Some aspects of social stratification in New Zealand : an investigation into the structure of responses in the context of social stratification as indicated by a group of adolescents

Abstract

The contention of this thesis is that a community, by means of certain criteria, distinguishes social classes within itself, even though its members may be unconscious of or refuse to acknowledge them. The main purpose of this investigation is to attempt to discover to what extent, if any, a group of adolescent boys conforms to the pattern of adult society by manifesting a structure of social responses which indicates class consciousness. The problems which present themselves are: 1. What are the opinions of psychologists and sociologists concerning (a) the existence, and (b) the nature of social classes? 2. Do the members of the group chosen think of society in terms of social stratification? 3. If the answer to 2. is in the affirmative what is the structure of responses of these boys in the context of social stratification? 4. How far do the criteria they use agree with those expressed in contemporary psychological and sociological literature? 5. Do the members of the group conform to the usual pattern of society by having their social contacts chiefly with members of their own social class?