Social Mobility: Intergenerational and Intragenerational (10A) Practice Test

A longitudinal cohort study used linked tax and census records to examine intergenerational occupational mobility among individuals born in 1980, 1990, and 2000 in the same country. Researchers classified parental occupation at the child’s age 14 and adult occupation at age 35 into three tiers (Low/Medium/High) using a stable national coding scheme. The primary outcome was the percentage of participants whose adult tier differed from their parents’ tier (upward or downward). The study reports the following percentages of tier change by birth cohort:

Birth cohort | Any tier change (%)

1980 | 52

1990 | 48

2000 | 41

Assuming measurement procedures were comparable across cohorts, which statement best describes the trend in intergenerational mobility shown in the data?

A sociologist conducted a comparative analysis of intergenerational educational mobility for two groups within the same metropolitan area. The outcome was completion of a 4-year college degree by age 30. The exposure was parental education (at least one parent with a bachelor’s degree vs neither parent with a bachelor’s degree). Results were adjusted for age and sex but not for neighborhood school quality.

Estimated probabilities of child BA completion:

• Group 1: 0.62 (parent BA) vs 0.28 (no parent BA)
• Group 2: 0.55 (parent BA) vs 0.18 (no parent BA)

Which conclusion about intergenerational mobility is most consistent with these results?