Study links social class origins to lower wage goals in job search

A college degree is supposed to be the great equalizer in the labor market, promising upward mobility and better pay for all. But a new study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests how family background shapes not only job outcomes but also the salary expectations job seekers bring with them from the start. The study, "Striving or settling: Social class origins and wage goal dynamics in the job search process," was developed by researchers from institutions including the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Texas A&M University, University of Minnesota and Georgia State's Robinson College of Business.