Publication Type
Magazine Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
3-2025
Abstract
More balanced understanding may curb unintended negative outcomes. While social mobility provides opportunities for a better life and societal progress, it can also lead to significant challenges, including burnout from hypercompetitive environments, feelings of isolation due to cultural mismatches, and self-blame stemming from the myth of meritocracy. Strengthening social safety nets and providing supportive environments in educational institutions and workplaces can help mitigate the unintended psychological and social costs of mobility. A nuanced approach to social mobility that acknowledges external systemic and psychological barriers, and fosters inclusivity, is necessary to ensure upward mobility benefits society while lowering the risk of exacerbating inequalities or personal strain.
Keywords
social mobility, meritocracy, psychological impact, systemic barriers, burnout, inclusivity, inequality, educational equity, workplace culture, social safety nets
Discipline
Educational Psychology | Social Psychology
Publication
Asian Management Insights
Volume
12
Issue
1
First Page
26
Last Page
33
ISSN
2315-4284
Publisher
Singapore Management University
City or Country
Singapore
Embargo Period
5-19-2025
Citation
TAN, Jacinth.
Social mobility: What we haven’t talked about. (2025). Asian Management Insights. 12, (1), 26-33.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/ami/286
Copyright Owner and License
Singapore Management University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://cmp.smu.edu.sg/ami/issues/volume-12-issue-1/insights/social-mobility-what-we-havent-talked-about