Young people's social mobility expectations in an unequal world.

Social mobility is the movement of individuals or groups within or between social strata (1). Under the assumption that talent is evenly distributed across social and demographic groups, social mobility indicates whether a society offers equal opportunities for economic and social success irrespective of initial condition. We present new evidence on the social mobility beliefs of a large, representative sample of 15-year-olds in 57 countries worldwide that highlights how young people believe in opportunities for meritocratic advancement even in contexts with a large degree of income inequality and constrained opportunities for social mobility. Such belief that individuals in a society can move up or down can render stark income disparities more acceptable and motivate effort to advance. But it may also encourage a willingness to defend an unequal system. In the long term, unfulfilled expectations could lead to frustration and potentially a breakdown of social bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]