Social position and social comparisons: Community versus society comparisons of subjective social status

This study examines whether or not subjective social status rankings differ according to social characteristics. A multinomial probit analysis was conducted on 10,099 participants to test whether social position predicts higher or lower subjective rankings relative to one’s community or nation. Socially advantaged respondents ranked themselves higher in national comparisons, while disadvantaged respondents ranked themselves higher in community comparisons. Some social position characteristics predicted the magnitude of difference in rankings. These findings demonstrate meaningful differences in how individuals rank themselves on subjective scales according to objective measures of social standing. These differences should be considered in future research utilizing subjective social status scales.