That’s a simple question with a very complex answer that can’t be summed up in a sentence or two. Generally, I’ve found that when most people ask the question, their underlying purpose is to understand how “social class” relates to consumerism. We have 4 “social classes” and 3 of those (upper, middle and lower” are divided into 3 additional “sub classes” (upper-upper, middle upper, lower upper; upper middle, middle middle, lower middle: upper lower, middle lower, and lower lower) We then have the “working class”. A concept known as “VALS” (Values, Attitudes, Lifestyles) is used in marketing to identify and target buyers according to social class and it is amazingly accurate. Each “social class” has their own particular set of “values, attitudes, and lifestyles” which are normal for that class, but not so much for each of the other classes. For instance, when I was in college (early 1990s, NASCAR was considered a very “working class, or lower class” leisure time activity, as is say, bowling. Today, NASCAR has also become something that embraced by the middle classes as well, and even a few in the upper class. One thing that I’ve found that Americans HATE is the proper use of “middle class”. More than 1/2 of Americans who call themselves “middle class” are NOT. They’re “Working Class”. For one, the identification of “social class” is very much a tool used to define and describe the mindset and the economic abilities of the public. Those who earn a “middle class” income, but who work for an HOURLY WAGE…..ARE “Working class”…even though they may earn more than someone who is “middle class”. The difference being that of being the supervised, or the supervisor.
So, simply put….what determines ones “social class” is a combination of things which include, level of education, job, income, leisure time activities, and the products that you consume. Statistically, less that 2% of people ever move more than 1 slot away from the “social class” into which they were born.