Poverty is behaviour: an evaluation of life history theory in Cape Town

This study used data from 2090 young adults and their households collected in a longitudinal survey in Cape Town from 2002 to 2009. The study examined factors influencing the educational achievement of the participants including environment, schools, parents and individual’s own behaviour. Multivariate regression was used to analyse the data. Results showed that the education system had the largest influence followed by adolescent behaviour and then parental behaviour. The environment had no significant effect. Both gender and wealth declined in importance when the behavioural variables were added to the model supporting the hypothesis that behaviour is associated with educational achievement and hence poverty. The findings of this research suggest that the Education Department appears to have non-educational objectives and family processes influences educational achievement. These circumstances need to be transformed if educational achievement and thereby poverty or inequality is to be addressed. Future surveys examining young adults should include more details of the environment, early childhood experiences, family processes and the parent/child relationship.

Grantor

Department of Sociology

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Smaill, Robin John

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Wolf, Pedro

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30586

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/30586