Neighbourhood Socialisation of Youth's Employability, the Moderating Role of Personality

Youth growing up in disadvantaged neighbourhoods are more likely to be exposed to unemployment in their local area than youth in more affluent neighbourhoods. In disadvantaged neighbourhoods, youth may adopt more negative attitudes towards work, which subsequently may lead to higher unemployment chances. In the literature studies often only test the relationship between the neighbourhood context and occupational outcomes, neglecting the step in between. In an attempt to cover the whole socialisation process, besides unemployment, we look at how the neighbourhood shapes work commitments as well. Additionally, because some youth may be better able to cope with environmental stressors than others, we test whether adolescents with different personality types are affected differently by the neighbourhood. An influential typology of personality distinguishes three types: resilients, overcontrollers, and undercontrollers. Resilients respond relatively more adaptively and flexibly to situational demands, while both overcontrollers and undercontrollers are relatively inflexible. We hypothesise therefore that resilients are less likely to be affected by exposure to neighbourhood disadvantage than overcontrollers and undercontrollers. To test our hypotheses, we used panel data (N=203) with longitudinal information on adolescents from age 16 through 25. The findings show, contrary to our expectations, that overcontrollers’ and undercontrollers’ work commitments are positively influenced by longer exposure to neighbourhood disadvantage. Resilients’ work commitments are not influenced. In turn, work commitments do not affect the likelihood for unemployment, suggesting that adolescents’ unemployment is unlikely to be socialised by the neighbourhood context. Furthermore, undercontrollers’ work commitments and unemployment and overcontrollers’ work commitments are influenced by the neighbourhood, while resilients remain unaffected. This finding is in line with the idea that resilients are better able to cope with environmental demands, while overcontrollers and undercontrollers are more likely to be affected by their environment.