Chapter 11
private schools, where they can socialize
with other people like themselves. For the
upper class, education is not seen as a door
to financial success, but as a means to
become a better person—ably equipped to
participate in political and social spheres.
Childrearing patterns emphasize creativity
and individual expression (Votruba-Drzal,
2006). Many upper-class women tend to
have relatively traditional beliefs about
childrearing. While children may be raised
by a nanny or sent to a boarding school,
mothers oversee and reinforce the values
associated with their social position
(Newman & Grauerholz, 2002).
As a whole, upper-class groups frown
upon marriage with other“lower”social
groups (Morton, 2004; Newman &
Grauerholtz, 2002). Women, particularly,
are said to“marry down”if they marry
someone from a lower class. Even the
“nouveau riche”(the newly rich, especially
if they come from a lower class) may not be
accepted in upper-class circles because they
lack the cultural values and norms of the
“old rich.”These differences in attitudes
toward money, education, philanthropy,
and childrearing may cause the dream of
“marrying rich”to turn out to be a
nightmare.
The Middle Class
Most people in America—from
prosperous business owners to the working
poor—identify themselves as being middle
class, making the term non-descriptive. It
usually identifies the“middle income
group—neither rich nor poor—which
encompasses about 50% of U.S. household
income. The income in this class varies
from near the national median income of
around $40,000 to about $500,000
(Thompson & Hickey, 2005; Williams,
Sawyer, & Wahlstrom, 2005). Middle-class
families are further divided into sub-
groups—upper-middle class and
lower-middle class.
The upper-middle class,or professional
middle class,consists of highly educated,
salaried professionals and managers and
encompasses the upper 15% of households
in the middle class. The income in the
upper-middle-class household ranges
from in excess of $100,000 to about
$500,000 (Thompson & Hickey, 2005).
Upper-middle-class professionals
usually hold college degrees and manyUpper-middle-class professionals are highly educated,
salaried, professionals, and managers.© iStockphoto.com / Sportstock