Which term describes the belief that social class differences in achievement arise from environment and culture rather than innate ability?

• A. Cultural deprivation
• B. Innate ability
• C. Individual merit
• D. Marketization

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that differences in achievement across social classes are explained by the environment and culture in which a child is raised, not by innate or biological differences. This view is captured by the term cultural deprivation, which argues that lacking certain cultural resources, family support, language patterns valued in school, and access to enriching experiences can hinder learning and performance. In other words, environmental and cultural factors shape educational outcomes, rather than biology. The other options don’t fit because they attribute gaps to biology (innate ability), personal effort or merit (individual merit), or to how schooling is funded and organized in markets (marketization), none of which focus on the environmental-cultural explanations this term highlights.