Statement of the Problem Although it plays an important role in various cultures and societies, most Americans tend to shy away from the idea that social class should define people and their roles in society. Meaning that although it exists, social class does directly not place certain limitations on those within the various classes, instead, these limitations are most likely caused by a third variable. For example, people from the lower socioeconomic status may not be able to possess certain luxurious items not because they are not allowed to, but because it would be more difficult for them to attain the monetary funds to purchase such items. Therefore, it would be incorrect to state that social class has no affect individual’s lives and the social institutions that they are apart of regardless of the societies they live in. Social institutions consist of long-standing patterns of interaction in a large group or society. The family is a key example of a social institution. Other than religion, family is the only social institution that is formally developed in all societies. Therefore, it is one of the only social institutions that can be studied and compared across all societies. Extensive research has been conducted on the relationship between social class and family. Specifically, I will focus on the relationship between social class and child rearing. Although much of the research I have come across has indicated that there is in fact a causal relationship between parents’ social class and their approach to child rearing, there is still much debate concerning the issue. Many researchers have argued that other variables, such as race and family structure are better indicators of child rearing practices. With so many different opinions and various research conducted on the topic, it can be quite difficult to determine which variable has a casual relationship with child rearing practices versus which variables are correlated to child rearing practices. The purpose of my research is to explore and confirm the causal relationship between social class and child rearing practices. Review of Literature and Hypothesis Before delving straight into the topic, it is important that we define the concepts of social class and child rearing as they relate to my research. Many people use social class and socioeconomic status interchangeably, however, it is important to make a clear distinction between the two. Socioeconomic status is measured by income, education, and occupation. Although it can certainly influence social class it does define it. When discussing social class, I am referring to a group of people with similar levels of wealth, influence, and status. There are four distinct social classes, which include the lower class, working class, middle class, and upper class. However, I will be focusing mainly on the lower, working, and middle classes because the upper class comprised of such a small portion of our society. The lower class characterized by poverty, homelessness, and unemployment. People in this class often lack a high school education and fall below the poverty line. The working class is comprised of those who are minimally educated and engage in physical labor. They are divided into two levels, which include skilled workers who work blue-collar jobs such as carpeting and plumbing and unskilled workers who are typically underpaid and are unable to gain career advancement which include jobs such as dishwashers and maids. The middle class is comprised of white-collar workers who are divided into the lower and upper middle class based on wealth, education, and prestige. The lower middle class is made up of less educated people with lower incomes such as teachers and secretaries. The upper middle class on the other hand is made up of highly educated professionals with high incomes such as doctors and lawyers. Child rearing is another term for raising children. However, it means more than just providing the basic needs and physically caring for children. I am referring to the active roles parents take in facilitating emotional and social growth in their children. The relationship between social class and child rearing has been a topic of study for decades now. Fifty years ago, an American sociologist by the name of Melvin L. Kohn released an article, which was published in the American Journal of Sociology. In his work, entitled Social Class and Parent-Child Relationships: An Interpretation, Kohn attempts, “to interpret the effects of social class upon parent-child relationships,” from a sociological perspective (Kohn, 1963). Kohn starts off by saying that social class is a useful concept because it goes beyond education level or occupation and ties these among other correlating variables together (Kohn, 1963). Members of different social classes experience different conditions of life, and therefore come to see the world differently. They, “develop different conceptions of social rea