Social Mobility: Intergenerational and Intragenerational (10A) Practice Test

A research team examined intergenerational mobility in educational attainment within a sample of 1,050 adults. Parents were categorized as “no college degree” vs “college degree.” Participants’ highest degree was categorized as “no college,” “bachelor’s,” or “graduate.” Results: among participants with no-college parents, 62% had no college, 30% earned a bachelor’s, and 8% earned a graduate degree. Among participants with college-educated parents, 28% had no college, 46% earned a bachelor’s, and 26% earned a graduate degree.

Which statement best describes the trend in intergenerational mobility shown in the data?

A longitudinal study linked tax records across three generations to estimate intergenerational mobility. The analysis compared the probability that grandchildren reach the top income quintile (Q5) based on whether grandparents were in Q1 versus Q5, while also controlling for parents’ quintile. In the adjusted model, grandchildren with Q5 grandparents had a 14% probability of reaching Q5, whereas grandchildren with Q1 grandparents had a 7% probability of reaching Q5, even when parents’ quintile was held constant.

Which conclusion about social mobility is most consistent with the passage?