ABSTRACT
In Oakland, the proportion of professionals of small-city origin is greater than the proportion from large cities, but nearly equal proportions of self-employed come from each type of community. The smaller the community of orientation the less likely a lower-class individual is to be upwardly mobile within bureaucratic structures. The relationship between social origins and community of orientation may be further specified by studying the effect of educational attainments on occupational achievement. The sociological and psychological mechanisms involved are little different from those set by socioeconomic origin, family patterns, education, or ethnic background. The chapter considers the urbanization process as a source of increased motivation and aptitude for upward mobility. A study of California suburbanites does suggest that the advantage that the sons of urban workers have may occur among adults on the white-collar occupational level. Stephen Boggs found that white-collar workers of metropolitan origin had higher levels of aspiration for further occupational advance than those of nonmetropolitan origin.
