Chapter 11
Understanding middle-class values and
lifestyle is important because middle class is
often equated with what is“mainstream”in
American society (Pattilo-McCoy,1999).
Middle-class norms often define for this
culture what is desirable and what one
should strive for (Newman,1999).For
example,one of the values held by the
middle class is autonomy—between adult
siblings and adult children and their parents
(Newman,1999).This,therefore,becomes
the norm for which individuals strive,even
in the working class and the poor.Problems
can arise for lower-class families,who tend to
be dependent on immediate family for
support,if they begin to model the
autonomy they see in middle-class families
on television (Newman & Grauerholz,2002).
Lower-middle-class families often share
more commonalities with the working
class than with the upper-middle class.
These families constitute roughly one
third of middle-class households and
consist of semi-professionals, skilled
craftsmen, and lower level management
(Cashell, 2007; Thompson & Hickey, 2005;
Williams, Sawyer, & Wahlstrom, 2005).
The household income in this group
ranges from $35,000 to $75,000.
Most lower-middle-class families require
two incomes to provide for their family as is
common in the working class. People in this
class usually have at least a high school
education and many have some college
(Fields, 2004). Most workers in this class are
closely supervised and do not have the same
kind of independence as those in the upper-
middle class. They are also less likely to be
encouraged to share their thoughts and
ideas at work than professionals in the
upper-middle class.
Childrearing patterns among the
lower-middle class emphasize strict
obedience to rules and conformity to
social norms. Parents’ perceptions of bad
behavior and how to discipline children is
strongly related to social class
(Pinderhughes et al., 2000). Less likely to
attend college, lower-middle-class family
members are less tolerant of diverse values
and behaviors (Pinderhughes et al., 2000).The Working ClassWorking-class families account for
approximately 32% of total U.S.
household income (Thompson & Hickey,
2005). Typically, working-class families
have a strong work ethic with little
expectation of work satisfaction (Carter &
McGoldrick, 2005). They place an
emphasis on obedience, respect for people
in authority, and have little tolerance for
deviance, unlike the individualistic
acceptance of nonconformity of the
middle class (Zweig, 2004). The major
distinction between the working class and
the middle class is their dependence on
hourly wages, which range from $16,000
to $30,000, and account for approximately
one third of America’s income