Models of intergenerational class mobility: findings from the National Survey of Health and Development.

Mobility data from the National Survey of Health and Development, deriving from the occupations in 1977 of the male survey members, are presented. Multiplicative models of the intergenerational mobility table, developed by Goodman, are described and fitted to the National Survey data. The models include parameters which measure the extent of upward and downward mobility, crossings between adjacent classes, and distance moved. The results suggest that the concept of barriers between adjacent classes may be less appropriate than distance moved. The best fitting model provides a simple description of mobility where the main impediment to movement is the distance involved. When disaggregated, the model shows higher levels of upward than downward mobility and a barrier to medium and long range downward movement. The crossings parameter model is characterized by barriers at either end of the class structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]