Investigation of the Relationship Between Objective Social Status and Subjective Social Status

Abstract

It is expected that subjective social status, where consumers position themselves on the social status ladder, behaves similar to the composite indicator of objective social status and the three factors that constitute it (occupation, income, education). In this context, the aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between subjective social status and objective social status. In order to determine the relationship between the social status of consumers, a survey study was conducted on 954 people. According to the results of the analysis, a positive relationship was found between subjective social status and objective social status. The relationship between objective social status and subjective social status, has a stronger correlation than subjective social status has with education, income and occupation. In addition, it was shown that men, married people and older than 30 have a higher socioeconomic status than women, single and younger people, respectively. Finally, there is a similarity between objective social status and subjective social status. Nonetheless, due to the nature of subjective social status, which takes into account past experience and future expectations, it can be seen that subjective social status can provide more realistic and meaningful information when used in conjunction with objective social status.