- When someone moves from a lower social class to a higher one
- Rags to Riches
- Usually discussed in the context of the American Dream

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- Upward Mobility
- Downward Mobility
- The American Dream

Social mobility

Barian, A. et. al. (2020). A Sociology Experiment. https://www.sociologyexperiment.com/ 

A Sociology Experiment

Upward Mobility

- Dropping into a lower social class from a higher one
- This could be because the person was laid off, chose to pursue a less lucrative career than their parents, made bad financial decisions, got divorced, entered the job market during a recession, etc. 

Downward Mobility

- The American Dream is the belief that anyone can be successful by working hard, taking risks and making sacrifices
- Sociologist often think of the American Dream as a myth because only about 50% of children experience upward mobility (these odds are even lower for African Americans)

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