Class background, parental socialization, and Gendered cultural preference in the context of China

The purpose of this article focuses on cultural consumption patterns of Chinese college students and examines the combined and individual effects of class background and parental socialization on gender-specific cultural preference in the unique context of China. It is an oriental developing nation with female children discrimination, the newly abolished one child police, the absence of formal aesthetic education. With 155 questionnaires collected and multiple regression analysis used, we can determine the gender difference and measure the extent of the impact. We first found female students, in general, develop a taste for refined culture while boys are more inclined to lowbrow or popular culture which is in line with previous findings. Yet, popular music and TV programs do not display much gender distinction. Second, the impact of class background and cultural socialization on each type of proclivity varies. TV programs enjoyment and highbrow musical tastes are more triggered by parents’ social position while parenting is the reason behind popular reading. Yet, these two important factors failed to account for other cultural preference, including highbrow and lowbrow activities engagement, highbrow music taste, and highbrow reading. Third, parents did socialize children on the basis of sex, which renders females in a disadvantaged position of developing highbrow tastes. Four, the number of and sex of siblings influence the way of parental socialization to varied extent.