Taking Credential Examinations as Cultural Behavior : Relationships between Credentials, Culture and Gender

ブンカ　コウドウ　ト　シテ　ノ　シカク　ケンテイ　ジュケン　ダンジョベツ　ニ　ミル　ジュケン　コウドウ

クヤマ, ケンタ

Kuyama, Kenta

オオサカ ダイガク ダイガクイン ニンゲン カガク ケンキュウカ シャカイガク ニンゲンガク ジンルイガク ケンキュウシツ

Sociology, Anthropology and Philosophy, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University

教育資格

資格社会

文化資本

文化行動

occupational credential

educational credential

credentialism

cultural capital

cultural behavior

The purpose of this study is to analyze the taking of credential examinations using multivariate analyses, with SSP-I2010 data. In the field of sociology, “educational credentials” (educational background) has been empirically studied for its character as a hierarchy or means to achieve social status. However, there are only a few empirical accumulations about “occupational credentials”(what are called national or official qualifications). First, we used a question item which included the frequency of taking examinations as a dependent variable. Next, we created the variables "practical orientation to the use of credentials" and "orientation to high-cultural behaviors", and applied them to the independent variable, in addition to social attributes. Moreover, previous studies point out that differences regarding the significance of educational background have arisen according to gender. Since it was surmised that attitudes to occupational credentials might also have similar gender differences, we divided the data according to gender. As results of the analyses, it became clear that the regulative factors for taking credential examinations were that in some areas the main difference was gender, while in other parts a common mechanism exists. The relation between educational background and orientation to high-cultural behaviors is the most remarkable outcome. In both cases, male and female, a strong positive effect with orientation to high-cultural behaviors was shown. This result suggests that a new type of credential, "cultural credential", exists. On the other hand, in the basic model, with male data, educational background had no effect, but the female data showed that having higher education had a positive effect. However, the complicated relations between gender, educational background, and credential examinations arose from the extended model to which orientation to high-cultural behaviors was applied. While the negative effect of having higher education appeared with male data, its positive effect with female data disappeared conversely.