Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine the criteria and the frame of reference used in identifying one's own social status. Prior research has focused on the individuals' own socioeconomic status as the criteria for their subjective judgment. This research employs the perspective of Reference Group Theory and investigates the function of personal networks as a criteria and frame of reference in self-identification. Data from the 1985 General Social Survey (GSS), which contains information about others with whom the respondents frequently interact, was analyzed using a sample of white males. Hypotheses were tested regarding the effects of (1) one's own socioeconomic status, (2) status of others, and (3) one's own relative status compared to those of others. It was found that the prestige of one's own occupation, family income and educational achievement of others, rather than one's own educational level, were significant factors in the respondent's self-identification of social status. The structural characteristics of the personal networks showed no effects. The results indicate that individuals tend to comply with the status of people in their personal networks in evaluating their own status, but they do not refer to it as the frame of reference for comparison.
