ERIC Number: EJ1019405
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Oct
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0092-055X
EISSN: N/A
Beat the Bourgeoisie: A Social Class Inequality and Mobility Simulation Game
Norris, Dawn R.
Teaching Sociology, v41 n4 p334-345 Oct 2013
Simulation games can help overcome student resistance to thinking structurally about social class inequality, meritocracy, and mobility. Most inequality simulations focus solely on economic inequality and omit social and cultural capital, both of which contribute to social class reproduction. Using a pretest/posttest design, the current study evaluates a simulation game that incorporates economic, social, and cultural capital and is meant for introductory sociology classes containing between 15 and 70 students. Data come from a state research university and a liberal arts college. Results show that the simulation increased students' conceptual understanding of structural explanations for restricted mobility; cultural and social capital; and conceptual connections between stratification concepts. The simulation did not lead to changes in students' feelings about poor people. Results support the idea of using simulation games to overcome student resistance to the sociological perspective on stratification and suggest that some simulation games may be effective across institutional contexts.
Descriptors: Simulation, Games, Social Stratification, Social Class, Social Mobility, Social Capital, Cultural Capital, Economically Disadvantaged, Sociology, College Instruction, Introductory Courses, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Resistance (Psychology), Discussion (Teaching Technique), Pretests Posttests, Instructional Effectiveness, Questionnaires, Research Universities, Small Colleges
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A