Karavay A.V. Personal resource as a factor of social stratification of economically active Russians: Operationalization and measurement. Terra Economicus. 2026. Vol. 24. No. 2. P. 57-74.

Текст статьи на сайте журнала URL: https://te.sfedu.ru/evjur/data/2026/2/karavay.pdf (дата обращения 13.09.2026)

Abstract

This article examines how the concept of personal resource is embedded within the resource-based approach to social stratification. It is conceptualized as an individual’s incorporated potential, indirectly linked to their habitus and capable of being converted into stable social and economic positions. On this theoretical basis, an operationalization of personal resource is proposed through a composite Index comprising three components: attitudes towards control over one’s own life (planning horizon, belief in the efficacy of one’s efforts, and distancing from fatalism), social optimism (generalized trust and a positive image of others), and behavioral manifestations of agency (social participation and actions aimed at improving one’s material circumstances). Drawing on data from the IS FCTAS RAS Monitoring Survey (2025, economically active population, N = 1,524), three groups of Russians with differing levels of personal resource are identified. The findings demonstrate that workers with different levels of personal resource differ primarily in employment security rather than labor intensity: higher Index values are associated with more stable forms of employment, the presence of basic labor guarantees, and higher satisfaction with one’s material situation and life overall. These differences persist within occupational and educational groups, indicating the independent contribution of personal resource to the formation of life chances. Furthermore, among individuals from low-resource family backgrounds, a high level of personal resource is associated with a substantially greater likelihood of upward social mobility, suggesting its compensatory role under conditions of structural constraints, likely operating through mechanisms of behavioral activation, hiring selectivity, and psychological resilience to external shocks. The results substantiate the significance of personal resource in the stratification processes of Russian society alongside other incorporated resources.