Definition of Status Declassing
(noun) An effort by an higher-status individual to take on characteristics of lower status people during social interactions.
Example of Status Declassing
- A politician who dresses differently, depending on the audience, to seem more approachable and in touch with the needs of voters.
Etymology of Status Declassing
- Coined by Vance Packard (1914–1996) in The Status Seeker: An Exploration of Class Behavior in America and the Hidden Barriers that Affect You, Your Community, Your Futures (1959).
Status Declassing Pronunciation
Syllabification: stat·us de·class·ing
Audio Pronunciation
International Phonetic Alphabet
- American English: /ˈsteɪtəs ˌdeɪˌklæˈseɪɪŋ/
- British English: /ˈsteɪtəs ˌdeɪklɑːˈseɪɪŋ/
Usage Note
- Plural: status declassings
Related Terms
- achieved status
- ascribed status
- master status
- role
- society
- status consistency
- status lender
- status offense
- status quo
- status symbol
Cite the Definition of Status Declassing
ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “status declassing.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved April 1, 2023 (https://sociologydictionary.org/status-declassing/).
APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)
status declassing. (2013). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/status-declassing/
Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)
Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “status declassing.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed April 1, 2023. https://sociologydictionary.org/status-declassing/.
MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)
“status declassing.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2013. Web. 1 Apr. 2023. <https://sociologydictionary.org/status-declassing/>.