Common Threads in the Cloak of Achievement
by:
Cathy Hyslop Hammack
Senior Honors Thesis
submitted to:
Dr. Bennett M. Judkins
Department of Psychology & Sociology
Lenoir-Rhyne College
May 10, 1999
***Everything herein is protected by plagiarism & copyright laws...Nothing herein may be printed, published, copied or otherwise distributed without the author's written consent.***
Acknowledgments:
This has been the most torturous, tiring, yet wonderful learning experience I have had since beginning college! I want to express deepest thanks to Dr. Bennett M. Judkins whose steadfast belief in my abilities inspired me to undertake such a colossal project and whose encouragement urged me on throughout the experience. Ben has made this a rewarding educational experience, and I am thrilled with the tremendous amount of knowledge I have gained. Sincere thanks for being the patient, understanding, constructive critic you are, ‘Dr. J’!
Words will never express what I owe my father and mother. By Mom’s example, I learned independence, powerful determination, and the ability to overcome strong adversity. Mom also taught me to value education and love learning. While alive, both mom and dad offered me loving support and abundant pride in all my educational pursuits and accomplishments. It was dad who was responsible for my return to educational pursuit: through the years I watched dad constantly work so hard and struggle to ‘make it,’ yet he always wound up with menial jobs in spite of his labor and high intelligence. It was this observation that convinced me to pursue educational achievement, and observing dad’s ‘lack of success’ drove me to explore nonpursuit of education. Mom and Dad should have had much more advantaged lives than the drudgery in which they lived. Both parents have my everlasting love, utmost respect, and immeasurable appreciation. May they rest in peace at last.
Special thanks to my uncle, Charles. Without him, I might never have become closely acquainted with success and known it possible. Without his influence, I might never have ‘made the connection’ between economic success and education.
Deepest thanks go to my husband, daughters, son-in-law, and granddaughter. My husband, David, helps me every step of the way and reminds me of the significance of my research and ideas, keeping me motivated in spite of the difficulties and problems I’ve encountered throughout the past few years. My daughters, Becky and Nikki, deserve a hearty "Thank You"--for taking care of me and forcing me to take much needed breaks I would have otherwise gone without. It is my hope that both will benefit greatly from the knowledge I have gained in this endeavor. Thanks to my son-in-law, Bobby—for putting up with all the things his wife does to help me out. My granddaughter, Moni, supplied me the inspiration to explore successes: I hope that, because of the time and effort I devote to seeking factors of success, she and others might reap rewards hitherto unknown and have a better chance to ‘make it.’ I add a very special and hearty "thank you!" to David and Nikki for doing the cooking, cleaning, and many other chores I never seem to find the time nor energy to do because of my dedication to the pursuit of education.
A wonderful sounding board and loving critic, my nephew, "Pete," offered me inspiration, insight, assistance, debate, moral support, and a great deal of patience. His contributions are more appreciated than he will ever know.
Heartfelt thanks to Jane Wilson for supplying ample words of encouragement and support when I needed them, for making me understand that this was a "do-able" project and not allowing me to give up or in or do less than my best, and for being a true friend and serving endless hours as sounding board, editor, and constructive critic even though our beliefs don’t always mesh.
Dedication:
In loving memory of my parents, Bert and Becky Hyslop...
colossal successes, though neither ever fully realized it...
Common Threads in the Cloak of Achievement
by:
Cathy Hyslop Hammack
ABSTRACT:
Higher education is the American society panacea for poverty and perhaps the best means by which those of lower socioeconomic status may attempt to climb the ladder of social mobility: most lucrative jobs in American society today require education beyond the high school level. However, many working-class youths drop out of high school before attaining a diploma, and higher education is frequently estranged from the lower classes for a number of reasons. Oppression, family pressures to follow the work/marriage tradition, inimical family and/or peer influences, financial difficulties, personal obligations, societal pressures, curriculum tracking into nonacademic tracks, and many other factors help us to understand why the pursuit of higher education is unlikely to be a choice for those of lower class status. Though social mobility by means of higher education is possible and appears to work in theory, it is often difficult for working-class members to conquer overwhelming odds to realize true achievement. Despite the difficulties, some working-class members rise to the challenge and attempt to defy the odds. Although there is substantial evidence that social reproduction is the predominant means by which one’s societal position is determined in America, some evidence suggests that a degree of social mobility via education is possible.
MacLeod (1987) notes that the goal of social reproduction theory is to identify barriers to social mobility and illumine the specific mechanisms and processes that contribute to the intergenerational transmission of inequality. My goal is to explore social reproduction in reverse. That is, instead of noting barriers and factors which assist in reproducing economic stagnation or low social status, I wish to explore the mechanisms and processes that assist those who successfully break the reproduction tradition to achieve upward mobility. Due to time and other constraints, it is feasible at this time to study only one mechanism purported to aid in this process: the attainment of degrees. Consequently, the purpose of this research is to better understand those of working-class origins who undertake the mobility journey via higher education.
There are factors which must be considered when trying to understand why an individual does or does not aspire to climb the ladder of social mobility via higher education. Much is known about barriers to educational pursuit; however, certain factors may actually assist individuals to achieve success in that realm. This research represents a step to uncover such factors. By identifying common success factors of those who attain degrees, we may begin to gain a better understanding of one avenue whereby lower class members have the opportunity to seek upward mobility.
Table of Contents
Click on each underlined section to read that section--they are IN ORDER as the paper is written & will make little sense if read in any other order. While reading each section when you come to a footnote, please click on that footnote--footnotes serve to expand the information given as well as point you to tables in the Appendix to help give you a better visual image of the information contained within the paper. Footnotes will open a new browser window so that all you need do to return to reading the thesis is close that browser window (or minimize it).
Social Reproduction Defined, Social Reproduction Theory
The Role of Education in the Reproduction of Social Class
Inequalities in Educational Opportunities
The Role of Education in the Division of Labor
Dropouts and Pursuers
Barriers to Educational Pursuit
Implications
Common Threads Among Pursers
Discussion
Introduction
The Proposed Study
Major Questions Posed
Method of Investigation
Subjects
The Major Variables
Working Class
Students
Proposed Interview Questions
Method
Subjects
Findings
Discussion
Tables 1 & 2: Sewell & Shah
Table 3: Bowles
Table 4: Colclough & Beck
Graph 1: Bowles & Gintis
Graph 2: Bowles & Gintis
Graph 3: MacLeod
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Vitae
Thanks for reading my undergraduate Honors Thesis! Please drop an email to let me know what you think or send suggestions, leads, etc...I plan to continue my research at the graduate level & appreciate your help!
