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All I Have to Do Is Dream? The Role of Aspirations in Intergenerational Mobility and Well-Being

Author

Listed:
  • Nuarpear Lekfuangfu
  • Reto Odermatt

Abstract

We study the determinants and consequences of educational and occupational aspirations. Basing our enquiry on the British NCDS 1958 cohort data, we assess the importance of aspirations for social mobility above and beyond other established determinants. We document educational and occupational inequalities in young individuals' aspirations, whereby parental aspirations are a strong predictor of children's aspiration-levels. While we find a positive correlation between aspirations and later achievement, we also provide evidence for reduced well-being in adulthood if aspirations in adolescence were higher than actual achievements later in life.

Suggested Citation

  • Nuarpear Lekfuangfu & Reto Odermatt, 2020. "All I Have to Do Is Dream? The Role of Aspirations in Intergenerational Mobility and Well-Being," PIER Discussion Papers 142, Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:pui:dpaper:142
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    Cited by:

    1. Jo Blanden & Matthias Doepke & Jan Stuhler, 2022. "Education inequality," CEP Discussion Papers dp1849, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Georgellis, Yannis & Clark, Andrew E. & Apergis, Emmanuel & Robinson, Catherine, 2022. "Occupational status and life satisfaction in the UK: The miserable middle?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 509-527.
    3. Andros Kourtellos & Chih Ming Tan & Steven N. Durlauf, 2022. "The Great Gatsby Curve," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 14(1), pages 571-605, August.
    4. Wang, Jinchao & Luo, Changfu & Dong, Yanfang & Guo, Chu-yu, 2024. "Does intergenerational mobility affect corporate innovation? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing enterprises," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 526-538.
    5. Arnup, Jessica L. & Black, Nicole & Johnston, David W., 2024. "Expecting less in hard times: How the state of the economy influences students’ educational expectations," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    6. Feng, Qundi & Yang, Ling, 2024. "Does parental migration matter in access to academic high schools for left-behind children in China?," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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