This article reports on the findings from a qualitative, longitudinal study on lay perceptions of opportunity structures among young adults in Denmark. Previous research suggests that people often underestimate the extent of inequality and that rising inequality aggravates misperceptions. Our study deepens the understanding of the multi-layered processes that form meritocratic beliefs, and it identifies key factors at the macro-, meso- and micro-level. A macro-level factor that proved influential was a cultural script revolving around the Danish lay concept, social arv [social inheritance]. At the meso level, the factor of reference groups in socio-economic heterogeneous schools was instrumental for formations of inequality perceptions, but in dissimilar ways depending on micro-level subjective factors. Overall, the participants viewed the free educational system in Denmark as part of a welfare system that equalises opportunity structures in principle, while the majority simultaneously exhibited a nuanced awareness of social forces negating meritocracy in practice.

本文报告了一项定性，纵向研究的结果，该研究是对丹麦年轻成年人对机会结构的外行认知的。先前的研究表明，人们常常低估了不平等的程度，而不断加剧的不平等加剧了人们的误解。我们的研究加深了对形成精英主义信念的多层过程的理解，并从宏观，中观和微观三个层面确定了关键因素。证明有影响力的宏观因素是围绕丹麦外行概念，社交狂热者的文化手稿[社会遗产]。在中观水平上，社会经济异质学校中的参照群体因素是形成不平等观念的重要工具，但取决于微观水平的主观因素，其形成方式有所不同。总体而言，参与者将丹麦的免费教育系统视为福利系统的一部分，该福利原则上使机会结构均等，而大多数人同时表现出对社会力量在实践中否定英才的细微差别。