Which form of capital encompasses knowledge, behaviors, and skills that promote social mobility?

• A. Financial capital
• B. Human capital
• C. Cultural capital
• D. Social capital

Answer: (C)

This item focuses on how non-financial assets influence the ability to move up socially, specifically through cultural capital. Cultural capital includes knowledge, behaviors, and dispositions that are valued by schools, employers, and other institutions—things like language style, manners, cultural knowledge, educational credentials, and other practices that help someone fit in and be recognized as legitimate or competent. When these cultural resources align with what institutions reward, they can open doors to better schooling, credentials, and opportunities, which in turn support social mobility. Financial capital involves money and assets, which can aid mobility but through resources rather than cultural alignment. Human capital centers on skills and education that boost productivity and earnings, while social capital is about networks and relationships; the question’s emphasis on culturally valued knowledge and behaviors makes cultural capital the best fit.