Social class has been explored from multiple perspectives over the years. In early conceptualizations, social class was examined strictly within the context of socioeconomic factors, including income, occupation, and residential patterns. Later notions of social class included the analysis of selected psychological factors that produced class consciousness, often defined as personal identification with a particular social class. More recently, social class has been reconceptualized as an identity with cultural, sociological, and psychological implications. This entry examines social ...