Achieved or ascribed? The trajectory of family background and educational assortative mating in China over four decades

Abstract

This study investigates the evolving patterns of assortative mating based on family background and education in China from 1978 to 2022 focusing on the impact of economic inequality. Using data from the 2010–2022 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) and employing log-linear models, the study examines how family background (ascribed status) and educational attainment (achieved status) influence mate selection. The findings reveal that, the degree of family background homogamy has strengthened with social modernization in China. This shift is closely linked to the rising economic inequality in the context of China, which has increased the emphasis on economic and cultural resources in mate selection. Meanwhile, educational homogamy followed a pattern of initial increase, reflecting the growing importance of education in spousal choice, followed by a decline in recent decades. This decline may be attributed to the devaluation of educational qualifications due to the rapid expansion of higher education. The results support the economic inequality perspective, suggesting that economic inequality has a stronger influence on assortative mating trends than modernization theories. These findings underscore the critical role of family background in shaping marriage patterns, reinforcing the concentration of socioeconomic resources within families and contributing to the perpetuation of social inequality.