Early socialization and cultural identities in cultural consumption inequalities in Chile.

This article examines how cultural identifications shaped by childhood socialization are associated with inequalities in cultural consumption in adulthood in Chile. Using 12,151 open-ended responses from the 2017 National Survey on Cultural Participation, the study combines content analysis, multiple correspondence analysis, and logistic regression models to compare the associations of early socialization and current socioeconomic status with in-person and digital cultural participation. The findings indicate that childhood cultural socialization and cultural dispositions are significantly associated with later cultural consumption, often more strongly than current socioeconomic status. A separate analysis of the 2024 survey, based on a revised questionnaire, confirms the positive associations of childhood socialization and education with cultural identifications and participation. The study highlights the relevance of early formative processes for persistent cultural inequalities and the need for policies aimed at promoting more equitable cultural participation.