The role of geographical mobility and ‘escalator regions’ in intergenerational social mobility: Life course analysis linking the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 and Scottish Longitudinal Study data
Observational analysis finds that moving to escalator regions enhances intergenerational mobility in Scotland, indicating the importance of both place and individual characteristics.
Key Points
Greater intergenerational social mobility is linked to geographical mobility, especially to escalator regions.
Individuals who moved to Edinburgh displayed higher social status as adults compared to non-movers.
Data from the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 and Scottish Longitudinal Study highlights these mobility patterns.
Findings suggest that both personal attributes and the characteristics of places play a role in upward social mobility.