Many scholars and legislators approach issues of
social class from a deficit perspective, framing
social class differences almost exclusively in terms
of the resources and behaviors that working-class or
lower-class people lack. In contrast, this book takes
a cultural psychological perspective by exploring the
ways in which Americans from relatively lower and
higher social class backgrounds define themselves,
their friendship and kinship groups, and even what it
means to be "well." Using evidence from a variety of
sources, it is argued that the nature of
individualism, interpersonal relationships, and
well-being varies substantially across American
social class groups. These differences are apparent
among national samples of adults and also among
undergraduate students from various backgrounds and
institutions. This book can be useful to college
practitioners, faculty, and administrators who want
to better understand their diverse students, as well
as to psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists,
and others who are generally interested in issues of
social class, psychology, and culture.