Determining Socio-economic Status Variables through Cluster Analysis

Abstract

In studies where socio-economic status (SES) is used as a variable; it is assumed that individuals show
differences in SES based on their dependent variables. The purpose of this study is to provide concrete measures for
researchers working on determining SES. In this study, cluster analysis was used to determine the variables affecting
SES. Cluster analysis is a multivariate technique in which observations and variables are divided into groups according
to their characteristics. A total of 594 preparatory class students from Ankara University and Yıldırım Beyazıt
University participated in the study. The results of the cluster analyses with these five variables - family’s average
monthly income, mother’s education level, father’s education level, parents’ frequency of participation in social
activities and the total number of books purchased in a year - yielded that the participants among themselves showed
homogeneity. Based on the literature review, the findings of this study are discussed by comparing them with other
studies’ results in determining SES.