Klassenspezifischer

Klassenspezifischer is a German adjective used in sociology, cultural studies, and related fields to describe traits, behaviors, or phenomena that are specific to or vary with a social class. The term is commonly combined with nouns such as Merkmale (features), Lebensstile (lifestyles), or Konsummuster (consumption patterns) to indicate patterns associated with particular social strata.

Etymology and usage notes: The word is formed from Klasse (class) and spezifisch (specific), with the standard adjective ending -er. In scholarly writing it appears in forms like klassenspezifischer Unterschied or klassenspezifische Diskrepanz. It is often linked to broader theoretical concepts such as habitus and kulturelles Kapital (cultural capital) in Bourdieuan analyses, which help explain why certain class-specific patterns emerge.

Contexts and examples: Klassenspezifischer Befund or beobachtete klassenspezifische Unterschiede describe empirical findings where differences align with social class, even when other factors are controlled. Typical contexts include education and attainment, income and consumption, housing, and cultural preferences. The term emphasizes correlation with class position rather than attributing causation to individuals.

Limitations and considerations: The use of klassenspezifisch can risk overgeneralization or essentializing groups if used without attention to within-class heterogeneity and intersectionality (e.g., gender, ethnicity, region). Social mobility and temporal change can alter what is klassenspezifisch, so contemporary analyses should specify context, population, and period.

See also: Sociological concepts of social class and stratification, Habitus, kulturelles Kapital, soziale Schichten.