Chinese Journal of Sociology

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Social Capital and Status Attainment: Simple and Complex Causal Mechanisms and Associations  

Lü Tao, Department of Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science, Tsinghua University   

  1.  Lü Tao, Department of Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science, Tsinghua University.
  • Online:2011-05-20 Published:2011-05-20
  • Contact: Lü Tao, Department of Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science, Tsinghua University.  E-mail:lucas197775@yahoo.com.cn
  • About author:Lü Tao, Department of Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science, Tsinghua University. 
  • Supported by:

    This paper was a stage result of the key project “A Research on Trends of Evolution of Social Stratification in China”(10ASH002) which was supported by The National Social Science Fund.

Abstract:

The classic theory emphasizes that the statusrelated return of mobilized social capitals is independent of that of personal capitals, which is a theoretical construction based on simple causality. From the perspective of complex causality, this paper emphasizes that, because of the constraints of the entire society on the socially needed efficiency of the social positions, the processes by which social capitals produce returns would be restricted by the level of personal human capital, which is a complex causal mechanism. So, the positive association between social capital jointed with human capital and status attainment should be the focus of examination in order to observe the complex causation between social capital and status attainment. 

Key words: complex causality, simple causality, social capital, status attainment