(iPoster) Reimagining Socioeconomic Measures: Digital Devices as a Modern Proxy

• In Event: Poster Session: Issues in the Political Theory of Economic Equality and Democracy & Political Methodology
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Political Methodology

Abstract

It is common in social science research to measure socioeconomic status on surveys by asking for the number of books in one’s home, with the understanding that literacy correlates with social mobility (The Programme for International Student Assessment 2024), reading comprehension (Eriksson et al 2021), and cultural capital (Bourdieu 1985). Notably, the technological shift of the 21st century complicates this proxy, as physical books are no longer the only avenue of literacy or social mobility, and therefore may no longer be an adequate measurement of socioeconomic status. In times of crisis — as we experienced firsthand in March 2020 — digital access is essential for education, employment, and civic participation. As such, understanding socioeconomic status through a lens that includes digital device ownership allows us to assess academic potential and cultural access during these critical moments.

To update this measurement in survey design, I propose a new metric that focuses not only on e-readers (as Heppt et al 2022 have done), but rather on how many devices one has at home overall. On a 2024 pre/post-treatment, program evaluation survey of 11,266 respondents from every single school district across Ontario, I asked, “If you had to guess, how many digital devices do you have at home (e.g., cell phones, smartphones, tablets, e-readers, laptops, desktop computers, gaming consoles, smart TVs)?” Twenty-eight percent of respondents said that they had ‘1-6’ devices at home, 47% said they had between ‘7-15’ devices at home, and 20% said they had ‘16 or more’ devices at home (N = 8,361).

I also wanted to know how well this variable correlated with the traditional measurement of socioeconomic status. Therefore, I also asked: “If you had to guess, how many books would you say you have in your house?” Nearly one-in-three respondents said that they have ‘Over 100’ books at home, 17% said they had approximately ‘61-100’ books at home, 21% said they had ‘31-60’ books at home, and 19% said they had ‘Under 30’ books at home (N = 8,889). I plan to assess the strength and direction of the relationship between these two variables using an ordinal correlation test, which will help determine statistically whether a measurement of digital devices is an appropriate proxy.

I propose that both books and devices measure similar phenomena — access to research tools, a home setting that fosters inquiry, and indication of disposable income to purchase these items. However, some new information may be communicated by the introduction of this new proxy.
First, it is plausible that devices indicate some greater flexibility or advancement in our learning, as we live amidst the near-constant development of new technologies. Second, devices, on average, cost a great deal more than books (e.g., a book may cost $29.99 but an iPad could be $850 by low estimates for both), indicating a greater amount of disposable income. As a result, devices may be a better proxy for socioeconomic status as these costly items — iPhones, televisions, gaming systems, iPads, computers, and laptops — are likely to be owned by someone with a stable and well-paying job.

These findings contribute to reimagining how socioeconomic status can be measured, advancing methodological approaches to understanding inequality and identity formation in polarized, tech-dependent societies.

Author

• Alexis Monique Lerner, The United States Naval Academy