Layout 1

Cultural Variations in Marriage and Family

The upper or elite class accounts for
around 1% of the population and is the
smallest percentage of the population of
the United States. The income level for
upper class is in excess of $500,000
(Thompson & Hickey, 2005). People in this
class usually do not engage in productive
work for a living but instead manage
people who work, rely on their
inheritances, or live on their investments
(Morton, 2004). They are almost
exclusively Anglo-American and Protestant
with their“old money”and power going
back generations. Even the richest non-
Protestants or people of color have less
prestige and influence than the Anglo-
Protestants whose class roots go deep
(Kliman & Madsen, 2005).
Spending patterns of the upper class
include buying expensive items with their
vast discretionary money, and also

involving themselves in

various philanthropic

activities. As a whole, this

group is older than the

general population, well-

educated and married.

Those in the upper-upper

class maintain low

visibility, live luxurious

life styles, and keep their

wealth within their social

class. Those in the lower-

upper class tend to seek

out more visibility,

gravitating to high

prestige occupations (Morton, 2004).

Quality education, often Ivy League

education, is of high importance to the

upper class. Children raised in this

environment will likely attend exclusive

Figure 11.1

America’s Social Classes

The upper class has disposable

money to pay for luxuries.

15%

1%

20%

32%

Upper Class

Upper-Middle Class

Lower-Middle Class

Working Class

Lower Class

32%

Source:Thompson, W. and Hickey, J. 2005.

Society in Focus. Boston, MA: Pearson

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