“读书无用”还是“知识改变命运”?——教育对代际流动的影响及其认知偏差研究

“Study is Useless” or “Knowledge Changes Fate”?A Study on the Influence of Education on IntergenerationalMobility and Individuals Cognitive Biases

究竟是“读书无用”还是“知识改变命运”,该话题一直受社会各界共同关注。本文基于覆盖31个省(直辖市、自治区)的6轮CGSS微观调查数据,采用多项Logit模型,从主观和客观的双重视角出发,实证分析了教育与代际流动及其认知偏差之间的关系。研究发现:(1)随着受教育年限的提高,个体对于教育对代际流动影响的认知将产生偏差,即主观上看似“读书无用”,实则“知识改变命运”;(2)主观上,教育会通过激发个体的物质渴求,进而抑制代际向上流动;(3)客观上,教育会通过提升个体的配置能力,进而促进代际向上流动;(4)教育对代际流动的影响存在性别差异和户籍差异,即存在群体间的机会不均等。据此,为了更好地发挥教育促进代际流动的重要作用,一方面,要构建规则更加透明、机会更加公平的现代教育体系;另一方面,要营造积极良好的社会氛围,缓解个体对代际流动认知向下偏移所带来的负面影响。与此同时,要进一步打破劳动力市场存在的多种壁垒和隐形歧视,切实保障女性和农村流动人口实现公平就业。

“Study is useless”or“knowledge changes fate”?It has always been a topic of common concern of the whole society.Based on 6 rounds of CGSS microscopic survey data covering 31 provinces,municipalities and autonomous regions,this study adopts the Multinomial Logit Model to empirically analyze the relationship between education,intergenerational mobility and cognitive bias from both subjective and objective perspectives.It is found that:(1)As the years of education increase,education will cause individuals to produce cognitive biases of intergenerational mobility,that is,subjectively,it seems that“study is useless”,but in reality,“knowledge changes fate”.(2)Subjectively,education will inhibit intergenerational upward mobility by stimulating individual s material aspirations.(3)Objectively,education will promote intergenerational upward mobility by improving individual s configuration capability.(4)There are gender differences and hukou differences in the impact of education on intergenerational mobility,which means there are unequal opportunities among groups.Accordingly,in order to play the important role of education in promoting intergenerational mobility better,on the one hand,society must build a modern education system with more transparent rules and fairer opportunities.On the other hand,it is important to create a positive and favorable social atmosphere to mitigate the negative effects of downward bias in individuals cognitions about intergenerational mobility.At the same time,it is necessary to further break down the various barriers and hidden discrimination in the labor market,so as to effectively ensure that women and rural-urban migrants achieve fair employment.