Harold L. Wilensky’s scientific contributions

Variations in class ideology among 495 workers in a homogenous factory sample suggest that the experiences preceding and accompanying downward occupational mobility make the skidder more conservative than workers in his class of destination. Such conservatism is most widespread among older worklife skidders but is found also among young intergenerational skidders. Data support the following explanation: early or retrospective socialization in family, school, and/or white collar workgroup leads the status-deprived to deny failure and strive for success. Middle-class perspectives retain their force despite the working-class milieu. The later socialization and anticipatory socialization hypotheses are rejected. Conditions which might move the skidder to a more radical response are suggested. The study again stresses the need to take account of types of mobility and aspirations in research on the impact of mobility.