Social Mobility and Social Structure: Some Insights from the Linear Model

The matrix equation representing relationships between social structure and social mobility is reviewed, and some of these relationships which are usefully formulated, described, or clarified in terms of the elements of the model are cited. A distinction is drawn between problems in which social mobility processes are the dependent variable and those in which social structure is the dependent variable; some variants of the model are suggested for dealing with each. Limitations of the model entailed by its assumption of closed populations are noted. A model is suggested which represents the sociodemographic process transforming social structure, and describes both social mobility and differential population growth.