Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Educational Attainment: An Exploratory Factor Analysis
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
Sewell, Haller, and Portes (1969) developed the Wisconsin Model of Status Attainment. The Wisconsin Model is a path model of the antecedents to status attainment. The original model incorporated seven exogenous variables that accounted for 34% of the variance in occupational attainment. It was found that educational attainment accounted for the largest percentage of variance (27%) in occupational attainment of Wisconsin farm boys and the prior six variables accounted for 50% of the variance in educational attainment. In 1972 Sewell and Hauser refined this model with the introduction of new composite variables made up of related antecedents, again educational attainment accounted for the largest percentage of variance. Educational attainment has been inextricably linked to status attainment since. This paper presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis based on Sewell and Hauser’s original social-psychological, social-structural, and behavioral constructs. This study makes use of recently released data to incorporate newly, and publically, available predictor information collected in the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002. Results show factors that can be used to inform an updated model of educational attainment and may be tested within the central Appalachian population. These factors can be used to inform future research on educational and occupational attainment in this region through their study and application to this population.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Rick Ferris is an Assistant Professor of Business and the MBA Program Director at the University of Charleston. His research interest include the intersection of educational attainment and economic prosperity within the central Appalachian region.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #2
Rob McLaughlin is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business and Leadership at the University of Charleston. His research interests include adult learning and meaning-making and how it is influenced by one’s developmental lens (perspective and awareness complexity).
Educational Attainment: An Exploratory Factor Analysis
Sewell, Haller, and Portes (1969) developed the Wisconsin Model of Status Attainment. The Wisconsin Model is a path model of the antecedents to status attainment. The original model incorporated seven exogenous variables that accounted for 34% of the variance in occupational attainment. It was found that educational attainment accounted for the largest percentage of variance (27%) in occupational attainment of Wisconsin farm boys and the prior six variables accounted for 50% of the variance in educational attainment. In 1972 Sewell and Hauser refined this model with the introduction of new composite variables made up of related antecedents, again educational attainment accounted for the largest percentage of variance. Educational attainment has been inextricably linked to status attainment since. This paper presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis based on Sewell and Hauser’s original social-psychological, social-structural, and behavioral constructs. This study makes use of recently released data to incorporate newly, and publically, available predictor information collected in the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002. Results show factors that can be used to inform an updated model of educational attainment and may be tested within the central Appalachian population. These factors can be used to inform future research on educational and occupational attainment in this region through their study and application to this population.
