ability and Occupational Status in a British Cohort

Abstract

The relation between individual trait differences, social mobility and social structure is central to social biology. Because genetic variance underlies phenotypic variance in some of these traits, for example IQ, several mechanisms determine the population variance. Polygenic inheritance is the basic mechanism. Social mobility and assortative partner choice distribute the trait variance within generations. This feedback circle is constrained by sociological conditions at several levels of analysis. Fundamental to this theory of social assortment is the relation between social–biological traits and social class on the one hand, and these traits and social mobility on the other hand. The focus here is on the relation between social class, social mobility and cognitive ability. The National Child Development Study is drawn upon, including the last follow-up (1999–2000). By approaching this relationship through various methods, both social–biological and sociological aspects of this research question can be assessed.

Intelligence predicts scholastic achievement irrespective of SES factors: Evidence from Brazil

“…The analyses by Thienpont and Verleye (2003) from data of the National Child Development Study (a longitudinal study of a British cohort born between 3 and 9 March 1958), reinforces this expectation. These researchers included the last follow-up (1999)(2000) finding that social class of origin is a factor of nonimportance to account for the relationships among SES, education, and intelligence.…”

“…This is true regardless of the fluid (samples 1 to 3) or crystallized (sample 3) nature of the intelligence measure. The implication is that these SES factors can hardly account for the correlation between children's intelligence and its correlates, like scholastic achievement (Thienpont & Verleye, 2003).…”

“…However, more recent data indicate that parents' education and occupational status do not have a significant influence on their children's intelligence (Nagoshi & Johnson, 2004). Moreover, social class of origin does not account for the relationships among SES, education, and intelligence, and parents' education is not an explaining variable either (Thienpont & Verleye, 2003). Li (1975) re-analyzed one longitudinal dataset reported by Jencks (1972) by means of path-analysis.…”

Educational Attainment of Norwegian Men: Influence of Parental and Early Individual Characteristics

“…Based on the same data, Saunders (2002) claimed that Britain is a meritocratic society governed by personal merits whereas Breen & Goldthorpe (1999, 2001, 2002 insisted that adult status was determined by class of origin. Other NCDS investigators found a more balanced contribution from ability (childhood IQ) and parental SEP (Nettle, 2003;Thienpont & Verleye, 2003).…”

“…Mostly, the measure of status attainment has been occupational class (Bond & Saunders, 1999;Judge et al, 1999;Wang et al, 1999;Breen & Goldthorpe, 1999, 2001, 2002Saunders, 2002;Thienpont & Verleye, 2003;Nettle, 2003;Breen & Jonsson, 2005;Deary et al, 2005) or educational attainment (Heath et al, 1985;Tambs et al, 1989;Hernstein & Murray, 1994;Lindbekk, 1998;Wang et al, 1999;Marks & McMillan, 2003;Thienpont & Verleye, 2003;Breen & Jonsson, 2005;Deary et al, 2005;Nielsen, 2006). Income level has also been applied (Judge et al, 1999;Bowles & Gintis, 2002).…”