Dissecting Taste Distinction: Cultural Tastes and Perceptions of Individuals’ Status and Qualities

Mikkel Haderup Larsen, Mads Meier Jæger Sociological Science April 30, 2026 10.15195/v13.a20 Abstract A rich literature in sociology argues that familiarity with legitimate culture creates favorable perceptions of individuals’ status and qualities, which in turn yield privilege. Yet, it remains unclear which tastes affect what perceptions by how much. To address these important questions, we designed a survey experiment in Denmark that “dissects” and quantifies the effect of individuals’ tastes