Self-concept of social status of Primorsky Krai's students
The paper studies distinguishing features of Primorsky Krai's middle class. Using the questionnaire method, its self-concept criteria were studied. A peripheral part of the middle class with at least secondary education, employed outside of physical labor field and identifying themselves as middle class, was interviewed, namely, students. The following was included into the social status self-concept criteria: income, property, professionalism, economic behavior type, living standards, social evaluations, adaptation methods and self-identity. The research target was the studentship's social status as a peripheral part of the middle class in Primorsky Krai; its subject was analysis of its social self-esteem criteria in case of possible self-identification as middle class. Extension department students paying for their education, i.e. professional employees requiring specialized education, participated in the questionnaire. The study's hypothesis that more than a half respondents would intuitively identify themselves as middle class while not meeting the objective criteria of this social group was confirmed. The said group's living standards are above the poverty line but not high enough for them to qualify as middle class. The most respondents identify themselves with the latter, even those who don't belong to it according to their external signs, which proves their own social well-being as the region's average. The unique character of the peripheral part of the middle class interviewed in Primorsky Krai is in its inflated self-esteem: 63% identify themselves as the latter, as they believe to have the average regional income; in Russia meanwhile, according to Levada Center's rates, this indicator is much lower and amounts to 35%.