Individual mobility as a route for social change: psychological barriers for participation in higher education

This thesis focuses on the individual mobility of working class students attained through participation in higher education. I examine the structural and psychological barriers they perceive and how these barriers prevent them from successfully engaging in individual mobility. In Chapter 1, I outline the general theoretical background of the research reported in the thesis by introducing relevant individual mobility constructs and exploring current research on this topic. In Chapter 2, I examine mobility attitudes and behaviour in three experimental studies. I show that 1) highly able students are more likely to engage in individual mobility; 2) when the permeability of a high status institution was low, individual mobility decreases; and 3) incompatibility between old and possible new social identities makes individual mobility less attractive as a strategy, especially in a context where the higher status position is prestigious and alternative options are seen as ‘good enough’. In Chapter 3, I examine factors predicting the success of the upwardly mobile within higher education. In four studies, using structural equation modelling, I demonstrate that disadvantaged students are less likely to regard university as consistent with their social background, which predicts lower levels of psychological fit. In turn, psychological fit predicts lower levels of well-being, academic adjustment and performance. I also explore the effect of a value affirmation intervention on the strength of the relationship between identity compatibility and psychological fit for low SES students, which could potentially improve their outcomes at university. In Chapter 4, I examine why A-level pupils from low SES backgrounds are less likely to apply to high status universities. In two studies conducted in UK secondary schools, I found that application to high status universities is predicted by anticipated psychological fit, while controlling for academic performance. In Chapter 5, I summarise the results of my research and draw some overarching conclusions. I address some of its limitations and implications, and outline directions for future research

Students’ Perceptions of Tuition Fees: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Aims: In light of the changes to tuition fees introduced by the UK government in 2010, the present study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how students perceive their tuition fees. Methodology: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to gain a deeper understanding of students’ perceptions of tuition fees. Results: Two superordinate themes describing the fairness of tuition fees and the impact of the change in legislation on perceptions emerged from the analysis. In addition, findings revealed that a lack of knowledge regarding tuition fees appears to increase stress in the students. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that more responsibility should lie with institutions to educate their students about their finances, with possible benefits for student wellbeing and satisfaction. We also draw caution to policy and structural changes within universities that may occur to meet the increasing demands of students

‘People like me don’t do well at school’: the roles of identity compatibility and school context in explaining the socioeconomic attainment gap

Background: School students who are eligible for reduced or free school meals (FSM) – an indicator of economic disadvantage – have lower academic attainment than their peers. Aims: We investigated whether identity compatibility – the perceived compatibility between one’s social identities and the stereotype of a high-achieving student – contributes to this socioeconomic attainment gap, and whether the association between socioeconomic status and identity compatibility is moderated by school context. Sample: Our sample was 4,629 students aged 15–16 years old across 29 schools in England. Method: We assessed students’ perceptions of identity compatibility via self-report questionnaires 8 months prior to them taking national, standardized exams. Results: Multilevel regression analyses revealed a negative indirect effect from eligibility for FSM to exam results via identity compatibility. These effects existed even while accounting for students’ gender and language status, other psychological variables known to predict academic attainment, and their previous exam results. Furthermore, school context moderated the relationship between FSM eligibility and identity compatibility. In line with the identities in context model of educational inequalities, there was a significant negative association between FSM and identity compatibility only for students attending schools in which there was previously a relatively large socioeconomic attainment gap. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the importance of social psychological variables in explaining educational inequalities, and of the local educational context in determining the educational experience of students from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds