USC Marshall

Marketing theory suggests that when groups of consumers differ in product preferences, they form unique market segments. We use this perspective to illuminate a novel antecedent to racial segregation in the school market. Specifically, the current research reveals that US Black and White parents differ in how they value school attributes. These differences in preferences for school attributes can lead these groups to select different types of schools, resulting in segregation even when the varying preferences have nothing to do with the racial demographic of the school. We theorize that these preference differences stem from motivational differences in pursuit of social status. Given the de facto US racial hierarchy that assigns Black people to a lower social status, Black parents are more motivated to seek schools that signal they can improve their children's status. Simulations of parental school decisions at scale show that preference differences under an unmitigated school choice policy lead to 10.7% more segregated schools -- the equivalent of over 6 million K-12 US children. In contrast, if Black and White parents had similar preferences, unmitigated school choice would reduce racial segregation. This research may inform public policy concerning school choice and school segregation.

This article addresses two seemingly incompatible claims about identity: (a ) complex, multivalent identities are advantageous because they afford greater flexibility versus (b) simple, focused identities are advantageous because they facilitate valuation. Following Faulkner, it is hypothesized that a focused identity is helpful in gaining entrée into an arena but subsequently leads to increasing limitations. The labor market for feature‐film actors is analyzed via career patterns recorded in the Internet Movie Database and interviews with key informants, allowing the article to distinguish between typecasting effects and those due to underlying skill differences or social networks. Important implications are drawn for research on identity formation in various social arenas, on categorical boundaries in external labor markets, and on the actor‐position interplay inherent in market dynamics.