Father's Occupation and Social Background: Relation to SAT Scores

Examining the relationship of a number of social background variables to SAT scores, father's occupation was found to be associated with significant differences in quantitative and verbal SAT scores.

Abstract

Social background correlates of scholastic achievement are of concern to educational researchers. The present study examines the relationship of a number of social background variables to SAT scores: sex, ethnic status, ordinal birth position, father's absence, and father's occupation. Of these, father's occupation has received little attention, other than as an index of socioeconomic status. Roe (1956) described personality and cognitive differences between occupational categories. Using these categories, father's occupation was found to be associated with significant differences in quantitative and verbal SAT scores. Further, significant relationship between sex, ethnic status, and father's absence and SAT scores were found. Consideration of paternal occupation as a potential interacting variable associated with scholastic achievement may prove useful in future educational research.