Subjective Social Status and Possible Selves Among Emerging Adult College Students

Abstract

Possible selves and strategies serve a number of functions across the life span and are particularly relevant to emerging adulthood. Building on past research, which suggests that possible selves and strategies are contextually bound, the current study examined the relationship between objective and subjective social status and possible selves and strategies among emerging adult college students. Data were collected through an online survey (n = 282), and multiple regressions with alpha-adjustment procedures were used. Results indicated a negative relationship between family subjective social status and expected material/lifestyles possible selves and strategies and a positive relationship between individual subjective social status and expected material/lifestyle possible selves. Findings emphasize the relationship between social status and material/lifestyle possible selves and strategies among a sample of emerging adults, which is increasingly important during this time when many are navigating pathways toward independence while balancing continued reliance on their families.