Model identiteta u kontekstu – socioekonomske nejednakosti u obrazovnim i karijernim ishodima

This study aimed to assess the social class gap in various educational and vocational outcomes among middle school students in Croatia by testing the newly established Identities in context model. The model posits that lower-class students are more prone to experiencing various threats to their social class identity – psychological barriers – in their educational surroundings, which should explain part of the social class gap in various educational and vocational outcomes. The model also highlights the role of the wider social context in determining the levels of perceived psychological barriers among lower-class students, thereby influencing their outcomes. A total of 1012 6th-year and 7th-year students participated in this two-wave study. Students completed an online questionnaire comprising various socioeconomic indicators and measures of psychological barriers, contextual variables, and educational and vocational outcomes. Results partially confirmed the mediating role of psychological barriers in the relationship between students’ SES and educational and vocational outcomes. Stereotype vulnerability was the most consistent mediator of this relationship, followed by the incompatibility between students’ social class identity and the stereotype of a typical university student. In contrast, the mismatch between students’ social class identity and being a successful pupil was not an important psychological barrier among lower-class students in this sample. Additionally, the results confirmed the detrimental role of competence stereotypes in heightening the perception of different psychological barriers among lower-class students. In contrast, the role of other measured contextual variables was found to be inconsistent or in opposition to the model’s hypotheses. This study highlights the importance of studying the social class education and vocation gap comprehensively to help the design and implementation of interventions aimed at reducing the perception of identity threat among the most vulnerable groups of students.