Which option is one of Sugarman's four key characteristics of working-class culture?

• A. Individualism
• B. Fatalism
• C. Self-discipline
• D. Future time orientation

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how beliefs about control over life outcomes shape educational choices in working-class culture, as Sugarman described. Fatalism—the belief that outcomes are determined by luck or fate rather than personal effort or schooling—lands at the heart of his four traits. If students think success isn’t reachable through study or hard work, they’re less motivated to invest time in schooling, so educational attainment tends to be lower. This contrasts with the other traits Sugarman identifies, such as a present-time orientation (favoring immediate rewards over long-term planning) and collectivist norms, which together with fatalism help explain why schooling is viewed and pursued differently in this context. The option that states fatalism matches his described attitude about control over life chances.