Determinants of aspirations

Aspirations vary for different sections of the population both in terms of parents’ educational and occupational goals for their children and the ambitions of the young people themselves. In this report, the authors review the current research literature across a range of disciplines to set out these differences and consider how educational and career aspirations are formed and developed in response to different environments and circumstances. They also examine the extent to which aspirations are related to eventual outcomes and discuss the implications for current policies and practices.

Excerpt from publication.

Key findings are grouped around the following questions: Who has high aspirations? When and how are aspirations formed? What are the barriers and facilitators for high aspirations? Do high aspirations lead to better outcomes? When and how can the development of high aspirations be supported? Show less